CHAR. (_to himself._) Is this to be believed or spoken of; that malice so great could be inborn in any one as to exult at misfortunes, and to derive advantage from the distresses of another! Oh, is this true? Assuredly, that is the most dangerous class of men, in whom there is only a slight degree of hesitation at refusing; afterward, when the time arrives for fulfilling their promises, then, obliged, of necessity they discover themselves. They are afraid, and yet the circumstances[74] compel them to refuse. Then, in that case, their very insolent remark is, “Who are you? What are you to me? What {should I give up} to you what’s my own? Look you, I am the most concerned in my own interests.”[75] But if you inquire where is honor, they are not ashamed.[76] Here, where there is occasion, they are not afraid; there, where there is no occasion, they are afraid. But what am I to do? Ought I not to go to him, and reason with him upon this outrage, and heap many an invective upon {him}? Yet some one may say, “you will avail nothing.” Nothing? At least I shall have vexed him, and have given vent to my own feelings. SCENE II. _Enter PAMPHILUS and DAVUS._ PAM. Charinus, unintentionally I have ruined both myself and you, unless the Gods in some way befriend us. CHAR. Unintentionally, is it! An excuse has been discovered at last. You have broken your word. PAM. How so, pray? CHAR. Do you expect to deceive me a second time by these speeches? PAM. What does this mean? CHAR. Since I told you that I loved her, she has become quite pleasing to you. Ah wretched me! to have judged of your disposition from my own. PAM. You are mistaken. CHAR. Did this pleasure appear to you not to be quite complete, unless you tantalized me in my passion, and lured me on by groundless hopes? --You may take her. PAM. I, take her? Alas! you know not in what perplexities, to my sorrow, I am involved, and what vast anxieties this executioner of mine (_pointing to DAVUS_) has contrived for me by his devices. CHAR. What is it so wonderful, if he takes example from yourself? PAM. You would not say that if you understood either myself or my affection. CHAR. I’m quite aware (_ironically_); you have just now had a dispute with your father, and he is now angry with you in consequence, and has not been able to-day to prevail upon you to marry her. PAM. No, not at all,-- as you are not acquainted with my sorrows, these nuptials were not in preparation for me; and no one was thinking at present of giving {me} a wife. CHAR. I am aware; you have been influenced by your own inclination. PAM. Hold; you do not yet know {all}. CHAR. For my part, I certainly do know that you are about to marry her. PAM. Why are you torturing me to death? Listen to this. He (_pointing to DAVUS_) never ceased to urge me to tell my father that I would marry her; to advise and persuade me, even until he compelled me. CHAR. Who was this person? PAM. Davus. CHAR. Davus! For what reason?