SOPH. (_turning round._) Who’s that speaking here? CHREM. (_coming forward._) Sophrona. SOPH. Mentioning my name, too? CHREM. Look round at me. SOPH. (_seeing him._) Ye Gods, I do beseech you, isn’t this Stilpho? CHREM. No. SOPH. Do you deny it? CHREM. (_in a low voice._) Step a little this way from that door, Sophrona, if you please (_pointing_). Don’t you, henceforth, be calling me by that name. SOPH. Why? Pray, are you not the person you always used to say you were? CHREM. Hush! (_pointing to his own house._) SOPH. Why are you afraid about that door? CHREM. (_in a low voice._) I have got a shrew of a wife shut up there. For by that name I formerly falsely called myself, in order that you might not chance indiscreetly to blab it out of doors, and then my wife, by some means or other, might come to know of it. SOPH. I’ faith, that’s the very reason why we, wretched creatures, have never been able to find you out here. CHREM. Well, but tell me, what business have you with that family from whose house you were coming out? Where are the ladies?[74] SOPH. Ah, wretched me! CHREM. Hah! What’s the matter? Are they still alive? SOPH. Your daughter is alive. Her poor mother died of grief. CHREM. An unfortunate thing! SOPH. As for me, being a lone old woman, in want, {and} unknown, I contrived, as well as I could, to get the young woman married to the young man who is master of this house (_pointing_). CHREM. What! to Antipho? SOPH. The very same, I say. CHREM. What? {Has} he {got} two wives? SOPH. Dear no, prithee, he has only got this one. CHREM. What about the other one that’s called his relative? SOPH. Why, this is she. CHREM. What is it you say? SOPH. It was done on purpose, in order that her lover might be enabled to marry her without a portion. CHREM. Ye Gods, by our trust in you! How often do those things come about through accident, which you couldn’t dare to hope for? On my return, I have found my daughter matched with the very person I wished, and just as I wanted; a thing that we were both using our endeavors, with the greatest earnestness, to bring about. Without any very great management on our part, by her own management, she has by herself brought this about. SOPH. Now consider what’s to be done. The young man’s father has returned, and they say that he bears this with feelings highly offended. CHREM. There’s no danger {of that}. But, by Gods and men, do take care that no one comes to know that she’s my daughter. SOPH. No one shall know {it} from me. CHREM. Follow me; in-doors we’ll hear the rest. (_He goes into DEMIPHO’S house, followed by SOPHRONA._) ACT THE FOURTH. SCENE I. _Enter DEMIPHO and GETA._