PHÆD. I was not aware what you were aiming at; “she was carried away from here, {when} a little child; my mother brought her up as though her own; she was called my sister; I wish to get her away, that I may restore her to her friends.” The meaning is, that all these expressions, in fine, now amount to this, {that} I am shut out, he is admitted. For what reason? Except that you love him more than me: and now you are afraid of her who has been brought {hither}, lest she should win him, such as he is, from yourself. THAIS. I, afraid of that? PHÆD. What else, then, gives you concern? Let me know. Is he the only person who makes presents? Have you found my bounty shut against you? Did I not, when you told me that you wished for a servant-maid from Æthiopia,[36] setting all other matters aside, go and seek for one? Then you said that you wanted a Eunuch, because ladies of quality[37] alone make use of them; I found {you one}. I yesterday paid twenty minæ[38] for them both. Though slighted by you, I {still} kept these things in mind; as a reward for so doing, I am despised by you. THAIS. Phædria, what does this mean? Although I wish to get her away, and think that by these means it could most probably be effected; still, rather than make an enemy of you, I’ll do as you request me. PHÆD. I {only} wish that you used that expression from your heart and truthfully, “rather than make an enemy of you.” If I could believe that this was said sincerely, I could put up with any thing. PAR. (_aside._) He staggers; how instantaneously is he vanquished by a single expression! THAIS. I, wretched woman, not speak from my heart? What, pray, did you ever ask of me in jest, but that you carried your point? I am unable to obtain {even} this of you, that you would grant {me} only two days. PHÆD. If, indeed, {it is but} two days; but don’t let these days become twenty. THAIS. Assuredly not more than two days, or-- PHÆD. “Or?” I won’t have it. THAIS. It shall not be; only do allow me to obtain this of you. PHÆD. Of course that which you desire must be done. THAIS. I love you as you deserve; you act obligingly. PHÆD. (_to PARMENO._) I shall go into the country; there I shall worry myself for the {next} two days: I’m resolved to do so; Thais must be humored. Do you, Parmeno, take care that they are brought hither. PAR. Certainly. PHÆD. For the next two days {then}, Thais, adieu. THAIS. And the same to you, my Phædria; do you desire aught else? PHÆD. What should I desire? That, present with the Captain, you may be as if absent; that night and day you may love me; may feel my absence; may dream of me; may be impatient for me; may think about me; may hope for me; may centre your delight in me; may be all in all with me; in fine, if you will, be my {very} life, as I am yours. (_Exeunt PHÆDRIA and PARMENO._ SCENE III. _THAIS alone._