GNA. Nonsense. You never thought about it; else how much more readily would you yourself have hit upon it, Thraso! SCENE II. _Enter THAIS from her house, attended by PYTHIAS._ THAIS, (_as she comes out._) I thought I just now heard the Captain’s voice. And look, here he is. Welcome, my {dear} Thraso. THRA. O my Thais, my sweet one, how are you? How much do you love me in return for that music girl? PAR. (_apart._) How polite! What a beginning he has made on meeting her! THAIS. Very much, as you deserve. GNA. Let’s go to dinner then. (_To THRASO._) What do you stand {here} for? PAR. (_apart._) Then there’s the other one: you would declare that he was born for his belly’s sake. THRA. When you please; I sha’n’t delay. PAR. (_apart._) I’ll accost them, and pretend as though I had just come out. (_He comes forward._) Are you going any where, Thais? THAIS. Ha! Parmeno; well done; {just} going out for the day. PAR. Where? THAIS, (_aside, pointing at THRASO._) Why! don’t you see him? PAR. (_aside._) I see him, and I’m sorry for it. (_Aloud._) Phædria’s presents are ready for you when you please. THRA. (_impatiently._) Why are we to stand {here}? Why don’t we be off? PAR. (_to THRASO._) Troth now, pray, do let us, with your leave, present to her the things we intend, {and} accost and speak to her. THRA. (_ironically._) Very fine presents, I suppose, or {at least} equal to mine. PAR. The fact will prove itself. (_Goes to the door of LACHES’ house and calls._) Ho there! bid those people come out of doors at once, as I ordered. _Enter from the house a BLACK GIRL._ PAR. Do you step forward this way, (_To THAIS._) She comes all the way from Æthiopia. THRA. (_contemptuously._) Here are some three minæ in value. GNA. Hardly so much. PAR. Where are you, Dorus? Step this way. _Enter CHÆREA from the house, dressed like the EUNUCH._ PAR. There’s a Eunuch for you-- of what a genteel appearance! of what a prime age! THAIS. God bless me, he’s handsome. PAR. What say you, Gnatho? Do you see any thing to find fault with? And what {say} you, Thraso? (_Aside._) They hold their tongues; they praise him sufficiently {thereby}. (_To THAIS._) Make trial of him in literature, try him in exercises,[70] and in music; I’ll warrant him well skilled in what it becomes a gentleman to know. THRA. That Eunuch, if occasion served,[71] even in my sober senses, I-- PAR. And he who has sent these things makes no request that you will live for him alone, and that for his own sake others may be excluded; he neither tells of battles nor shows his scars, nor does he restrict you as (_looking at THRASO_) a certain person does; but when it is not inconvenient, whenever you think fit, whenever you have the time, he is satisfied to be admitted. THRA. (_to GNATHO, contemptuously._) It appears that this is the servant of some beggarly, wretched master.