Phormio now comes to the front of the stage and announces in a loud official voice to the audience: All who want to view the remains of Chremes, now come forward! The time has come.--That's the way I do them up. Come along now, if any one else wants to stir up Phormio. I'll fix him just like this poor wretch here.--But there! he may come back to favor now. I've had revenge enough. She has something to nag him with as long as he lives. _Naus._ But I suppose I have deserved it. Why should I recount to you, Demipho, all that I have been to this man? _Dem._ I know it all, Nausistrata, as well as you. _Naus._ Well, have I deserved this treatment? _Dem._ By no means! but, since what's been done can't be undone by blaming him, pardon him. He confesses his sin, he prays for pardon, he promises never to do so again: what more do you want? _Pho._ [_aside_]. Hold on here; before she pardons him, I must look out for myself and Phædria. Say, Nausistrata, wait a minute before you answer him. _Naus._ Well? _Pho._ I tricked Chremes out of six hundred dollars; I gave the money to your son, and he has used it to buy his wife with. _Chr._ [_angrily_]. How? What do you say? _Naus._ [_to Chremes_]. How now? Does it seem to you a shameful thing for your son, a young man, to have one wife, when you, an old man, have had two? Shame on you! With what face will you rebuke him? Answer me that? [_Chremes slinks back without a word_]. _Dem._ He will do as you say. _Naus._ Well, then, here is my decision: I'll neither pardon him, nor promise anything, nor give you any answer at all, until I have seen my son. And I shall do entirely as he says. _Pho._ You are a wise woman, Nausistrata. _Naus._ [_to Chremes_]. Does that suit you? _Chr._ Does it? Indeed and truly I'm getting off well--[_aside_] and better than I expected. _Naus._ [_to Phormio_] Come, tell me your name. What is it? _Pho._ Mine? It's Phormio; I'm a great friend to your family, and especially to Phædria. _Naus._ Phormio, I vow to you I am at your service after this, to do and to say, so far as I can, just what you want. _Pho._ I thank you kindly, lady. _Naus._ No, upon my word, you've earned it. _Pho._ Do you want to begin right off, Nausistrata, and do something that will both make me happy and bring tears to your husband's eyes? _Naus._ That I do. _Pho._ Well, then, invite me to dinner. _Naus._ With all my heart, I do. _Dem._ Come then, let's go inside. _Chr._ Agreed; but where is Phædria, my judge? _Pho._ I'll soon have him here. And so ends this merry play, as the whole party moves toward Chremes' house, where, let us hope, all family differences were forgotten in the good dinner awaiting them. Meanwhile the man before the curtain reminds us that we still have a duty to perform: Fare you well, my friends, and give us your applause. SUMMARY AND QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW