im, to make him kinder to Adriana. In reply he told her that he
was not married, but that he loved her so much that, if Luciana were a
mermaid, he would gladly lie on the sea if he might feel beneath him her
floating golden hair.

Luciana was shocked and left him, and reported his lovemaking to
Adriana, who said that her husband was old and ugly, and not fit to be
seen or heard, though secretly she was very fond of him.

Antipholus of Syracuse soon received a visitor in the shape of Angelo
the goldsmith, of whom Antipholus of Ephesus had ordered the chain which
he had promised his wife and intended to give to another woman.

The goldsmith handed the chain to Antipholus of Syracuse, and treated
his "I bespoke it not" as mere fun, so that the puzzled merchant took
the chain as good-humoredly as he had partaken of Adriana's dinner. He
offered payment, but Angelo foolishly said he would call again.

The consequence was that Angelo was without money when a creditor of the
sort that stands no nonsense, threatened him with arrest unless he paid
his debt immediately. This creditor had brought a police officer with
him, and Angelo was relieved to see Antipholus of Ephesus coming out of
the house where he had been dining because he had been locked out of The
Phoenix. Bitter was Angelo's dismay when Antipholus denied receipt of
the chain. Angelo could have sent his mother to prison if she had said
that, and he gave Antipholus of Ephesus in charge.

At this moment up came Dromio of Syracuse and told the wrong Antipholus
that he had shipped his goods, and that a favorable wind was blowing.
To the ears of Antipholus of Ephesus this talk was simple nonsense. He
would gladly have beaten the slave, but contented himself with crossly
telling him to hurry to Adriana and bid her send to her arrested husband
a purse of money which she would find in his desk.

Though Adriana was furious with her husband because she thought he had
been making love to her sister, she did not prevent Luciana from
getting the purse, and she bade Dromio of Syracuse bring home his master
immediately.

Unfortunately, before Dromio could reach the police station he met his
real master, who had never been arrested, and did not understand what
he meant by offering him a purse. Antipholus of Syracuse was further
surprised when a lady whom he did not know asked him for a chain that he
had promised her. She was, of course, the lady with whom Antipholus of
Ephesus