apes may seem
Genteel and slim. Is a girl rather plump?
They call her nurse, and stint her in her food:
Thus art, in spits of nature, makes them all
Mere bulrushes: and therefore they're belov'd.

PAR. And what's this girl of yours?

CHAER. A miracle.

PAR. Oh, to be sure!

CHAER. True, natural red and white;
Her body firm, and full of precious stuff!

PAR. Her age?

CHAER. About sixteen.

PAR. The very prime!

CHAER. This girl, by force, by stealth, or by entreaty,
Procure me! how I care not, so I have her.

PAR. Well, whom does she belong to?

CHAER. I don't know.

PAR. Whence comes she?

CHAER. I can't tell.

PAR. Where does she live?

CHAER. I can't tell neither.

PAR. Where was it you saw her?

CHAER. Here in the street.

PAR. And how was it you lost her?

CHAER. Why it was that, which I so fumed about,
As I came hither! nor was ever man
So jilted by good fortune as myself.

PAR. What mischief now?

CHAER. Confounded luck.

PAR. How so?

CHAER. How so! d'ye know one Archidemides,
My father's kinsman, and about his age?

PAR. Full well.

CHAER. As I was in pursuit of her
He met me.

PAR. Rather inconveniently.

CHAER. Oh most unhappily! for other ills
May be told, Parmeno!--I could swear too,
For six, nay seven months, I had not seen him,
Till now, when least I wish'd and most would shun it.
Is not this monstrous? Eh!

PAR. Oh! very monstrous.

CHAER. Soon as from far he saw me, instantly,
Bent, trembling, drop-jaw'd, gasping, out of breath,
He hobbled up to me.--"Holo! ho! Chaerea!"----
I stopp'd.--"D'ye know what I want with you?"--"What?"
--"I have a cause to-morrow."--"Well! what then?"----
--"Fail not to tell your father, he remember
To go up with me, as an advocate."----
His prating took some time. "Aught else?" said I.
"Nothing," said he:--Away flew I, and saw
The girl that instant turn into this street.

PAR. Sure he must mean the virgin, just now brought
To Thais for a present.

CHAER. Soon as I
Came hither, she was out of sight.

PAR. Had she
Any attendants?

CHAER. Yes; a parasite,
With a maid-servant.

PAR. 'Tis the very same;
Away! have done! all's over.

CHAER. What d'ye mean?

PAR. The girl I mean.

CHAER. D'ye know then who she is?
Tell me!--or have you seen her?

PAR. Yes, I've seen her;
I know her; and can tell you where she is.

CHAER. How! my dear Parmeno, d'ye know her?

PAR. Yes.

CHAER. And where she is, d'ye know?

PAR