thy wife.

PYG. And why?

GAL. Our tastes agree.
We love Pygmalion well, and what is more,
Pygmalion loves us both. I like thy wife;
I'm sure we shall agree.

PYG. [_aside._] I doubt it much.

GAL. Is she within?

PYG. No, she is not within.

GAL. But she'll come back?

PYG. Oh, yes, she will come back.

GAL. How pleased she'll be to know when she returns,
That there was some one here to fill her place.

PYG. Yes, I should say she'd be extremely pleased.

GAL. Why, there is something in thy voice which says
That thou art jesting. Is it possible
To say one thing and mean another?

PYG. Yes,
It's sometimes done.

GAL. How very wonderful!
So clever!

PYG. And so very useful.

GAL. Yes.
Teach me the art.

PYG. The art will come in time.
My wife will not be pleased; there--that's the truth.

GAL. I do not think that I shall like thy wife.
Tell me more of her.

PYG. Well--

GAL. What did she say
When last she left thee?

PYG. Humph! Well, let me see;
Oh! true, she gave thee to me as my wife,--
Her solitary representative;
She feared I should be lonely till she came.
And counseled me, if thoughts of love should come,
To speak those thoughts to thee, as I am wont
To speak to her.

GAL. That's right.

PYG. But when she spoke
Thou wast a stone, now thou art flesh and blood,
Which makes a difference.

GAL. It's a strange world;
A woman loves her husband very much,
And cannot brook that I should love him too;
She fears he will be lonely till she comes,
And will not let me cheer his loneliness;
She bids him breathe his love to senseless stone,
And when that stone is brought to life--be dumb!
It's a strange world, I cannot fathom it.

PYG. [_aside_]. Let me be brave and put an end to this.
Come Galatea--till my wife returns,
My sister shall provide thee with a home;
Her house is close at hand.

GAL. Send me not hence