is much more proper than that she, being sick {and} lying-in,
should be brought hither through the street.

AESCH. Why, my {dear} father, I never did see any thing better
contrived.

DEM. It's my way; but see, here's Micio coming out.

SCENE VIII.

_Enter MICIO, from his house._

MIC. (_speaking to GETA, within._) Does my brother order it? Where is
he? (_To DEMEA._) Is this your order, Demea?

DEM. Certainly, I do order it, and in this matter, and in every thing
else, {wish} especially to make this family one with ourselves, to
oblige, serve, {and} unite them.

AESCH. Father, pray let it be so.

MIC. I do not oppose it.

DEM. On the contrary, i' faith, it is what we ought to do: in the
first place, she is the mother of his wife (_pointing to AEschinus_).

MIC. She is. What then?

DEM. An honest and respectable woman.

MIC. So they say.

DEM. Advanced in years.

MIC. I am aware of it.

DEM. Through her years, she is long past child-bearing; there is no
one to take care of her; she is a lone woman.

MIC. (_aside._) What can be his meaning?

DEM. It is right you should marry her; and that you, {AEschinus},
should use your endeavors to effect it.

MIC. I, marry her, indeed?

DEM. You.

MIC. I?

DEM. You, I say.

MIC. You are trifling!

DEM. {AEschinus}, if you are a man, he'll do it.

AESCH. My {dear} father----

MIC. What, ass! do you attend to him?

DEM. 'Tis all in vain; it can not be otherwise.

MIC. You are mad!

AESCH. Do let me prevail on you, my father.

MIC. Are you out of your senses? Take yourself off.[94]

DEM. Come, do oblige your son.

MIC. Are you quite in your right mind? Am I, in my five-and-sixtieth
year, to be marrying at last? A decrepit old woman too? Do you advise
me {to do} this?

AESCH. Do; I have promised it.[95]

MIC. Promised, indeed; be generous at your own cost, young man.

DEM. Come, what if he should ask a still greater favor?

MIC. As if this was not the greatest!

DEM. Do comply.

AESCH. Don't make any difficulty.

DEM. Do promise.

MIC. Will you not have done?

AESCH. Not until I have prevailed upon you.

MIC. Really, this is downright force.[96]

DEM. Act with heartiness, Micio.

MIC. Although this seems to me[97] to be wrong, foolish, absurd, and
repugnant to my mode of life, yet, if you so strongly wish it, be it
so.

AESCH. You act obligingly.

DEM. With reason I love you; but----

MIC. What?

DEM. I will tell you,