ke came down from the tiles through the sky-light;[69]
a hen crowed;[70] the soothsayer forbade it; the diviner[71] warned me
not: besides, before winter there is no sufficient reason for me to
commence upon any new undertaking." This will be the case.

ANT. I only wish it may be the case.

GETA. It shall be the case; trust me for that. Your father's coming
out; go tell Phaedria that the money is found.

SCENE V.

_Enter DEMIPHO and CHREMES, from the house of the latter, the former
with a purse of money._

DEM. Do be quiet, I tell you; I'll take care he shall not be playing
any tricks {upon us}. I'll not rashly part with this without having my
witnesses; I'll have it stated to whom I pay it, {and} for what
purpose I pay it.

GETA. (_apart._) How cautious he is, when there's no need for it!

CHREM. Why yes, you had need do so, and with all haste, while the fit
is upon him; for if this other woman shall prove more pressing,
perhaps he may throw us over.

GETA. You've hit upon the very thing.

DEM. Lead me to him then.

GETA. I won't delay.

CHREM. (_to DEMIPHO._) When you've done so, go over to my wife, that
she may call upon her before she goes away. She must tell her that we
are going to give her in marriage to Phormio, that she may not be
angry with us; and that he is a fitter match for her, as knowing more
of her; that we have in no way departed from our duty; that as much
has been given for a portion as he asked for.

DEM. What the plague does that matter to you?

CHREM. A great deal, Demipho. It is not enough for you to do your
duty, if common report does not approve of it; I wish {all} this to be
done with her own sanction as well, that she mayn't be saying that she
has been turned out of doors.

DEM. I can do {all} that myself.

CHREM. It will come better from one woman to another.

DEM. I'll ask her. (_Goes into the house of CHREMES; and exit GETA._)

CHREM. (_to himself._) I'm thinking where I can find them now.[72]

SCENE VI.

_Enter SOPHRONA from the house of DEMIPHO, at a distance._

SOPH. (_to herself._) What am I to do? What friend, in my distress,
shall I find, to whom to disclose these plans; and where shall I look
for relief? For I'm afraid that my mistress, in consequence of my
advice, may undeservingly sustain some injury, so extremely ill do I
hear that the young man's father takes what has happened.

CHREM. (_apart, to himself._) But what old woman's this, that ha