told me nothing?

PHOR. The poor creature is distracted from fright.

NAUS. It isn't for nothing, i' faith, that you are in such a fright.

CHREM. What, I in a fright?

PHOR. (_to CHREMES._) All right, of course: since you are not in a
fright at all, and this is nothing at all that I'm going to tell, do
you relate it.

DEM. Villain, is he to relate it at your request?

PHOR. (_to DEMIPHO._) Come now, you've managed nicely for your
brother.

NAUS. My husband, will you not tell me?

CHREM. But--

NAUS. But what?

CHREM. There's no need to tell you.

PHOR. {Not} for you, indeed; but there's need for her to know it. At
Lemnos--

CHREM. (_starting._) Ha! what are you doing?

DEM. (_to PHORMIO._) Won't you hold your tongue?

PHOR. (_to NAUSISTRATA._) Unknown to you----

CHREM. Ah me!

PHOR. He married another----

NAUS. My {dear} sir, may the Gods forbid it!

PHOR. Such is the fact.

NAUS. Wretch that I am, I'm undone!

PHOR. And had a daughter by her, too, while you never dreamed of it.

CHREM. What are we to do?

NAUS. O immortal Gods! --a disgraceful and a wicked misdeed!

DEM. (_aside, to CHREMES._) It's all up {with} you.

PHOR. Was ever any thing now more ungenerously done? Your men, who,
when they come to their wives, then become incapacitated from old age.

NAUS. Demipho, I appeal to you; for with that man it is irksome for me
to speak. Were these those frequent journeys and long visits at
Lemnos? Was this the lowness of prices that reduced our rents?

DEM. Nausistrata, I don't deny that in this matter he has been
deserving of censure; but still, it may be pardoned.

PHOR. (_apart._) He is talking to the dead.

DEM. For he did this neither through neglect or aversion to yourself.
About fifteen years since, in a drunken fit, he had an intrigue with
this poor woman, of whom this girl was born, nor did he ever touch her
afterward. She is dead and gone: the {only} difficulty that remained
in this matter. Wherefore, I do beg of you, that, as in other things,
you'll bear this with patience.

NAUS. Why {should I} with patience? I could wish, afflicted as I am,
that there were an end now of this matter. But how can I hope? Am I to
suppose that, at his age, he will not offend in future? Was he not an
old man then, if old age makes people behave themselves decently? Are
my looks and my age more attractive now, Demipho? What do you advance
to me, to make me expect or hope that this will not