Scene VI
Enter Hegio, Geta conversing at a distance.
Hegio. Can it be true?
Geta. Ev’n so.
Hegio. Good Heaven! a most unworthy action, Geta!
Geta. Ev’n so.
Hegio. A deed so base
Sprung from that family?—Oh Æschinus,
This was not acting like your father.
Dem. (behind.) So!
He has just heard about this Musick-Girl,
And is affected at it, though a stranger,
While his good father truly thinks it nothing.
Oh monstrous! would that he were somewhere nigh,
And heard all this!
Hegio. Unless they do you justice
They shall not carry off the matter thus.
Hegio. A deed so base
Sprung from that family?—Oh Æschinus,
I’m sure this was not acting like your father.
Dem. (behind.) So! he has heard about this Music-Girl,
And is affected at it, though a stranger,
While his good father truly thinks it nothing.
Oh monstrous! would that he were somewhere nigh,
And heard all this!
Hegio. Unless they do what’s just,
They shall not carry off the matter thus.
Geta. Our only hope is in you, Hegio.
You’re our sole friend, our guardian, and our father,
On his death-bed, the good old Simulus
The good old Simulus, on his death-bed
Bequeath’d us to your care. If you desert us,
We are undone indeed.
Hegio. Ah, name it not!
I will not, and with honesty, I can not.
Dem. I’ll go up to him.—Save you, Hegio!
Hegio. The man I look’d for.—Save you, Demea!
Dem. Your pleasure!
Hegio. Æschinus, your elder son,
Your brother’s by adoption, has committed
Adopted by your brother, has committed
A deed unworthy of an honest man,
And of a gentleman.
Dem. How so?
Hegio. You knew
Our friend and good acquaintance, Simulus?
Dem. Aye, sure.
Hegio. He has debauch’d his daughter.
Dem. How!
Hegio. Hold, Demea, for the worst is still to come.
Dem. Is there aught worse?
Hegio. Much worse: for this perhaps
Might be excus’d. The night, love, wine, and youth,
Might prompt him. ’Tis the frailty of our nature.
—Soon as his sense returning made him conscious
Of his rash outrage, of his own accord
He came to the girl’s mother, weeping, praying.
Entreating, vowing constancy, and swearing
That he would take her home.—He was forgiven;
The thing conceal’d; and his vows credited.
The girl from that encounter prov’d with child:
This is the tenth month.—He, good gentleman,
Has got a music-girl, Heav’n bless the mark!
With whom he means to live, and quit the other.
Dem. And are you well assur’d of this?
Hegio. The mother,
The girl, the fact itself, are all before you,
Joining to vouch the truth on’t. And besides,
This Geta here—as servants go, no bad one,
Nor given up to idleness—maintains them;
The sole support of all the family.
Here take him, bind him, force the truth from him.
Geta. Aye, torture me, if ’tis not so, good Demea!
Nay, Æschinus, I’m sure, will not deny it.
Bring me before him.
Dem. (aside). I’m asham’d: and what
To do, or what to say to him, I know not.
Pamphila (within). Ah me! I’m torn in pieces!—Racking pains!
Juno Lucina, help me! save, I pray thee!
Hegio. Ha! Is she then in labor, Geta?
Geta. Yes, Sir.
Hegio. Hark! she now calls upon your justice, Demea!
Grant her then freely, what law else will claim.
And Heaven send, that you may rather do
What honor bids! but if you mean it not,
Be sure of this; that with my utmost force
I’ll vindicate the girl, and her dead father;
He was my kinsman; we were bred together
From children; and our fortunes twin’d together
In war, and peace, and bitter poverty.
Wherefore I’ll try, endeavor, strive, nay lose
My life itself, before I will forsake them.
—What is your answer?
Dem. I’ll find out my brother:
What he advises, I will follow, Hegio.
Hegio. But still remember, Demea, that the more
You live at ease; the more your pow’r, your wealth,
Your riches, and nobility; the more
It is your duty to act honorably,
If you regard the name of honest men.
Dem. Go to: we’ll do you justice.
Hegio. ’Twill become you.
Geta, conduct me in to Sostrata.
Exit with Geta.