Devil take you, rascal, for your interference!
Syr. (aside to him). You keep your hands to yourself,
young man, hereafter. (Watching him as he goes
off with apparent interest, and turning to Chremes.)
Indeed, sir, he's too bad. What will he come to?
You had best give him very serious warning,
And keep him tight in hand.
Chr. I will, I will.
Syr. Before it is too late.
Chr. I will, I say.
Syr. I hope you will, sir. As for my advice,
(Shrugging his shoulders.) He minds it less and less, I grieve to say.
Chremes's wife has meanwhile made the discovery, by the common test of a family ring, that the girl Antiphila is a long-lost daughter whom she had sent away immediately after her birth, in obedience to her husband's threats that, in case one should be born to him, he would never bring up such a troublesome addition to his family. This, of course, makes everything clear for Clinia's marriage with her; and that young gentleman is accordingly made happy, by the consent of all parties. But not before the busy Chremes has been hoisted with his own petard, by Syrus's contrivance. Acting very much upon the principle recommended to him by his master himself, the cunning rascal has extracted from him fifty pounds as an imaginary ransom for his own daughter Antiphila, whom he declares to have been purchased in her infancy by Bacchis: and the gold is actually sent to that lady by the hands of his own son. There is some complication in this part of the plot, fairly amusing as worked out
