The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (1037 page)

PHILOTUS

I am of your fear for that.

That's what I'm afraid of.

TITUS

I'll show you how to observe a strange event.

Your lord sends now for money.

I'll tell you how to interpret an odd business.

Your lord has sent you for money.

HORTENSIUS

Most true, he does.

Very true, he has.

TITUS

And he wears jewels now of Timon's gift,

For which I wait for money.

And he's wearing jewels which Timon gave him,

which is the reason he can't afford to pay me.

HORTENSIUS

It is against my heart.

It grieves me.

Lucilius' Servant

Mark, how strange it shows,

Timon in this should pay more than he owes:

And e'en as if your lord should wear rich jewels,

And send for money for 'em.

Look how odd it is,

Timon is having to pay more than he owes:

he's given your lord the sum in rich jewels,

and now he's asking for the money as well.

HORTENSIUS

I'm weary of this charge, the gods can witness:

I know my lord hath spent of Timon's wealth,

And now ingratitude makes it worse than stealth.

I'm fed up with this job, I swear to the gods:

I know my lord spent Timon's money,

and now his ingratitude makes it worse than stealing.

Varro's First Servant

Yes, mine's three thousand crowns: what's yours?

Yes, mine's after three thousand crowns: what about yours?

Lucilius' Servant

Five thousand mine.

Mine wants five thousand.

Varro's First Servant

'Tis much deep: and it should seem by the sun,

Your master's confidence was above mine;

Else, surely, his had equall'd.

It's a large sum: and it would appear

that your master had more confidence than mine;

otherwise he would surely have lent the same.

Enter FLAMINIUS.

TITUS

One of Lord Timon's men.

Here's one of Lord Timon's men.

Lucilius' Servant

Flaminius! Sir, a word: pray, is my lord ready to

come forth?

Flaminius! A word with you, sir: tell me, is my lord

ready to come out?

FLAMINIUS

No, indeed, he is not.

No, he certainly isn't.

TITUS

We attend his lordship; pray, signify so much.

We're waiting for his lordship; please, tell him so.

FLAMINIUS

I need not tell him that; he knows you are too diligent.

I don't need to tell him that; he knows how keen you are.

Exit

Enter FLAVIUS in a cloak, muffled

Lucilius' Servant

Ha! is not that his steward muffled so?

He goes away in a cloud: call him, call him.

Ha! Isn't that his steward all wrapped up?

He's going away in disguise: call him, call him.

TITUS

Do you hear, sir?

Can you hear me, sir?

Varro's Second Servant

By your leave, sir,--

Excuse me, Sir,–

FLAVIUS

What do ye ask of me, my friend?

What you want from me, my friend?

TITUS

We wait for certain money here, sir.

We are waiting here for payment, sir.

FLAVIUS

Ay,

If money were as certain as your waiting,

'Twere sure enough.

Why then preferr'd you not your sums and bills,

When your false masters eat of my lord's meat?

Then they could smile and fawn upon his debts

And take down the interest into their

gluttonous maws.

You do yourselves but wrong to stir me up;

Let me pass quietly:

Believe 't, my lord and I have made an end;

I have no more to reckon, he to spend.

Yes,

if payment was as certain as the fact that you would wait for it,

it would be certain indeed.

Why didn't you come round with your accounts and bills

when your false masters were enjoying my lord's food?

Back then they smiled and flattered though he owed them,

and they gobbled the price of the interest with their greedy mouths.

You're not doing yourselves any favours by bothering me;

let me go quietly:

believe me, my lord and I finished;

I have no more accounts to add up, he hasn't any more money to spend.

Lucilius' Servant

Ay, but this answer will not serve.

Yes, but this answer won't serve.

FLAVIUS

If 'twill not serve,'tis not so base as you;

For you serve knaves.

If it won't serve, it's not as bad as you;

because you serve knaves.

Exit

Varro's First Servant

How! what does his cashiered worship mutter?

What's that? What does that jobless lord mutter?

Varro's Second Servant

No matter what; he's poor, and that's revenge

enough. Who can speak broader than he that has no

house to put his head in? such may rail against

great buildings.

It doesn't matter what he says; he is poor, and that's

enough revenge. Someone who has nothing

finds it easy to criticise those who have much.

Enter SERVILIUS

TITUS

O, here's Servilius; now we shall know some answer.

Oh, here's Servilius; now we shall have some answers.

SERVILIUS

If I might beseech you, gentlemen, to repair some

other hour, I should derive much from't; for,

take't of my soul, my lord leans wondrously to

discontent: his comfortable temper has forsook him;

he's much out of health, and keeps his chamber.

If I could ask you, gentlemen, to come back some

other time, I would really appreciate it; for,

I swear to you, my lord has become extremely

depressed: his usual good humour has deserted him;

he's very ill, and is staying in his room.

Lucilius' Servant

Many do keep their chambers are not sick:

And, if it be so far beyond his health,

Methinks he should the sooner pay his debts,

And make a clear way to the gods.

Many stay in their rooms who are not ill:

and, if he's really that ill

I think he ought to pay his debts,

so he'll die with a clear conscience.

SERVILIUS

Good gods!

Good gods!

TITUS

We cannot take this for answer, sir.

We can't accept this as an answer, sir.

FLAMINIUS

[Within] Servilius, help! My lord! my lord!

Servilius, help! My lord! My lord!

Enter TIMON, in a rage, FLAMINIUS following

TIMON

What, are my doors opposed against my passage?

Have I been ever free, and must my house

Be my retentive enemy, my gaol?

The place which I have feasted, does it now,

Like all mankind, show me an iron heart?

What, are my doors locked against my exit?

Have I ever been free, must my house

now become my prison?

The place I used for feasting, does it now,

like all men, show me a hard heart?

Lucilius' Servant

Put in now, Titus.

Put it forward now, Titus.

TITUS

My lord, here is my bill.

My lord, here is my bill.

Lucilius' Servant

Here's mine.

Here's mine.

HORTENSIUS

And mine, my lord.

And mine, my lord.

Both Varro's Servants

And ours, my lord.

And ours, my lord.

PHILOTUS

All our bills.

These are all our bills.

TIMON

Knock me down with 'em: cleave me to the girdle.

Knock me down with them: split me in two.

Lucilius' Servant

Alas, my lord,-

Alas, my lord,–

TIMON

Cut my heart in sums.

Chop my heart into portions.

TITUS

Mine, fifty talents.

My bill is for fifty talents.

TIMON

Tell out my blood.

You can take it out of my blood.

Lucilius' Servant

Five thousand crowns, my lord.

Five thousand crowns, my lord.

TIMON

Five thousand drops pays that.

What yours?--and yours?

Five thousand drops would pay for that.

What's yours?–And yours?

Varro's First Servant

My lord,--

My Lord,–

Varro's Second Servant

My lord,--

My Lord,–

TIMON

Tear me, take me, and the gods fall upon you!

Tear me apart, take the pieces, and may the gods damn you!

Exit

HORTENSIUS

'Faith, I perceive our masters may throw their caps

at their money: these debts may well be called

desperate ones, for a madman owes 'em.

By heaven, I see that our masters can whistle

for their money: these debts are certainly

irrecoverable, because the money is owed by a madman.

Exeunt

Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS

TIMON

They have e'en put my breath from me, the slaves.

Creditors? devils!

They've put me quite out of breath, the slaves.

Creditors? Devils!

FLAVIUS

My dear lord,--

My dear lord,–

TIMON

What if it should be so?

What if I did this?

FLAVIUS

My lord,--

My lord–

TIMON

I'll have it so. My steward!

I will do it. Steward!