274 _ PHILEMON.

dun; we never get rid of him. As for shade, there
is none, except you get into the well. However, if
he wants to see the house, he is quite welcome, and
to copy it, too, if he pleases.”

Tranio now went to fetch his master, who haa
been waiting impatiently for him. The vendor, he
explained, had been busy, and he had to wait till
he was at leisure. “There he is,” he went on,
“standing at his door and waiting for us. See how
sad he is about having sold his house. He begged
me to persuade your son to give up the bargain.” —
“Give up the bargain!” said Theopropides. “No,
no; every man for himself. If he made a bad bar-
gain, we are not going to give it up. If one gets a
little bit of advantage, one must keep it.”

Sinio received his visitor very politely, begging
him to walk over the house as if it were his own.
“As if,” said Theopropides, half aloud.

“Don't, don’t!” interrupted Tranio; “say nothing
about having bought the house. Don’t you see how
gloomy he looks ?.”

As a matter of fact, Sinio’s gloom had been
caused by a naturally bad temper and a quarrel
with his wife.

Theopropides now went over the house, criticising
this and that detail, but admiring it on the whole,
while Tranio pointed out its beauties, and felt not a
little relief when the owner, pleading business else-
where, left the two to inspect the remainder of the