322 MENANDER.

fact was that Pamphilus had been really married to
Glycerium for nearly a year, and what was more,
that very day his wife had borne him a son. And
here he was in a fearful strait. His wife crying out
to see him, for somehow she had heard of the new
marriage; his friend Charinus furious at being, as
he thought, deceived; and the preparations for a
second wedding going actively on!

Davus, who had had a great deal to do with bring-
ing about this state of things, now came to the
rescue. He got hold of the new-born baby, and
persuaded Mysis, Glycerium’s nurse, to lay it down
in front of his master’s door. “Why don’t you do it
yourself?” said the woman. “ Because,” he replied,
“I may have to swear that I didn’t do it.” Just as
this had been done, Chremes arrived. ‘He had been
making preparations for the marriage, and was now
come to invite the bridegroom’s friends. “ But what
is this?” he cried, seeing a bundle on the threshold.
“On my life, it is a child! Woman,” he went on,
turning to the nurse, “did you put it here?”

The woman was too much flustered to answer, but
looked round for Davus, who had disappeared as
soon as he caught sight of Chremes. But when
Davus returned he promptly denied all knowledge of
the matter, and pretended to know. as little where the
child came from as did Chremes himself. “ Whose
child is it?” he said to the nurse in a threatening
voice,