Abbess. Whoever bound him, I will loose his

bonds,

And gain a husband by his liberty.

Speak, old Ægeon, if thou be'st the man,
That hadst a wife once call'd Æmilia,
Who bore thee, at a burden, two fair sons;
Oh! if thou be'st the same Ægeon, speak,
And speak unto the same Æmilia. !

Egeon. Emilia! Oh, support thyself, my soul!
Till I, once more, have caught within my arms,
Their long-lost happiness!

Emilia. Thou art Ægeon, then? I do not dream— My husband! take, take the reviving heart, Spotless and pure as when it first was thine, Which, from the cloister of religious solitude, No voice but thine, could ever have recall'd.

Ant. of Syr. If I not interrupt such sacred feelings,

Thus let me bend, and mingle tears of rapture.
Oh raise, my father, raise your reverend hands,
And bless your truant son!

Egeon, My dearest boy!

This is too much-Oh, curb thy joys a moment,
And have compassion on thy father's weakness!
But, if my feeble brain deceives me not,
One anxious question yet remains to ask;
Heart of my heart, resolve me; where's that son,
Who floated with thee on the fatal raft?

Emilia. By men of Epidamnum, he and I,
And the twin, Dromio, all were taken up,
But, by and by, rude fishermen of Corinth,
By force, took Dromio and my son from them,
And me they left with those of Epidamnum.
What then became of them, I cannot tell;
1, to this fortune which you see me in.

Ant. of Eph. And he, reserv'd to share the happier hours

Of his dear parents; whom, till now, unknown,

He greets with nature's best and fondest feelings.
Another tie my fortune yet allots,

And thus I claim it!

Ant. of Syr. Welcome, dearest brother!

[They embrace.

Both Dro. Welcome, dearest brother!

Ant. of Syr. Ne'er may we feel a separation more Duke. Why, here begins the morning story right. These plainly are the parents to these children, Who thus amazingly are met together.

Emilia. Most gracious duke!

Duke. One moment's pause, and all your griefs shall end.

Antipholis, thou cam'st from Corinth first?

Ant. of Syr. Not I, my lord; I came from Syra

cuse.

Duke, Stay, stand apart-I know not which is which.

Ant. of Eph. I came from Corinth, my most gracious lord.

Dro. of Eph. And I with him.

Ant. of Eph. Brought to this town by that right famous warrior,

Duke Minaphon, your most renowned uncle.
Angelo. That is the bracelet, sir, you had of me.
Ant. of Syr. I think it be, sir, I deny it not.
Ant. of Eph. And you, sir, for the same arrested me.
Adr. I sent you money, sir, to be your bail,
By Dromio, but I think he brought it not.
Dro. of Eph. No, none by me.

Ant. of Syr. This purse of ducats I receiv'd for you, And Dromio, my man, did bring them me,

I see, we still did meet each other's man,

And, thereupon, these errors all arose.

Dro. of Eph. You see, brother, these wise folks can't blame us in these matters.

Dro. of Syr. Really, brother, I think not.

Ant. of Eph. These ducats pawn I for my father here.

Ant. of Syr. It shall not be--I will procure his
life,

To make some small amends for leaving him,
Alone, and friendless.

Adr. Which of you two did dine with me to-day?
Ant. of Syr. I, gentle mistress.

Adr. Are you not my husband?

Ant. of Eph. No; I say nay to that.

Ant. of Syr. And so do I-yet she did call me

so;

And this fair gentlewoman, her sister here,
Did call me brother-What I told you then,
I hope I shall have leisure to make good;
And, that the heart which beats alone for you,
May, now the mist of error is dispers'd,
Which made thee fearful for thy virgin fame,
Obtain a gentle hearing.

Luc. Should I find thee

Worthy, and constant, as my mind suggests,
The general joy, that smiles around, shall not
Be damp'd by any vain reserve of mine.

Abbess. Renowned duke, vouchsafe to take the pains

To go with us into the abbey here,

And hear, at large discoursed, all our fortunes;
And all, that are assembled in this place,
That by this sympathized one day's errors
Have suffer'd wrong, go, keep us company,
And you shall have full satisfaction.

The duke, my husband, and my children both,
And you, the kalendars of their nativity,

Go to a gossip's feast; go all with me;

After so long grief, such festivity!

Duke. With all my heart, I'll gossip at this feast, And be a chcerful witness of the blessings,

Your pious faith, and virtuous resignation,

Have drawn upon you from relenting Heaven!
Egeon. Come, and partake

The joys, that gild the evening of our days.

Emilia. Joys past the reach of hope!—our lesson this,

That misery past endears our present bliss;
Wherein we read with wonder and delight,
This sacred truth, "Whatever is, is right."

[Exeunt omnes.

THE END.