A hall in TIMON'S house
Enter two Of VARRO'S MEN, meeting LUCIUS' SERVANT, and others,
all being servants of TIMON's creditors, to wait for his coming out.
Then enter TITUS and HORTENSIUS FIRST VARRO'S SERVANT Well met; good morrow, Titus and Hortensius.
TITUS The like to you, kind Varro.
HORTENSIUS Lucius! What, do we meet together?
LUCIUS' SERVANT Ay, and I think one business does command us all;
for mine is money.
TITUS So is theirs and ours.
Enter PHILOTUS LUCIUS' SERVANT And Sir Philotus too!
PHILOTUS Good day at once.
LUCIUS' SERVANT welcome, good brother, what do you think the hour?
PHILOTUS Labouring for nine.
LUCIUS' SERVANT So much?
PHILOTUS Is not my lord seen yet?
LUCIUS' SERVANT Not yet.
PHILOTUS I wonder on't; he was wont to shine at seven.
LUCIUS' SERVANT Ay, but the days are wax'd shorter with him;
You must consider that a prodigal course
Is like the sun's, but not like his recoverable.
I fear
'Tis deepest winter in Lord Timon's purse;
That is, one may reach deep enough and yet
Find little.
PHILOTUS I am of your fear for that.
TITUS I'll show you how t' observe a strange event.
Your lord sends now for money.
HORTENSIUS Most true, he does.
TITUS And he wears jewels now of Timon's gift,
For which I wait for money.
HORTENSIUS It is against my heart.
LUCIUS' 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.
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.
FIRST VARRO'S SERVANT Yes, mine's three thousand crowns; what's
yours?
LUCIUS' SERVANT Five thousand mine.
FIRST VARRO'S SERVANT 'Tis much deep; and it should seem by th'
sum
Your master's confidence was above mine,
Else surely his had equall'd.
Enter FLAMINIUS TITUS One of Lord Timon's men.
LUCIUS' SERVANT Flaminius! Sir, a word. Pray, is my lord ready to
come forth?
FLAMINIUS No, indeed, he is not.
TITUS We attend his lordship; pray signify so much.
FLAMINIUS I need not tell him that; he knows you are to diligent.
Exit Enter FLAVIUS, in a cloak, muffled LUCIUS' SERVANT Ha! Is not that his steward muffled so?
He goes away in a cloud. Call him, call him.
TITUS Do you hear, sir?
SECOND VARRO'S SERVANT By your leave, sir.
FLAVIUS What do ye ask of me, my friend?
TITUS We wait for certain money here, 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 th' int'rest into their glutt'nous 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.
LUCIUS' SERVANT Ay, but this answer will not serve.
FLAVIUS If 'twill not serve, 'tis not so base as you,
For you serve knaves.
Exit FIRST VARRO'S SERVANT How! What does his cashier'd worship mutter?
SECOND VARRO'S 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.
Enter SERVILIUS TITUS O, here's Servilius; now we shall know some answer.
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.
LUCIUS' 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.
SERVILIUS Good gods!
TITUS We cannot take this for answer, sir.
FLAMINIUS [Within] Servilius, help! My lord! my lord!
Enter TIMON, in a rage, FLAMINIUS following TIMON What, are my doors oppos'd 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?
LUCIUS' SERVANT Put in now, Titus.
TITUS My lord, here is my bill.
LUCIUS' SERVANT Here's mine.
HORTENSIUS And mine, my lord.
BOTH VARRO'S SERVANTS And ours, my lord.
PHILOTUS All our bills.
TIMON Knock me down with 'em; cleave me to the girdle.
LUCIUS' SERVANT Alas, my lord-
TIMON Cut my heart in sums.
TITUS Mine, fifty talents.
TIMON Tell out my blood.
LUCIUS' SERVANT Five thousand crowns, my lord.
TIMON Five thousand drops pays that. What yours? and yours?
FIRST VARRO'S SERVANT My lord-
SECOND VARRO'S SERVANT My lord-
TIMON Tear me, take me, and the gods fall upon you!
Exit HORTENSIUS Faith, I perceive our masters may throw their caps at
their money. These debts may well be call'd desperate ones, for a
madman owes 'em.
Exeunt Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS TIMON They have e'en put my breath from me, the slaves.
Creditors? Devils!
FLAVIUS My dear lord-
TIMON What if it should be so?
FLAMINIUS My lord-
TIMON I'll have it so. My steward!
FLAVIUS Here, my lord.
TIMON So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again:
Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius- all.
I'll once more feast the rascals.
FLAVIUS O my lord,
You only speak from your distracted soul;
There is not so much left to furnish out
A moderate table.
TIMON Be it not in thy care.
Go, I charge thee, invite them all; let in the tide
Of knaves once more; my cook and I'll provide.
Exeunt