Messenger: Ay, but first tarry here a brief space, that thou mayest
learn, apart from yonder folk, whom thou art taking to thy hearth,
and mayest gain the needful knowledge of things which have not been
told to thee. Of these I am in full possession.
Deianeira: What means this? Why wouldest thou stay my departure?
Messenger: Pause and listen. My former story was worth thy hearing,
and so will this one be, methinks.
Deianeira: Shall I call those others back? Or wilt thou speak before
me and these maidens?
Messenger: To thee and these I can speak freely; never mind the others.
Deianeira: Well, they are gone;- so thy story can proceed.
Messenger: Yonder man was not speaking the straight-forward truth
in aught that he has just told. He has given false tidings now, or
else his former report was dishonest.
Deianeira: How sayest thou? Explain thy whole drift clearly; thus
far, thy words are riddles to me.
Studies
