Tuc.  Why, what should say, or what can I say, my flower O’ the order?  Should I say thou art rich, or that thou art honourable, or wise, or valiant, or learned, or liberal? why, thou art all these, and thou knowest it, my noble Lucullus, thou knowest it.  Come, be not ashamed of thy virtues, old stump:  honour’s a good brooch to wear in a man’s hat at all times.  Thou art the man of war’s Mecaenas, old boy.  Why shouldst not thou be graced then by them, as well as he is by his poets?
                                   [Enter Pyrgus and whispers Tucca. 
How now, my carrier, what news?

Lus.  The boy has stayed within for his cue this half-hour.
[Aside. 
Tuc.  Come, do not whisper to me, but speak it out:  what; itis no treason against the state I hope, is it?

Lus.  Yes, against the state of my master’s purse.
                                                 [Aside, and exit. 
Pyr. [aloud.] Sir, Agrippa desires you to forbear him till the next
week; his mules are not yet come up.

Tuc.  His mules! now the bots, the spavin, and the glanders, and some dozen diseases more, light on him and his mules!  What, have they the yellows, his mules, that they come no faster? or are they foundered, ha? his mules have the staggers belike, have they?

Pyr.  O no, sir;—­then your tongue might be suspected for one of his mules.
[Aside. 
Tuc He owes me almost a talent, and he thinks to bear it away with his mules, does he?  Sirrah, you nut cracker.  Go your ways to him again, and tell him I must have money, I:  I cannot eat stones and turfs, say.  What, will he clem me and my followers? ask him an he will clem me; do, go.  He would have me fry my jerkin, would he?  Away, setter, away.  Yet, stay, my little tumbler, this old boy shall supply now.  I will not trouble him, I cannot be importunate, I; I cannot be impudent.

Pyr.  Alas, sir, no; you are the most maidenly blushing creature upon the earth.
          
                                             [Aside
Tuc.  Dost thou hear, my little six and fifty, or thereabouts? thou art not to learn the humours and tricks of that old bald cheater, Time; thou hast not this chain for nothing.  Men of worth have their chimeras, as well as other creatures; and they do see monsters sometimes, they do, they do, brave boy.

Pyr.  Better cheap than he shall see you, I warrant him.
          
                                             [Aside. 
Tuc.  Thou must let me have six-six drachma, I mean, old boy:  thou shalt do it; I tell thee, old boy, thou shalt, and in private too,—­dost thou see? —­Go, walk off:  [to the Boy]-There, there.  Six is the sum.  Thy son’s a gallant spark and must not be put out of a sudden.  Come hither, Callimachus; thy father tells me thou art too poetical, boy:  thou must not be so; thou must leave them, young novice, thou must; they are a sort of poor starved rascals, that are ever wrap’d up in foul linen; and can boast of nothing but a lean visage, peering out of a seam-rent suit, the very emblems of beggary.  No, dost hear, turn lawyer, thou shalt be my solicitor.—–­ ’Tis right, old boy, is’t?