Lysistrata

19

“As things are going,” said Theoris, “we are not likely to be disturbed for a long time.”

The cook leered at her and shook his head with a kind of reluctant admiration.

“Have you been peeping and listening again?” he said. “It’s absolutely astonishing, the risks you take and get away with.”

“The necessity to reconnoiter should be apparent even to a stupid lout like you. At any rate, the household has returned to normalcy in all its parts, including my lady’s boudoir.”

“I’m not so certain that it pleases me to hear it. The Master will now begin dragging his cronies home to dinner again, and it will make a good deal of additional work.”

“If you don’t like being a cook, you should quit. It does no good whatever to be forever complaining.”

“One of the unfortunate aspects of slavery, goose, is that one is not permitted to resign whenever one chooses.”

“It doesn’t matter. You have no talent for anything but cooking, anyhow.”

“Not for anything?”

“Please don’t presume to make improper allusions simply because I have been generous with you a time or two out of compassion.”

“Never mind. You must maintain the fiction that you are something you are not, I suppose. I’ll get out the wine, and we can continue our celebration of the peace which was interrupted by the return of the Mistress and Master.”

“I’m not at all sure that I wish to continue it.”

“Nonsense. Your tongue is hanging out of your head.”

“It’s true that I am quite fond of wine, and perhaps somewhat fonder than is good for me, but nevertheless I think that I have had enough at this time, for I have reached the point at which I am inclined to relax excessively.”

“I can’t see why that should deter you. You haven’t yet been made miserable as a consequence of relaxing, have you?”

“I admit that I haven’t. You’re a vulgar promiscuous fellow, but you have kept your word strictly with regard to assuming all necessary remorse.”

“To tell the truth, I have found very little necessary.”

“Really? That being the case, I’ll not hesitate to share another bowl with you. Let us have some of the choice vintage from the Cyclades, if you please.”