How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Act.Scene.Line). Line numbers correspond to the Riverside edition.
Quote #7
COURTESAN
The reason that I gather he is mad,
Besides this present instance of his rage,
Is a mad tale he told today at dinner
Of his own doors being shut against his entrance.
Belike his wife, acquainted with his fits,
On purpose shut the doors against his way.
My way is now to hie home to his house
And tell his wife that, being lunatic,
He rush'd into my house and took perforce
My ring away. This course I fittest choose,
For forty ducats is too much to lose. (4.3.88-98)
This is a rather brazen move on the Courtesan’s part. She’s willing to show up to Adriana’s house and announce that Antipholus has stolen her ring, but she’ll keep up the appearance of E. Antipholus’s faithfulness to his wife. She very carefully lies about having dined with him and relates that he ran into her house in a rage.