Act 4, Scene II

SCENE II. Mytilene. A room in a brothel.

Enter Pandar, Bawd, and BOULT
Pandar
Boult!

BOULT
Sir?

Pandar
Search the market narrowly; Mytilene is full of
gallants. We lost too much money this mart by being
too wenchless.

Bawd
We were never so much out of creatures. We have but
poor three, and they can do no more than they can
do; and they with continual action are even as good as rotten.

Pandar
Therefore let's have fresh ones, whate'er we pay for
them. If there be not a conscience to be used in
every trade, we shall never prosper.

Bawd
Thou sayest true: 'tis not our bringing up of poor
bastards,--as, I think, I have brought up some eleven--

BOULT
Ay, to eleven; and brought them down again. But
shall I search the market?

Bawd
What else, man? The stuff we have, a strong wind
will blow it to pieces, they are so pitifully sodden.

Pandar
Thou sayest true; they're too unwholesome, o'
conscience. The poor Transylvanian is dead, that
lay with the little baggage.

BOULT
Ay, she quickly pooped him; she made him roast-meat
for worms. But I'll go search the market.

Exit

Pandar
Three or four thousand chequins were as pretty a
proportion to live quietly, and so give over.

Bawd
Why to give over, I pray you? is it a shame to get
when we are old?

Pandar
O, our credit comes not in like the commodity, nor
the commodity wages not with the danger: therefore,
if in our youths we could pick up some pretty
estate, 'twere not amiss to keep our door hatched.
Besides, the sore terms we stand upon with the gods
will be strong with us for giving over.

Bawd
Come, other sorts offend as well as we.

Pandar
As well as we! ay, and better too; we offend worse.
Neither is our profession any trade; it's no
calling. But here comes Boult.

Re-enter BOULT, with the Pirates and MARINA

BOULT
[To MARINA] Come your ways. My masters, you say
she's a virgin?

First Pirate
O, sir, we doubt it not.

BOULT
Master, I have gone through for this piece, you see:
if you like her, so; if not, I have lost my earnest.

Bawd
Boult, has she any qualities?

BOULT
She has a good face, speaks well, and has excellent
good clothes: there's no further necessity of
qualities can make her be refused.

Bawd
What's her price, Boult?

BOULT
I cannot be bated one doit of a thousand pieces.

Pandar
Well, follow me, my masters, you shall have your
money presently. Wife, take her in; instruct her
what she has to do, that she may not be raw in her