"Now comes bully Sempronius, comically accoutred and equipped with
his Numidian dress and his Numidian guards. Let the reader attend
to him with all his ears, for the words of the wise are precious:--

"'SEMP. The deer is lodged; I've tracked her to her covert.'

"Now I would fain know why this deer is said to be lodged, since we
have not heard one word since the play began of her being at all out
of harbour: and if we consider the discourse with which she and
Lucia begin the act, we have reason to believe that they had hardly
been talking of such matters in the street. However, to pleasure
Sempronius, let us suppose, for once, that the deer is lodged:--

"'The deer is lodged; I've tracked her to her covert.'

"If he had seen her in the open field, what occasion had he to track
her when he had so many Numidian dogs at his heels, which, with one
halloo, he might have set upon her haunches? If he did not see her
in the open field, how could he possibly track her? If he had seen
her in the street, why did he not set upon her in the street, since
through the street she must be carried at last? Now here, instead
of having his thoughts upon his business, and upon the present
danger; instead of meditating and contriving how he shall pass with
his mistress through the southern gate, where her brother Marcus is
upon the guard, and where he would certainly prove an impediment to
him (which is the Roman word for the BAGGAGE); instead of doing
this, Sempronius is entertaining himself with whimsies:--

"'Semp. How will the young Numidian rave to see