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Enter a MAID-SERVANT of Persephone, from the door.

MAID

O welcome, Heracles! come in, sweetheart.

My Lidy, when they told her, set to work,

Baked mighty loaves, boiled two or three tureens

Of lentil soup, roasted a prime ox whole,

Made rolls and honey-cakes. So come along.

XANTHIAS declining

You are too kind.

MAID

I will not let you go.

I will not let you! Why, she's stewing slices

Of juicy bird's-flesh, and she's making comfits,

And tempering down her richest wine. Come, dear,

Come along in.

XANTHIAS still declining

Pray thank her.

MAID

O you're jesting,

I shall not let you off: there's such a lovely

Flute-girl all ready, and we've two or three

Dancing-girls also.

XANTHIAS

Eh! what! Dancing-girls?

MAID

Young budding virgins, freshly tired and trimmed.

Come, dear, come in. The cook was