Luc. What would your ladyship? Jul. Is it near dinner-time? Luc. I would it were; That you might kill your stomach on your meat, 16) And not upon your maid. Jul. Jul. What is't you 17) took up Why didst thou stoop then? Luc. To take a paper up that I let fall. Jul. And is that paper nothing? Luc. Nothing concerning me. Jul. Then let it lie for those that it concerns. Luc. Madam, it will not lie where it concerns, Unless it have a false interpreter. Jul. Some love of yours hath writ to you in rhyme. Luc. That I might sing it, madam, to a tune: Give me a note: your ladyship can set. Jul. As little by such toys as may be possible: Best sing it to the tune of Light o'love. Luc. It is too heavy for so light a tune. Jul. Heavy? belike, it hath some burden then. Luc. Ay; and melodious were it, would you sing it. Jul. And why not you? Luc. I cannot reach so high. How now, minion? Jul. Let's see your song; Lue. No, madam; it is too sharp. And mar the concord with too harsh a descant: 18) To be so anger'd with another letter. [Exit. Jul. Nay, would I were so anger'd with the same! I throw thy name against the bruising stones, Re-enter LUCETTA. Luc. What, shall these papers lie like tell-tales here? Jul. If you respect them, best to take them up. Luc. Nay, I was taken up for laying them down: Yet here they shall not lie, for catching cold. 2) Jul. I see, you have a month's mind to them. 22) Luc. Ay, madam, you may say what sights you see; I see things too, although you judge I wink. Jul. Come, come, will't please you go? SCENE III. [Exeunt. The same. Ant. Tell me, Panthino, what sad talk 23) was that, Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister? Pan. "Twas of his nephew Proteus, your son. Ant. Why what of him? Pan. He wonder'd, that your lordship Would suffer him to spend his youth at home; While other men, of slender reputation, 24) Put forth their sons to seek preferment out: Some, to the wars, to try their fortune there; Some, to discover islands far away; 25) Some, to the studious universities. For any, or for all these exercises, He said, that Proteus, your son, was meet: And did request me, to impórtune you, To let him spend his time no more at home, Which would be great impeachment to his age, 26) In having known no travel in his youth. Ant. Nor need'st thou much impórtune me to that Whereon this month I have been hammering. I have consider'd well his loss of time; And how he cannot be a perfect man, Not being try'd, and tutor'd in the world: Experience is by industry achiev'd, And perfected by the swift course of time: Then, tell me, whither were I best to send him? Pan. I think, your lordship is not ignorant, How his companion, youthful Valentine, Attends the emperor in his royal court. 27) Ant. I know it well. Pan. "Twere good, I think, your lordship sent him thither: There shall he practise tilts and tournaments, Worthy his youth and nobleness of birth. Ant. I like thy counsel; well hast thou advis'd: And, that thou may'st perceive how well I like it, The execution of it shall make known; Even with the speediest execution I will dispatch him to the emperor's court. Ant. Good company; with them shall Proteus go: And, in good time, 28)—now will we break with him. 29) Enter PROTEUS. Pro. Sweet love! sweet lines! sweet life! Ant. How now? what letter are you reading there? Luc. Madam, dinner's ready, and your father stays. || Deliver'd by a friend that came from him. Ant. Lend me the letter; let me see what news. Pro. There is no news, my lord; but that he writes How happily he lives, how well-belov'd, And daily graced by the emperor; Wishing me with him, partner of his fortune. Ant. And how stand you affected to his wish? Pro. As one relying on your lordship's will, And not depending on his friendly wish. Ant. My will is something sorted with his wish: I am resolv'd, that thou shalt spend some time Pro. My lord, I cannot be so soon provided; Ant. Look, what thou want'st, shall be sent after thee: To hasten on his expedition. [Exeunt ANT. and PAN. Val. Why, sir, who bade you call her? Speed. Your worship, sir; or else I mistook. Val. Why, how know you that I am in love? Speed. Marry, by these special marks; First you have learned, like sir Proteus, to wreath your arms like a malecontent; to relish a love-song, like a Robin-red-breast; to walk alone, like one that had the pestilence; to sigh, like a school-boy that had lost his ABC; to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam; to fast, like one that takes diet; 3) to watch, like one that fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beggar at Hallowinas. 4) You Val. Are all these things perceived in me? Speed. Without you? nay, that's certain, for, without you were so simple, none else would: 5) but you are so without these follies, that these follies are within you, and shine through you like the water in an urinal; that not an eye, that sees you, but is a physician to comment on your malady. Val. But tell me, dost thou know my lady Silvia? Speed. She, that you gaze on so, as she sits at supper? Val. Hast thou observed that? even she I mean. Speed. Why, sir, I know her not. Val. Dost thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet knowest her not? Speed. Is she not hard favoured, sir? Speed. That she is not so fair, as (of you) well favoured. Val. I mean, that her beauty is exquisite, but her favour infinite. Speed. That's because the one is painted, and the other out of all count. Val. How painted? and how out of count? Speed. Marry, sir, so painted to make her fair, that no man 'counts of her beauty. Val. How esteemest thou me? I account of her beauty. Speed. You never saw her since she was deformed. Val. I have loved her ever since I saw her; and still I see her beautiful. Speed. If you love her, you cannot see her. Speed. Because love is blind. O, that you had mine eyes; or your own eyes had the lights they were wont to have, when you chid at sir Proteus for going ungartered! ") Val. What should I see then? Speed. Your own present folly, and her passing deformity: for he, being in love, could not see to garter his hose; and you, being in love, cannot see to put on your hose. Val. Belike, boy, then you are in love; for last morning your could not see to wipe my shoes. Speed. True, sir; I was in love with my bed: I thank you, you swinged me for my love, which makes me the bolder to chide you for yours. Val. In conclusion, I stand affected to her. Speed. I would you were set; 7) so your affection would cease. Val. Last night she enjoined me to write some lines to one she loves. Speed. And have you? Val. I have. Speed. Are they not lamely writ? Val. No, boy, but as well as I can do them: Peace, here she comes. Enter SILVIA. Speed. O excellent motion! O exceeding puppet! now will he interpret to her. 8) Val. Madam and inistress, a thousand good-morrows. manners. her lover. Speed. O, give you good even! here's a million of || Herself hath taught her love himself to write unto [Aside. Sil. Sir Valentine and servant, ") to you two thousand. Speed. He should give her interest, and she gives it him. Val. As you enjoin'd me, I have writ you a letter, Sil. I thank you, gentle servant: 'tis very clerkly Val. Now trust me, madam, it came hardly off; For, being ignorant to whom it goes, I writ at random, very doubtfully. Sil. Perchance you think too much of so much pains? Val. No, madam; so it stead you, I will write, Please you command, a thousand times as much: And yet, Sil. A pretty period! Well, I guess the sequel; And yet I will not name it:—and yet I care not; And yet take this again;—and yet I thank you; Meaning henceforth to trouble you no more. Speed. And yet you will; and yet another yet. [Aside. Val. What means you ladyship? do you not like it? Sil. Yes, yes; the lines are very quaintly writ: But since unwillingly, take them again; Nay, take them. Val. Madam, they are for you. Sil. Ay, ay, you writ them, sir, at my request; My master sues to her; and she hath taught her suitor, O excellent device! was there ever heard a better? write the letter? Val. How now, sir? what are you reasoning with yourself? Speed. Nay, I was rhyming; 'tis you that have the reason. Val. To do what? Speed. To be a spokesman from madam Silvia. Speed. To yourself: why, she wooes you by a figure. Speed. By a letter, I should say. Speed. No, believing you indeed, sir: But did you perceive her earnest? Val. She gave me none, except an angry word. Val. I would, it were no worse. For often you have writ to her; and she in modesty, All this I speak in print; 12) for in print I found it. Speed. Ay, but hearken, sir; though the cameleon Love can feed on the air, I am one that am nourished by my victuals, and would fain have meat; O, be not [Exeunt. like your mistress; be moved, be moved. SCENE II. Verona. A Room in Julia's House. Pro. Have patience, gentle Julia. [Giving a Ring. Pro. Why then we'll make exchange; here, take you this. Jul. And seal the bargin with a holy kiss. Alas! this parting strikes poor lovers dumb. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The same. A Street, Enter LAUNCE, leading a Dog. Laun. Nay, 'twill be this hour ere I have done weeping; all the kind of the Launces have this very fault: I have received my proportion, like the prodigious son, and am going with sir Proteus to the Imperial's court. I think, Crab my dog be the sourest-natured dog that lives: my mother weeping, my father wailing, my sister crying, our maid howling, our cat wringing her hands, and all our house in a great perplexity, yet did not this cruel-hearted cur shed one tear; he is a stone, a very pebble-stone, and has no more pity in him than a dog: a Jew would have wept to have seen our parting; why, my grandam having no eyes, look you, wept herself blind at my parting. Nay, I'll show you the manner no, this left shoe of it: This shoe is my father; is my father; no, no, this left shoe is my mother; yes, it is so, it nay, that cannot be so neither: is so; it hath the worser sole; This shoe, with the hole in it, is my mother, and this my father: A vengeance on't! there 'tis: now, sir, this staff is my sister; for, look you, she is as white as a lily, and as small as a wand: this hat is Nan, our maid; I am the dog: no, the dog is himself, and I am the dog, 13) O, the dog is me, and I am myself; ay, so, so. Now come I to my father; Father, your blessing; now should not the shoe speak a word for weeping; now should I kiss my father; well, he Pan. Launce, away, away, aboard; thy master is shipped, and thou art to post after with oars. What's the matter? why weep'st thou, man? Away, ass; you will lose the tide, if you tarry any longer. Laun. It is no matter if the ty'd were lost; for it is the unkindest ty'd that ever any man ty'd. Pan. What's the unkindest tide? Laun. Why, he that's ty'd here; Crab, my dog. Pan. Tut, man, I mean thou'lt lose the flood: and in losing the flood, lose thy voyage; and, in losing thy voyage, lose thy master; and, in losing thy master, lose thy service; and, in losing thy service, Why dost thou stop my mouth? Laun. For fear thou should'st lose thy tongue. Pan. In thy tail? Laun. Lose the tide, and the vogage, and the master, and the service? The tide! 15) Why, man, if the river were dry, I am able to fill it with my tears; if the wind were down, I could drive the boat with my sighs. Pan. Come, come away, man: I was sent to call thee. Laun. Sir, call me what thou darest. Laun. Well, I will go. SCENE IV. Milan. An Apartment in the Duke's Palace. Val. "Tis indeed, madam; we thank the giver. Val. I know it well, sir; you have an exchequer of words, and, I think, no other treasure to give your followers; for it appears by their bare liveries, that they live by your bare words. Sil. No more, gentlemen, no more: here comes my father. Enter DUKE. Duke. Now, daughter Silvia, you are hard beset. My lord, I will be thankful Val. Ay, my good lord; a son, that well deserves Val. I knew him, as myself; for from our infancy To clothe mine age with angel-like perfection; I think, 'tis no unwelcome news to you. Val. Should I have wish'd a thing, it had been he. Val. Nay, sure, I think, she holds them prisoners still. Enter PROTEUS. Sil. Have done, have done; here comes the gentleman. Val. Mistress, it is: sweet lady, entertain him Sil. Too low a mistress for so high a servant. To her, whose worth makes other worthies nothing; Pro. Then let her alone. Val. Not for the world: why, man, she is mine own; As twenty seas, if all their sand were pearl, Ser. Madam, my lord your father 21) would speak Sil. I'll wait upon his pleasure. Come, sir Thurio, Go with me: [Exit Servant. Once more, new servant, welcome: I'll leave you to confer of home-affairs; When you have done, we look to hear from you. Pro. We'll both attend upon your ladyship. [Exeunt SILVIA, THURIO, and SPEED. Val. Now, tell me, how do all from whence you came? Pro. Your friends are well, and have them much Val. And how do yours? Val. Ay, Proteus, but that life is alter'd now: Pro. Enough; I read your fortune in your eye: Pro. Val. Then speak the truth by her; if not divine, Pro. Why, Valentine, what braggardism is this? Val. Pro. I will. [Exit VAL. Even as one heat another heat expels, SCENE V. The same. A Street. Enter SPEED and LAUNCE. [Exit. Speed. Launce! by mine honesty, welcome to Milan. 33) Laun. Forswear not thyself, sweet youth; for I am not welcome. I reckon this always-that a man is never undone, till he be hanged; nor never welcome to a place, till some certain shot be paid, and the hostess say, welcome, Speed. Come on, you mad-cap, I'll to the ale-house with you presently; where, for one shot of five-pence, thou shalt have five thousand welcomes. But, sirrah, how did thy master part with madam Julia? Laun. Marry, after they closed in earnest, they parted very fairly in jest. Speed. But shall she marry him? Speed. How then? shall he marry her? |