As twenty seas, if all their sand were pearl, Val. Ay, and we are betroth'd: nay, more, our marriage hour, With all the cunning manner of our flight Pro. Go on before; I shall inquire you forth: I must unto the road, to disembark Val. Will you make haste? Pro. I will. [Exeunt VALENTINE and SPEED. Even as one heat another heat expels, Or as one nail by strength drives out another, Is by a newer object quite forgotten. Is it her mien, or Valentinus' praise, SCENE V.-MILAN. A Street. Enter SPEED and LAUNCE. [Exit. Speed. Launce! by mine honesty, welcome to Milan. Launce. Forswear not thyself, sweet youth, for I am not welcome. I reckon this always-that a man is never undone, till he be hang'd; 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 alehouse 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? Launce. Marry, after they closed in earnest, they parted very fairly in jest. Speed. But shall she marry him? Launce. No. Speed. How then? Shall he marry her? Launce. No, neither. Speed. What, are they broken? Speed. But tell me true, will 't be a match? Launce. Ask my dog; if he say ay, it will; if he say no, it will; if he shake his tail and say nothing, it will. Speed. The conclusion is, then, that it will. Launce. Thou shalt never get such a secret from me, but by a parable. Speed. 'Tis well that I get it so. But, Launce, how sayest thou, that my master is become a notable lover? Launce. I never knew him otherwise. Speed. Than how? Launce. A notable lubber, as thou reportest him to be. Speed. Why, thou whoreson ass, thou mistakest me. Launce. Why, fool, I meant not thee; I meant thy master. Speed. I tell thee, my master is become a hot lover. Launce. Why, I tell thee, I care not though he burn himself in love. If thou wilt, go with me to the ale-house; if not, thou art a Hebrew, a Jew, and not worth the name of a Christian. Pro. To leave my Julia, shall I be forsworn; Love bade me swear, and Love bids me forswear. I to myself am dearer than a friend, For love is still most precious in itself; And Silvia, (witness Heaven, that made her fair!) I will forget that Julia is alive, I cannot now prove constant to myself, Now, presently, I'll give her father notice [Exit. SCENE VII. VERONA. A Room in JULIA's House. Jul. Counsel, Lucetta; gentle girl, assist me: Luc. Alas! the way is wearisome and long. [food? Luc. Better forbear, till Proteus make return. Jul. O, know'st thou not, his looks are my soul's Pity the dearth that I have pined in, By longing for that food so long a time. Didst thou but know the inly touch of love, Thou wouldst as soon go kindle fire with snow, As seek to quench the fire of love with words. Luc. I do not seek to quench your love's hot fire, But qualify the fire's extreme rage, Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason. The current that with gentle murmur glides, He makes sweet music with the enamell'd stones, He overtaketh in his pilgrimage; And so by many winding nooks he strays, With willing sport, to the wild ocean. Luc. But in what habit will you go along? Luc. Why then, your ladyship must cut your hair. Jul. No, girl; I'll knit it up in silken strings, With twenty odd-conceited true-love knots: To be fantastic, may become a youth Of greater time than I shall show to be. Luc. What fashion, Madam, shall I make your breeches? Jul. That fits as well as-"Tell me, good my lord, What compass will you wear your farthingale?" Why, even what fashion thou best lik'st, Lucetta. Luc. You must needs have them with a codpiece, Madam. Jul. Out, out, Lucetta! that will be ill-favour'd. Luc. A round hose, Madam, now's not worth a Unless you have a codpiece to stick pins on. [pin, Jul. Lucetta, as thou lov'st me, let me have What thou think'st meet, and is most mannerly. But tell me, wench, how will the world repute me For undertaking so unstaid a journey? I fear me, it will make me scandaliz❜d. Luc. If you think so, then stay at home, and go Jul. Nay, that I will not. [not. Luc. Then never dream on infamy, but go. Luc. All these are servants to deceitful men. Jul. Now, as thou lov'st me, do him not that To bear a hard opinion of his truth: [wrong Only deserve my love by loving him; And presently go with me to my chamber, To take a note of what I stand in need of, To furnish me upon my longing journey. All that is mine I leave at thy dispose, My goods, my lands, my reputation; Only, in lieu thereof, despatch me hence. Come; answer not, but to it presently : I am impatient of my tarriance. ACT III. [Exeunt. SCENE I.-MILAN. An Ante-chamber in the DUKE'S Palace. Enter DUKE, THURIO, and PROTEUS. Duke. Sir Thurio, give us leave, I pray, a while; We have some secrets to confer about. [Exit THURIO. Now tell me, Proteus, what's your will with me? Pro. My gracious lord, that which I would dis The law of friendship bids me to conceal; [cover, But when I call to mind your gracious favours Done to me, undeserving as I am, My duty pricks me on to utter that, Which else no worldly good should draw from me. Know, worthy prince, Sir Valentine, my friend, Duke. Proteus, I thank thee for thine honest care; Pro. Know, noble lord, they have devis'd a mean How he her chamber-window will ascend, And with a corded ladder fetch her down; For which the youthful lover now is gone, And this way comes he with it presently; Where, if it please you, you may intercept him. But, good my lord, do it so cunningly, That my discovery be not aimed at; For love of you, not hate unto my friend, Hath made me publisher of this pretence. Duke. Upon mine honour, he shall never know That I had any light from thee of this. Pro. Adieu, my lord: Sir Valentine is coming. Enter VALENTINE. [Exit. Duke. Sir Valentine, whither away so fast? Duke. Be they of much import? Val. The tenor of them doth but signify My health, and happy being at your court. Duke. Nay, then no matter: stay with me a while; I am to break with thee of some affairs That touch me near, wherein thou must be secret. 'Tis not unknown to thee that I have sought To match my friend, Sir Thurio, to my daughter. Val. I know it well, my lord; and, sure, the match Were rich and honourable: besides, the gentleman Is full of virtue, bounty, worth, and qualities Beseeming such a wife as your fair daughter. Cannot your grace win her to fancy him? Duke. No, trust me: she is peevish, sullen, fro Should have been cherish'd by her child-like duty, Val. Win her with gifts, if she respect not words: her. Val. A woman sometimes scorns what best conSend her another; never give her o'er; [tents her: For scorn at first makes after-love the more. If she do frown, 'tis not in hate of you, But rather to beget more love in you: If she do chide, 'tis not to have you gone; For why the fools are mad, if left alone. Take no repulse, whatever she doth say; 66 For, Get you gone," she doth not mean, "Away!" Duke. But she I mean is promis'd by her friends Val. Why then, I would resort to her by night. Duke. Ay, but the doors be lock'd, and keys kept safe, That no man hath recourse to her by night. Val. What lets, but one may enter at her window? Duke. Her chamber is aloft, far from the ground, And built so shelving, that one cannot climb it Without apparent hazard of his life. Val. Why then, a ladder quaintly made of cords, To cast up, with a pair of anchoring hooks, Would serve to scale another Hero's tower, So bold Leander would adventure it. Duke. Now, as thou art a gentleman of blood, Advise me where I may have such a ladder. Val. When would you use it? pray, Sir, tell me that. Duke. This very night; for Love is like a child, That longs for everything that he can come by. Val. By seven o'clock I'll get you such a ladder. Duke. But hark thee; I will go to her alone: How shall I best convey the ladder thither? Val. It will be light, my lord, that you may bear it Under a cloak that is of any length. Duke. A cloak as long as thine will serve the turn? Val. Ay, my good lord. Duke. Then, let me see thy cloak: I'll get me one of such another length. Val. Why, any cloak will serve the turn, my lord. Duke. How shall I fashion me to wear a cloak? I pray thee, let me feel thy cloak upon me. [Puts open VALENTINE'S cloak. What letter is this same? What's here?" To Silvia!" [Reads And here an engine fit for my proceeding! Himself would lodge, where senseless they are lying! My herald thoughts in thy pure bosom rest them; While I, their king, that thither them importune, Do curse the grace that with such grace hath bless'd them, Because myself do want my servants' fortune: I curse myself, for they are sent by me, That they should harbour where their lord should be." What's here? "Silvia, this night I will enfranchise thee:" Wilt thou reach stars, because they shine on thee? Thank me for this, more than for all the favours Will give thee time to leave our royal court, [Exit. [ment? Val. And why not death, rather than living tor- What light is light, if Silvia be not seen? Enter PROTEUS and LAUNCE. Pro. Run, boy; run, run, and seek him out. Pro. What seest thou? From hence, from Silvia, and from me, thy friend. Pro. Ay, ay; and she hath offer'd to the doom ; Val. No more; unless the next word that thou Have some malignant power upon my life: [speak'st If so, I pray thee, breathe it in mine ear, As ending anthem of my endless dolour. Pro. Cease to lament for that thou canst not help, And study help for that which thou lament'st. Time is the nurse and breeder of all good. Here if thou stay, thou canst not see thy love; Besides, thy staying will abridge thy life. Hope is a lover's staff; walk hence with that, And manage it against despairing thoughts. Thy letters may be here, though thou art hence; Which, being writ to me, shall be deliver'd Even in the milk-white bosom of thy love. The time now serves not to expostulate: Come, I'll convey thee through the city gate; And, ere I part with thee, confer at large Of all that may concern thy love-affairs. As thou lov'st Silvia, though not for thyself, Regard thy danger, and along with me. Val. I pray thee, Launce, an if thou seest my boy, Bid him make haste, and meet me at the north gate. Pro. Go, sirrah, find him out. Come, Valentine. Val. O my dear Silvia! Hapless Valentine! [Exeunt VALENTINE and PROteus. Launce. I am but a fool, look you; and yet I have the wit to think, my master is a kind of a knave: but that's all one, if he be but one knave. He lives not now, that knows me to be in love: yet I am in love; but a team of horse shall not pluck that from me, nor who 'tis I love; and yet 'tis a woman: but what woman, I will not tell myself; and yet 'tis a milkmaid; yet 'tis not a maid, for she hath had gossips: yet 'tis a maid, for she is her master's maid, and serves for wages. She hath more qualities than a water-spaniel,-which is much in a bare Christian. [Pulling out a paper.] Here is the cat-log of her conditions. [Reads.] "Imprimis, She can fetch and carry." Why, a horse can do no more: nay, a horse cannot fetch, but only carry; therefore, is she better than a jade. "Item, She can milk;" look you, a sweet virtue in a maid with clean hands. Enter SPEED. Speed. How now, Signior Launce! what news with your mastership? Launce. With my master's ship? why, it is at sea. Speed. Well, your old vice still; mistake the word. What news, then, in your paper? [est. Launce. The blackest news that ever thou heard- Launce. Fie on thee, jolt-head! thou canst not read. Launce. I will try thee. Tell me this: who begot thee? Speed. Marry, the son of my grandfather. Launce. O, illiterate loiterer! it was the son of thy grandmother. This proves, that thou canst not read. Speed. Come, fool, come: try me in thy paper. Speed. "Item, She brews good ale." Launce. And thereof comes the proverb,-Blessing of your heart, you brew good ale. Speed. "Item, She can sew." Launce. That's as much as to say, Can she so? Speed. Item, She can knit." Launce. What need a man care for a stock with a wench, when she can knit him a stock? Speed. "Item, She can wash and scour." Launce. A special virtue; for then she need not be washed and scoured. Speed. "Item, She can spin." Launce. Then may I set the world on wheels, when she can spin for her living. Speed. "Item, She hath many nameless virtues." Launce. That's as much as to say, bastard virtues; that, indeed, know not their fathers, and therefore have no names. Speed. "Here follow her vices." Launce. Close at the heels of her virtues. Speed. "Item, She is not to be kissed fasting, in respect of her breath." Launce. Well, that fault may be mended with a breakfast. Read on. Speed. "Item, She hath a sweet mouth." Launce. That makes amends for her sour breath. Speed. "Item, She doth talk in her sleep.' Launce. It's no matter for that, so she sleep not in her talk. Speed. "Item, She is slow in words." Launce. O villain, that set this down among her vices! To be slow in words is a woman's only virtue: I pray thee, out with 't, and place it for her chief virtue. Speed. "Item, She is proud." Launce. I care not for that neither, because I love crusts. Speed. "Item, She is curst." Launce. Well; the best is, she hath no teeth to bite. Speed. "Item, She will often praise her liquor." Launce. If her liquor be good, she shall: if she will not, I will; for good things should be praised. Speed. "Item, She is too liberal." Launce. Of her tongue she cannot, for that's writ down she is slow of: of her purse she shall not, for that I'll keep shut: now, of another thing she may, and that cannot I help. Well, proceed. Speed. "Item, She hath more hair than wit, and more faults than hairs, and more wealth than faults." Launce. Stop there; I'll have her: she was mine, and not mine, twice or thrice in that last article. Rehearse that once more. Speed. "Item, She hath more hair than wit,"Launce. More hair than wit,-it may be; I'll prove it: the cover of the salt hides the salt, and therefore it is more than the salt; the hair, that covers the wit, is more than the wit, for the greater hides the less. What's next? Speed." And more faults than hairs,”— Launce. That's monstrous: O, that that were out! Speed." And more wealth than faults." Launce. Why, that word makes the faults gracious. Well, I'll have her; and if it be a match, as nothing is impossible, Speed. What then? Launce. Why, then will I tell thee,-that thy master stays for thee at the north gate. Speed. For me! Launce. For thee! ay; who art thou? he hath stayed for a better man than thee. Speed. And must I go to him? Launce. Thou must run to him, for thou hast stayed so long, that going will scarce serve the turn. Speed. Why didst not tell me sooner? pox of your love-letters! [Exit. How now, Sir Proteus! Is your countryman, Duke. My daughter takes his going grievously. Launce. Out with that too: it was Eve's legacy, Proteus, the good conceit I hold of thee, and cannot be ta'en from her. Specd."Item. She hath no teeth." (For thou hast shown some sign of good desert,) Makes me the better to confer with thee. |