Seeing Orlando, it unlinked itself, And, with indented glides did slip away A lioness Lay couching, head on ground, with catlike watch, This seen, Orlando did approach the man And found it was his brother, his elder brother. Rosalind. But to Orlando. Did he leave him there, Oliver. Twice did he turn his back and purposed1 so; And nature, stronger than his just occasion,2 Who quickly fell before him; in which hurtling Celia. Are you his brother? Rosalind. Was it you he rescued? Celia. Was it you that did so oft contrive to kill him? To tell you what I was, since my conversion The lioness had torn some flesh away, Upon his arm Which all the while had bled; and now he fainted Celia. Why, how now, Rosalind, sweet Rosalind! Oliver. Look, he recovers. 1 purposed (pûr'pust): intended. 2 occasion: provocation. Rosalind. Celia. I would I were at home. We'll lead you thither. Oliver. Be of good cheer, youth. You a man! [Exeunt, helping her, R.] ACT IV [Scene, the same] 1 There enter Orlando and Oliver [L.]. Orlando. Is't possible that on so little acquaintance you should like her? That but seeing you should love her? And loving woo? And, wooing, she should grant? Oliver. Neither call the giddiness of it in question, the poverty of her, the small acquaintance, my sudden wooing, nor her sudden consenting; but say with me, I love Aliena; say with her that she loves me; consent with both: it shall be to your good; for my father's house and all the revenue that was old Sir Roland's will I estate 2 upon you, and here live and die a shepherd. Orlando. You have my consent. Let your wedding be tomorrow; thither will I invite the Duke and all his contended followers. Go you and prepare Aliena; for look you, here comes my Rosalind. [Oliver leaves R.] [Enter Rosalind L.] Rosalind. Your brother and my sister no sooner met but they looked; no sooner looked but they loved; no sooner loved but they sighed; no sooner sighed but they asked one another the reason; no sooner knew the reason than they sought the remedy; and in these degrees have they made a pair of stairs to marriage. 1 Between Acts III and IV the song "What shall he have that killed the deer?" may be sung behind the scenes. See list of music for As You Like It on page 372. 2 estate: bestow. Orlando. They shall be married tomorrow, and I will bid the Duke to the wedding. But, O, how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man's eyes! Tomorrow I shall be at the height of heart-heaviness. Rosalind. Why then, tomorrow I cannot serve your turn for Rosalind? Orlando. I can live no longer by thinking. Rosalind. I will weary you, then, no longer with idle talking. If you do love Rosalind, I know into what straits of fortune she is driven, and it is not impossible for me to set her before your eyes. Orlando. Speak'st thou in sober meaning? Rosalind. By my life, I do; which I value dearly, though I say I am a magician. [Exeunt R.] ACT V [Scene, the same] The Duke, Orlando, Oliver, and Jaques have assembled. Duke. Dost thou believe, Orlando, that the boy Can do all this that he hath promised? Orlando. I sometimes do believe, and sometimes do not; And know they fear. Duke. I do remember in this shepherd boy Some lively touches of my daughter's favor. Orlando. My lord, the first time that ever I saw him, Jaques de Boys 1 enters [L.]. Jaques de Boys. Let me have audience for a word or two. I am the second son of old Sir Roland, That bring these tidings to this fair assembly. 1 Jaques de Boys is the brother of Oliver and Orlando. Duke Frederick, purposing to take His brother here and put him to the sword, Has been converted from the world:1 His crown bequeathing to his banished brother, That were with him exiled. Duke. Welcome, young man: Thou offer'st' fairly to thy brother's wedding. Rosalind and Celia enter, dressed as at the court [C.]. Rosalind. [To the Duke.] To you I give myself, for I am yours. [Gives him her hand.] [To Orlando.] To you I give myself, for I am yours. [Orlando takes her other hand.] Duke. If there be truth in sight, you are my daughter. Orlando. If there be truth in sight, you are my Rosalind. Duke. (And to Celia, who now approaches and gives her hands to Oliver and the Duke.) Oh, my dear niece, welcome thou art to me! Even daughter, welcome3 in no less degree. Jaques. [Addressing Jaques de Boys.] Sir, if I heard you rightly, The Duke hath put on a religious life And thrown into neglect the pompous court? Jaques de Boys. He hath. Jaques. To him will I. Out of his conversion There is much to be heard and learned. Duke. Stay, Jaques, stay. 1 converted from the world. The old "religious man" or hermit referred to has converted him to withdraw from public life and become a monk. 2 offerest: Jaques de Boys brings a good present to offer at the wedding. 3 Even daughter, welcome: you are as welcome as if you were my daughter; or I welcome you as an adopted daughter. Jaques. To see no pastime, I. What you would have [Exit R.] Duke. Proceed, proceed. We will begin these rites, As we do trust they'll end, in true delights. [Music, as they exeunt L.]1 1 ADDITIONAL READINGS You may be interested in reading some of the other stories in the complete play of As You Like It. Touchstone, the Court Fool. Act I, Scene ii, lines 60-1572; Scene iii from line 108. II, iv, 1-19, 44–100; vii, 12-43. III, ii, 11–171; iii. V, i, iii, iv, 35–112. Jaques. II, i, from 25; v; vii, 1–88. III, ii, 268-312; iii. IV, i, 1-39; ii. Adam. II, iii. Silvius and Phoebe. II, iv, 20-43. III, iv from 50; v. IV, iii, 6–74. V, ii, from 82; iv, 5-25, 126-156. 1 [Music, as they exeunt L.]: or the play may end with a dance. 2 The line numbers refer to The Macmillan Pocket Classics edition of As You Like It. л |