Laf. And what would you have me to do? 'tis too late to pare her nails now. Wherein have you play'd the knave with fortune, that she should scratch you, who of her felf is a good Lady, and would not have knaves thrive long under her? there's a Quart-d'ecu for you: let the juftices make you and fortune friends; I am for other business. Par. I beseech your honour, to hear me one fingle word. Laf. You beg a single penny more: come, you shall ha't, fave your word. Par. My name, my good Lord, is Parolles. Laf. You beg more than one word then. Cox' my paffion! give me your hand: how does your drum? Par. O my good lord, you were the first, that found me. Laf. Was I, insooth? and I was the first, that loft thee. Par. It lyes in you, my Lord, to bring me in some grace, for you did bring me out. Laf. Out upon thee, knave! dost thou put upon me at once both the office of God and the Devil? one brings thee in grace, and the other brings thee out. [Sound Trumpets.] The King's coming, I know, by his trumpets. Sirrah, inquire further after me, I had talk of you last night; tho you are a fool and a knave, you shall eat; go to, follow. Par. I praise God for you, [Exeunt. Flourish. Enter King, Countess, Lafeu, the two French Lords, with attendants. King. We lost a jewel of her, (25) our esteem Was made much poorer by it; but your fon, (25) our Esteem As Was made much poorer by it: -) What's the Meaning of the King's Esteem being made poorer by the Lofs of Helen? 1 think, it can only be understood in one Sense; and that Sense won't carry Water: i. e. We suffer'd in our Estimation by her Lofs As mad in folly, lack'd the sense to know Count. 'Tis paft, my Liege; King. My honour'd Lady, I have forgiven and forgotten all; Laf. This I must say, But first I beg my pardon; the young Lord Of richest eyes; whose words all ears took captive; King. Praising what is loft, Makes the remembrance dear. Well call him hither; We're reconcil'd, and the first view shall kill All repetition: let him not ask our pardon. And deeper than oblivion we do bury Th' incenfing relicks of it. Let him approach, Gent. I shall, my Liege. Loss. But how to? Did the King contribute to her Misfortunes? Nothing like it. Or did he not do all in his Power to prevent them? Yes; he married Bertram to her. We must certainly read therefore; We lost a Jewel of her; our Estate Was made much poorer by it: That's the certain Consequence of any one's losing a Jewel, for their Estate to be made proportionably poorer according to the Value of the Loss. Mr. Warburton. King. What says he to your daughter? Have you spoke ? Laf. All, that he is, hath reference to your Highness. King. Then shall we have a match. I have letters sent me, That fet him high in fame. Enter Bertram. Laf. He looks well on't. King. I'm not a day of season, For thou may'st see a sun-shine and a hail Ber. My high repented blames, Dear Sovereign, pardon to me. Not one word more of the consumed time, Ber. Admiringly, my Liege. At first King. Well excus'd: That thou do'st love her, strikes some scores away From the great 'compt; but love, that comes too late, Like a remorseful pardon slowly carried, To the great fender turns a fowre offence, Crying, Crying, that's good that is gone: our rash faults Count. (25) Which better than the first, O dear heav'n, bless, Or, ere they meet, in me, O nature, cease! Laf. Come on, my fon, in whom my house's name The last that e'er she took her leave at court, Ber. Her's it was not. King. Now, pray you, let me see it: For mine eye, While I was speaking, oft was fasten'd to't. Neceffitied to help, that by this token (25) Which better than the first, O dear Heav'n, bless, Or, e'er they meet, in me, O Nature, cease!] I have ventur'd, against the Authority of the printed Copies, to prefix the Countess's Name to these two Lines. The King appears, indeed, to be a Favourer of Bertram: but if Bertram should make a bad Husband the second Time, why should it give the King such mortal Pangs? A fond and disappointed Mother might reasonably not defire to live to see such a Day: and from her the Wish of dying, rather than to behold it, comes with Propriety. Ber. Ber. My gracious Sovereign, Howe'er it pleases you to take it so, The ring was never her's. Count. Son, on my life, I've seen her wear it, and she reckon'd it Laf. I'm fure, I saw her wear it. Ber. You are deceiv'd, my Lord, she never saw it; In Florence was it from a casement thrown me, Wrap'd in a paper, which contain'd the name Of her that threw it: (26) Noble she was, and thought I stood ungag'd; but when I had subscrib'd To mine own fortune, and inform'd her fully, I could not answer in that course of honour As she had made the overture, she ceast In heavy fatisfaction, and would never Receive the ring again. King. Plutus himself, That knows the tinct and multiplying medicine, Ber. She never faw it. (26) noble She was, and thought 1 stood engag'd;-) I don't understand this Reading; if we are to understand, that She thought Bertram engag'd to her in Affection, infnar'd by her Charms, this Meaning is too obscurely express'd. The Context rather makes me believe, that the Poet wrote, -noble She was, and thought I stood ungag'd; i, e, unengag'd: neither my Heart, nor Person, dispos'd of. |