Val. I take your offer, and will live with you; 3 Out. No; we detest such vile, base practices. SCENE II.- Milan. [Exeunt. The Court of the Palace. Pro. Already have I been false to Valentine, window, And give some evening music to her ear. Thu. How now, sir Proteus! are you crept before us? Will creep in service where it cannot go. Thu. Ay; but I hope, sir, that you love not here. Thu. Whom? Silvia? Pro. Ay, Silvia, -for your sake. Thu. I thank you for your own. Now, gentlemen, Let's tune, and to it lustily awhile. Enter Host and JULIA (in boy's clothes), behind. Host. Now, my young guest; methinks you're allycholly: I pray you, why is it? Jul. Marry, mine host, because I cannot be merry. Host. Come, we 'll have you merry. I'll bring you where you shall hear music, and see the gentlemen that you ask'd for. Jul. But shall I hear him speak? Host. Ay, that you shall. Jul. That will be music. Host. Hark! Hark! Jul. Is he among these? Host. Ay; but peace! let's hear 'em. SONG. Who is Silvia? what is she, Host. How now! are you sadder than you were before? How do you, man? the music likes you not. Jul. You mistake: the musician likes me not. Host. Why, my pretty youth? Jul. He plays false, father. Host. How? out of tune on the strings? Jul. Not so; but yet so false, that he grieves my very heart-strings. Host. You have a quick ear. Jul. Ay; I would I were deaf! it makes me have a slow heart. Host. I perceive, you delight not in music. Jul. Not a whit, when it jars so. [Music plays again. Jul. Ay, that change is the spite. Host. You would not have them always play but one thing? Jul. I would always have one play but one thing. But, Host, doth this sir Proteus, that we talk on, Often resort unto this gentlewoman? Host. I tell you what Launce, his man, told me, he lov'd her out of all nick. Jul Where is Launce? Host. Gone to seek his dog; which, to-morrow, by his master's command, he must carry for a present to his lady. Jul. Peace! stand aside: the company parts. That you shall say my cunning drift excels. Pro. At St. Gregory's well. Thu. Farewell. [Exeunt THURIO and Musicians. Pro. Madam, good even to your ladyship. Pro. One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's truth, Pro. Sir Proteus, gentle lady, and your servant. That I may compass yours. Sil. You have your wish: my will is even this, That hast deceiv'd so many with thy vows? That all our swains commend her? Holy, fair, and wise as free;2 The heaven such grace did lend her, Is she kind, as she is fair, For beauty lives with kindness? To help him of his blindness; 1 crews: in f. e. 2 is she: in f. e. 3 This direction is not in f. e. Pro. I grant, sweet love, that I did love a lady; But she is dead. Jul. [Aside.] 'T were false, if I should speak it; Sil. Say, that she be; yet Valentine, thy friend, Pro. I likewise hear, that Valentine is dead. Assure thyself, my love is buried. Pro. Sweet lady, let me rake it from the earth. Or, at the least, in her's sepulchre thine. Pro. Madam, if your heart be so obdurate, And to your shadow will I make true love. Jul. [Aside.] If 't were a substance, you would, sure, deceive it, And make it but a shadow, as I am. Sil. I am very loth to be your idol, sir; But, since your falsehood, 't shall become you well To worship shadows, and adore false shapes, Send to me in the morning, and I'll send it. And so, good rest. Pro. As wretches have o'er night, That wait for execution in the morn. Jul. Host, will you go? [Exeunt PROTEUS and SILVIA. Host. By my halidom, I was fast asleep. Egl. I will not fail your ladyship. Good morrow, Sil. Good morrow, kind sir Eglamour. [Exeunt Launce. When a man's servant shall play the cur with him, look you, it goes hard: one that I brought up of a puppy; one that I saved from drowning, when three or four of his blind brothers and sisters went to it. I have taught him, even as one would say precisely, thus I would teach a dog. I was sent to deliver him Jul. Pray you, where lies sir Proteus? almost day. Jul. Not so; but it hath been the longest night That e'er I watch'd, and the most heaviest. [Exeunt. SCENE III. - The Same. Egl. This is the hour that madam Silvia Enter SILVIA above, at her window. Sil. Who calls? Egl. Your servant, and your friend; One that attends your ladyship's command. Sil. Sir Eglamour, a thousand times good morrow. Sil. O Eglamour, thou art a gentleman, Nor how my father would enforce me marry Upon whose faith and honour I repose. To keep me from a most unholy match, came no sooner into the dining-chamber, but he steps me to her trencher, and steals her capon's leg. O!'tis a foul thing, when a cur cannot keep himself in all companies. I would have, as one should say, one that takes upon him to be a dog indeed, to be, as it were, a dog at all things. If I had not had more wit than he, to take a fault upon me that he did, I think verily, he had been hang'd for 't: sure as I live, he had suffer'd for 't. You shall judge. He thrusts me himself into the company of three or four gentlemen-like dogs under the duke's table: he had not been there (bless the mark) a pissing while, but all the chamber smelt him. "Out with the dog!" says one; "what cur is that?" says another; "whip him out," says the third; "hang him up," says the duke. I, having been acquainted with the smell before, knew it was Crab, and goes me to the fellow that whips the dogs: "Friend," quoth I; "do you mean to whip the dog ?" Ay, marry, do I," quoth he. "You do him the more wrong," quoth I; "'t was I did the thing you wot of." He makes me no more ado, but whips me out of the chamber. How many masters would do this for his servant? Nay, I'll be sworn I have sat in the stocks for puddings he hath stolen, otherwise he had been executed: I have stood on the pillory for geese he hath kill'd, otherwise he had suffer'd for 't: thou think'st not of this now. Nay, I remember the trick you served me, when I took my leave of madam Silvia. Did not I bid thee still mark me, and do as I do? When didst thou see me heave up my leg, and make water against a gentlewoman's farthingale? Didst thou ever see me do such a trick? 66 Which heaven and fortune still reward with plagues. you bade me. I do desire thee, even from a heart As full of sorrows as the sea of sands, To bear me company, and go with me: If not, to hide what I have said to thee, That I may venture to depart alone. Egl. Madam, I pity much your grievances, And the most true affections that you bear; Pro. And what says she to my little jewel? Launce. Marry, she says, your dog was a cur; and tells you, currish thanks is good enough for such a present. Pro. But she receiv'd my dog? Launce. No, indeed, did she not. Here have I brought him back again. 1 From the Saxon haligdome, holy place or kingdom. 2 Injunction. 3 Compassionate. 4 This line is not in f. e. Pro. What! didst thou offer her this cur1 from me? Launce. Ay, sir: the other squirrel was stolen from me by a hangman boy in the market-place; and then I offer'd her my own, who is a dog as big as ten of yours, and therefore the gift the greater. Pro. Go; get thee hence, and find my dog again, [Exit LAUNCE. I will not look upon your master's lines: Sebastian, I have entertained thee, She lov'd me well deliver'd it to me. Jul. It seems, you lov'd not her, to leave her token. She 's dead, belike? Pro. Jul. Alas! Not so: I think, she lives. Pro. Why dost thou cry alas? Jul. I cannot choose but pity her. Pro. Wherefore shouldst thou pity her? Jul. Because, methinks, that she lov'd you as well As you do love your lady Silvia. She dreams on him, that has forgot her love; You dote on her, that cares not for your love. 'Tis pity, love should be so contrary, And thinking on it makes me cry alas! Pro. Well, give to her that ring; and therewithal This letter:-that's her chamber. - Tell my lady [Exit. Jul. How many women would do such a message? To plead for that which I would not obtain; Enter SILVIA, attended. Gentlewoman, good day. I pray you, be my mean To hear me speak the message I am sent on. Jul. From my master, sir Proteus, madam. Jul. Ay, madam. I know, they are stuff'd with protestations, Jul. Madam, he sends your ladyship this ring. For, I have heard him say, a thousand times, Jul. She thanks you. Sil. What say'st thou? Jul. I thank you, madam, that you tender her. Poor gentlewoman! my master wrongs her much. Sil. Dost thou know her? Jul. Almost as well as I do know myself: To think upon her woes, I do protest, That I have wept a hundred several times. Sil. Belike, she thinks, that Proteus hath forsook her. Jul. She hath been fairer, madam, than she is. When she did think my master lov'd her well, Sil. How tall was she? Jul. About my stature; for, at pentecost, Sil. She is beholding to thee, gentle youth.- Jul. And she shall thank you for 't, if e'er you know A virtuous gentlewoman, mild, and beautiful! Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there. [A Picture brought. If I had such a tire, this face of mine Were full as lovely as is this of hers; 1 Not in f. e. 2 the hangman's boys: in f. e. 3 Continually. 4 5 Not in f. e. 6 In good earnest. |