Thu. That hath more mind to feed on your blood, Made use and fair advantage of his days; than live in your air. Val. You have said, sir. Thu. Ay, sir, and done too, for this time. His years but young, but his experience old; His head unmellowed, but his judgment ripe; Val. I know it well, sir; you always end ere Come all the praises that I now bestow), you begin. He is complete in feature and in mind, Sil. A fine volley of words, gentlemen, and With all good grace to grace a gentleman. quickly shot off. Val. 'T is indeed, madam; we thank the giver. Val. Yourself, sweet lady; for you gave the fire: Sir Thurio borrows his wit from your ladyship's looks, and spends what he borrows, kindly in your company. Duke. Beshrew me, sir, but if he make this good, He is as worthy for an empress' love, Thu. Sir, if you spend word for word with me, I think 't is no unwelcome news to you. I shall make your wit bankrupt. 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. Val. Should I have wished a thing, it had been he. Duke. Welcome him then according to his worth; Silvia, I speak to you; and you, Sir Thurio:— Sil. No more, gentlemen, no more; here comes For Valentine, I need not 'cite him to it: my father. Enter DUKE. I'll send him hither to you presently. [Exit DUKE. Duke. Now, daughter Silvia, you are hard Did hold his eyes locked in her crystal looks. beset. Sir Valentine, your father's in good health: What say you to a letter from your friends Of much good news? Val. My lord, I will be thankful Sil. Belike that now she hath enfranchised them Upon some other pawn for fealty. Val. Nay, sure, I think she holds them prisoners still. Sil. Nay, then he should be blind; and, being blind, Duke. Know you Don Antonio, your country- How could he see his way to seek out you? Ser. Madam, my lord your father would speak Sovereign to all the creatures on the earth. with you. Sil. I wait upon his pleasure. [Exit Servant. Go with me; 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. Except my mistress. Val. Sweet, except not any; Pro. Have I not reason to prefer mine own? Pro. Your friends are well, and have them much And make rough winter everlastingly. commended. Val. And how do yours? Pro. I left them all in health. Pro. Why, Valentine, what braggardism is this? Val. Pardon me, Proteus: all I can, is nothing Val. How does your lady? and how thrives To her, whose worth makes other worthies noyour love? thing; Pro. My tales of love were wont to weary you; She is alone. I know you joy not in a love-discourse. Val. Ay, Proteus, but that life is altered now: I have done pennance for contemning love; Pro. Then let her alone. Val. Not for the world: why, man, she is mine own; Whose high imperious thoughts have punished me And I as rich in having such a jewel, With bitter fasts, with penitental groans, Love hath chased sleep from my enthralléd eyes, row. O, gentle Proteus, love's a mighty lord; As twenty seas, if all their sands were pearl, With all the cunning manner of our flight, Pro. Go on before; I shall enquire you forth: I must unto the road, to disembark Some necessaries that I needs must use; And then I'll presently attend you. Val. Will you make haste? Pro. I will. [Exit VALENTINE. So the remembrance of my former love Is it her mein, or Valentinus' praise, SCENE V.-The same. A Street. Enter SPEED and LAUNCE. Speed. But tell me true, will 't be a match? Laun. 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. Laun. Thou shalt never get such a secret from me, but by a parable. Speed. 'T is well that I get it so. But, Launce, [Exit. how say'st thou, that my master is become a notable lover? Speed. Launce! by mine honesty, welcome to Milan. 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 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-burn himself in love. If thou wilt go with me to the ale-house, so; if not, thou art an Hebrew, a Of their disguising, and pretended flight; Jew, and not worth the name of a Christian. Speed. Why? Who, all enraged, will banish Valentine; Laun. Because thou hast not so much charity in thee, as to go to the ale with a Christian: Wilt thou go? Speed. At thy service. A Room in the Palace. SCENE VII.-Verona. A Room in JULIA'S Enter PROTEUS. oath Pro. To leave my Julia, shall I be forsworn; But there I leave to love, where I should love. And Silvia, witness heaven, that made her fair! Now presently I'll give her father notice House. Enter JULIA and LUCETTA. Jul. Counsel, Lucetta; gentle girl, assist me! And, even in kind love, I do cónjure thee,Who art the table wherein all my thoughts Are visibly charáctered and engraved,— To lesson me; and tell me some good mean, How, with my honor, I may undertake A journey to my loving Proteus. Luc. Alas! the way is wearisome and long. Jul. A true-devoted pilgrim is not weary To measure kingdoms with his feeble steps; Much less shall she, that hath love's wings to fly; And when the flight is made to one so dear, Of such divine perfection, as Sir Proteus. Luc. Better forbear, till Proteus make return. Jul. O, know'st thou not, his looks are my soul's food? Pity the dearth that I have pinéd in, But qualify the fire's extreme rage, Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason. Jul. The more thou damn'st it up, the more it burns. The current that with gentle murmur glides, rage; But when his fair course is not hindered, He makes sweet music with the enameled stones, He overtaketh in his pilgrimage; With willing sport, to the wild ocean. Luc. But in what habit will you go along? Luc. Why then, your ladyship must cut your 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 shew to be. Jul. Nay, that I will not. Luc. Then never dream on infamy, but go. If Proteus like your journey, when you come, No matter who's displeased when you are gone: I fear me he will scarce be pleased withal. Jul. This is the least, Lucetta, of my fear. A thousand oaths, an ocean of his tears, And instances as infinite of love, Warrant me welcome to my Proteus. Luc. All these are servants to deceitful men. Jul. Base men, that use them to so base effect! But truer stars did govern Proteus' birth : Luc. What fashion, madam, shall I make your His heart, as far from fraud, as heaven from breeches? Jul. That fits as well as- "Tell me, good my lord, What compass will you wear your farthingale?" Why, even that fashion thou best lik'st, Lucetta. Luc. You must needs have them with a codpiece, madam. Jul. Out, out, Lucetta! that will be ill-favored. Luc. A round hose, madam, now's not worth a pin, Unless you have a cod-piece to stick pins on. 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 scandalized. |