Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

words; and words are grown so false, I am loath to prove reason with them.

Vio. I warrant, thou art a merry fellow, and carest for nothing.

Clo. Not so, sir, I do care for something: but in my conscience, sir, I do not care for you; if that be to care for nothing, sir, I would it would make you invisible.

Vio. Art not thou the lady Olivia's fool?

Clo. No, indeed, sir; the lady Olivia has no folly: she will keep no fool, sir, till she be married; and fools are as like husbands, as pilchards are to herrings, the husband's the bigger; I am, indeed, not her fool, but her corrupter of words.

Vio. I saw thee late at the count Orsino's.

Clo. Foolery, sir, does walk about the orb, like the sun; it shines every where. I would be sorry, sir, but the fool should be as oft with your master, as with my mistress: I think, I saw your wisdom there.

Vio. Nay, an thou pass upon me, I'll no more with thee. Hold, there's expences for thee.

Clo. Now Jove, in his next commodity of hair, send thee a beard!

Vio. By my troth, I'll tell thee; I am almost sick for one; though I would not have it grow on my chin. Is thy lady within ?

Clo. Would not a pair of these have bred, sir? Vio. Yes, being kept together, and put to use. Clo. I would play lord Pandarus of Phrygia, sir, to bring a Cressida to this Troilus.

Vio. I understand you, sir; 'tis well begg'd.

Clo. The matter, I hope, is not great, sir, begging but a beggar: Cressida was a beggar. My lady is within, sir. I will construe to them whence you come; who you are, and what you would, are

out of my welkin : I might say, element; but the word is over-worn.

[Exit.

Vio. This fellow's wise enough to play the fool; And, to do that well, craves a kind of wit: He must observe their mood on whom he jests, The quality of persons, and the time; And, like the haggard, check at every feather That comes before his eye. This is a practice, As full of labour as a wise man's art: For folly, that he wisely shows, is fit; But wise men, folly-fallen, quite taint their wit.

Enter Sir TOBY BELCH and Sir ANDREW
AGUE-CHEEK.

Sir To. Save you, gentleman.

Vio. And you, sir.

Sir And. Dieu vous garde, monsieur.
Vio. Et vous aussi; votre serviteur.

Sir And. I hope, sir, you are; and I am yours. Sir To. Will you encounter the house? my niece is desirous you should enter, if your trade be

to her.

Vio. I am bound to your niece, sir: I mean, she is the list of my voyage.

Sir To. Taste your legs, sir, put them to motion. Vio. My legs do better understand me, sir, than I understand what you mean by bidding me taste my legs.

Sir To. I mean to go, sir, to enter. Vio. I will answer you with gait and entrance : But we are prevented.

3- the haggard,] The hawk called the haggard, if not well trained and watched, will fly after every bird without distinction.

the list -) is the bound, limit, farthest point.

2

JOHNSON.

Enter OLIVIA and MARIA.

Most excellent accomplished lady, the heavens rain odours on you!

Sir And. That youth's a rare courtier! Rain odours! well.

Vio. My matter hath no voice, lady, but to your own most pregnant and vouchsafed ear.5

Sir And. Odours, pregnant, and vouchsafed:I'll get 'em all three ready.

Oli. Let the garden door be shut, and leave me to my hearing.

[Exeunt Sir TOBY, Sir ANDREw, and Maria. Give me your hand, sir.

Vio. My duty, madam, and most humble service.
Oli. What is your name?

Vio. Cesario is your servant's name, fair princess.
Oli. My servant, sir! "Twas never merry world,

Since lowly feigning was call'd compliment:
You are servant to the count Orsino, youth.

Vio. And he is yours, and his must needs be

yours; Your servant's servant is your servant, madam.

Oli. For him, I think not on him: for his

thoughts,

'Would they were blanks, rather than fill'd with me! Vio. Madam, I come to whet your gentle

On his behalf:

Oli.

thoughts

O, by your leave, I pray you;

I bade you never speak again of him:

But, would you undertake another suit,

s-most pregnant and vouchsafed ear.] Pregnant for ready; vouchsafed for vouchsafing.

!

i

I had rather hear you to solicit that,
Than musick from the spheres.

Vio.

Dear lady,

Oli. Give me leave, I beseech you: I did send

After the last enchantment you did here,
A ring in chase of you; so did I abuse
Myself, my servant, and, I fear me, you:
Under your hard construction must I sit,
To force that on you, in a shameful cunning,
Which you knew none of yours: What might you

think?

Have you not set mine honour at the stake,
And baited it with all the unmuzzled thoughts

That tyrannous heart can think? To one of your

receiving

Enough is shown; a cyprus, not a bosom,

Hides my poor heart: So let me hear you speak.

Vio. I pity you.

Oli. That's a degree to love.

Vio. No, not a grise; for 'tis a vulgar proof,

That very oft we pity enemies.

Oli. Why, then, methinks, 'tis time to smile

again:

O world, how apt the poor are to be proud!
If one should be a prey, how much the better

To fall before the lion, than the wolf?

[Clock strikes.

The clock upbraids me with the waste of time.-
Be not afraid, good youth, I will not have you :
And yet, when wit and youth is come to harvest,
Your wife is like to reap a proper man:

• To one of your receiving-] i. e. to one of your ready ap

prehension.

[blocks in formation]

- a cyprus,] is a transparent stuff.

a grise; is a step, sometimes written gresse, from

degres, French.

- 'tis a vulgar proof,] That is, it is a common proof.

[blocks in formation]

:

There lies your way, due west.

Vio.

Then westward-hoe:

Grace, and good disposition 'tend your ladyship! You'll nothing, madam, to my lord by me ?

Oli. Stay:

I pr'ythee, tell me, what thou think'st of me.
Vio. That you do think, you are not what you are.
Oli. If I think so, I think the same of you.
Vio. Then think you right; I am not what I am.
Oli. I would, you were as I would have you be!
Vio. Would it be better, madam, than I am,
I wish it might; for now I am your fool.

Oli. O, what a deal of scorn looks beautiful
In the contempt and anger of his lip !
A murd'rous guilt shows not itself more soon
Than love that would seem hid : love's night is noon.
Cesario, by the roses of the spring,
By maidhood, honour, truth, and every thing,
I love thee so, that, maugre all thy pride,
Nor wit, nor reason, can my passion hide.
Do not extort thy reasons from this clause,
For; that I woo, thou therefore hast no cause :
But, rather, reason thus with reason fetter :
Love sought is good, but given unsought, is better.

Vio. By innocence I swear, and by my youth, I have one heart, one bosom, and one truth, And that no woman has ;1 nor never none Shall mistress be of it, save I alone. And so adieu, good madam; never more Will I my master's tears to you deplore.

Oli. Yet come again: for thou, perhaps, may'st

move

That heart, which now abhors, to like his love.

3

[Exeunt.

And that no woman has ;) And that heart and bosom I have never yielded to any woman.

« ForrigeFortsæt »