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. Pro. At saint Gregory's well. [Exeunt THURIO and Musicians. Enter SILVIA above, at her window. Pro. Madam, good even to your ladyship. Sil. I thank you for your music, gentlemen. Who is that, that spake ? Pro. One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's truth, You would quickly learn to know him by his voice. Sil. Sir Proteus, as I take it. Pro. Sir Proteus, gentle lady, and your servant. Sil. What is your will? Pro. That I may compass yours. Sil. You have your wish my will is even this, That hast deceiv'd so many with thy vows? Pro. I grant, sweet love, that I did love a lady; But she is dead. Jul. [Aside.] "Twere false, if I should speak it; For, I am sure, she is not buried. Sil. Say, that she be; yet Valentine, thy friend, Survives, to whom thyself art witness I am betroth'd; and art thou not asham'd To wrong him with thy importunacy? Pro. I likewise hear, that Valentine is dead. Sil. And so, suppose, am I; for in his grave, Assure thyself, my love is buried. Pro. Sweet lady, let me rake it from the earth. Sil. Go to thy lady's grave, and call her's thence; Or, at the least, in her's sepulchre thine. Jul. [Aside.] He heard not that. Pro. Madam, if your heart be so obdurate, Vouchsafe me yet your picture for my love, The picture that is hanging in your chamber: To that I'll speak, to that I'll sigh and weep; For, since the substance of your perfect self Is else devoted, I am but a shadow, And to your shadow will I make true love. Jul. [Aside.] If 'twere 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; Pro. [Exeunt PROTEUS, and SILVIA. Egl. As many, worthy lady, to yourself. I am thus early come, to know what service Sil. O Églamour, thou art a gentleman, Egl. Madam, I pity much your grievances; As much I wish all good befortune you. Sil. At friar Patrick's cell, Egl. I will not fail your ladyship. Good morrow, Gentle lady. Sil. Good morrow, kind sir Eglamour. [Exeunt. 27 SCENE IV.-The Same. Enter LAUNCE with his dog. 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 as a present to mistress Silvia from my master, and I came no sooner into the diningchamber, 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 gentlemanlike 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, "you mean to whip the dog." "Ay, marry, do I," quoth he. You do him the more wrong," quoth I; "'twas 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? Enter PROTEUS and JULIA. Pro. Sebastian is thy name? I like thee well, And will employ thee in some service presently. Jul. In what you please: I will do what I can. Pro. I hope thou wilt.-How, now, you whoreson peasant! Where have you been these two days loitering? Launce. Marry, sir, I carried mistress Silvia the dog you bade me. 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. Pro. What! didst thou offer her this from me? Launce. Ay, sir: the other squirrel was stolen from me by the hangman's boys in the marketplace; and then I offer'd her mine 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, Or ne'er return again into my sight. Away, I say! Stayest thou to vex me here? 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 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; Pro. Well, give her that ring; and therewithal Alas, poor Proteus! thou hast entertain'd This ring I gave him when he parted from me, To praise his faith which I would have disprais'd. But cannot be true servant to my master, Gentlewoman, good day. I pray you, be my mean To bring me where to speak with madam Silvia. Sil. What would you with her, if that I be she? Jul. If you be she, I do entreat your patience To hear me speak the message I am sent on. Sil. From whom? Jul. From my master, sir Proteus, madam. Jul. Ay, madam. Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there. [A picture brought. Go, give your master this: tell him from me, One Julia, that his changing thoughts forget, Would better fit his chamber than this shadow. Jul. Madam, please you peruse this letter.- Sil. I pray thee, let me look on that again. I will not look upon your master's lines: Jul. Madam, he sends your ladyship this ring. me; For, I have heard him say, a thousand times, His Julia gave it him at his departure. Though his false finger have profan'd the ring, Mine shall not do his Julia so much wrong. 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: Sil. Belike, she thinks, that Proteus hath forsook her. Jul. I think she doth, and that's her cause of sorrow. Sil. Is she not passing fair? Jul. She hath been fairer, madam, than she is. When she did think my master lov'd her well, She, in my judgment, was as fair as you; But since she did neglect her looking-glass, And threw her sun-expelling mask away, The air hath starv'd the roses in her cheeks, And pinch'd the lily-tincture of her face, That now she is become as black as I. Sil. How tall was she? Jul. About my stature; for, at Pentecost, When all our pageants of delight were play'd, Our youth got me to play the woman's part, And I was trimm'd in madam Julia's gown, Which served me as fit, by all men's judgments, As if the garment had been made for me: Therefore, I know she is about my height. And at that time I made her weep a-good, For I did play a lamentable part. Madam, 'twas Ariadne, passioning For Theseus' perjury, and unjust flight; Which I so lively acted with my tears, That my poor mistress, moved therewithal, Wept bitterly; and, would I might be dead, If I in thought felt not her very sorrow. Sil. She is beholding to thee, gentle youth.Alas, poor lady! desolate and left!— I weep myself, to think upon thy words. this For thy sweet mistress' sake, because thou lov'st her. Farewell. [Exit SILVIA. Jul. And she shall thank you for't, if e'er you know her. A virtuous gentlewoman, mild, and beautiful. Were full as lovely as is this of hers; If this fond love were not a blinded god? My substance should be statue in thy stead. I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes, See, where she comes!-Lady, a happy evening. Sil. Amen, amen! go on, good Eglamour, Out at the postern by the abbey-wall. I fear, I am attended by some spies. Egl. Fear not: the forest is not three leagues off; If we recover that, we are sure enough. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-The Same. A Room in the DUKE'S Palace. Enter THURIO, PROTEUS, and JULIA. Thu. Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my suit? Pro. O, sir! I find her milder than she was; And yet she takes exceptions at your person. Thu. What! that my leg is too long? Pro. No, that it is too little. Thu. I'll wear a boot to make it somewhat rounder. Jul. [Aside.] But love will not be spurr'd to what it loaths. Thu. What says she to my face? Thu. Nay, then the wanton lies: my face is black. Pro. But pearls are fair, and the old saying is, Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes. Jul. [Aside.] 'Tis true, such pearls as put out ladies' eyes; Jul. [Aside.] She needs not, when she knows it cowardice. Thu. What says she to my birth? Pro. That you are well deriv'd. Jul. [Aside.] True; from a gentleman to a fool. Thu. Considers she my possessions? Pro. O ay; and pities them. Thu. Wherefore? Jul. [Aside.] That such an ass should owe them. Pro. That they are out by lease. Jul. Here comes the duke. Enter DUKE. Duke. How now, sir Proteus! how now, Thurio! Which of you saw Eglamour of late? Thu. Not I. Pro. Nor I. Duke. Saw you my daughter? Pro. Neither. Duke. Why, then She's fled unto that peasant Valentine, 'Tis true; for friar Laurence met them both, At Patrick's cell this even, and there she was not. [Exit. Pro. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love, Than hate of Eglamour, that goes with her. [Erit. Jul. And I will follow, more to cross that love, Than hate for Silvia, that is gone for love. [Exit. SCENE III.-The Forest. Enter SILVIA, and Outlaws. 1 Out. Come, come; be patient, we must bring you to our captain. |