Oli. Get him to bed, and let his hurt be look'd to. Enter SEBASTIAN. Seb. I am sorry, madam, I have hurt your kins man; But, had it been the brother of my blood, Duke. One face, one voice, one habit, and two A natural perspective 13, that is, and is not. How have the hours rack'd and tortur'd me, Ant. Sebastian are you? Seb. Fear'st thou that, Antonio? Than these two creatures. Which is Sebastian? Seb. Do I stand there? I never had a brother; 13 A perspective formerly meant a glass that assisted the sight 'Like perspectives which rightly gazed upon VOL. I. 16 Vide Of charity 14, what kin are you to me? [TO VIOLA. What countryman? what name? what parentage? Vio. Of Messaline: Sebastian was my father; Such a Sebastian was my brother too, So went he suited to his watery tomb: Seb. Vio. And died that day when Viola from her birth Had number'd thirteen years. Seb. O, that record is lively in my soul!. He finished, indeed, his mortal aet, That day that made my sister thirteen years. Do not embrace me, till each circumstance I'll bring you to a captain in this town, But nature to her bias drew in that. I shall have share in this most happy wreck: [TO VIOLA. Thou never shouldst love woman like to me. Vio. And all those sayings will I over-swear; And all those swearings keep as true in soul, As doth that orbed continent the fire That severs day from night. Duke. Give me thy hand; And let me see thee in thy woman's weeds. Vio. The captain, that did bring me first on shore, Hath my maid's garments; he, upon some action, Is now in durance, at Malvolio's suit, A gentleman and follower of my lady's. Oli. He shall enlarge him:- Fetch Malvolio hither: And yet, alas, now I remember me, They say, poor gentleman, he's much distract. A most extracting 16 frenzy of mine own. Clo. Truly, madam, he holds Belzebub at the stave's end, as well as a man in his case may do; he has here writ a letter to you, I should have given it you to-day morning; but as a madman's epistles are no gospels, so it skills not much when they are delivered. Oli. Open it, and read it. Clo. Look then to be well edified, when the fool delivers the madman: By the Lord, madam,Oli. How now! art thou mad? Clo. No, madam, I do but read madness: an your ladyship will have it as it ought to be, you must allow vox17. 16 i. e. a frenzy that drew me away from every thing but its object. it This may be explained: 'If you would have the letter read in character, you must allow me to assume the voice or frantic tone of a madman.' Oli. Pr'ythee, read i'thy right wits. Clo. So I do, madonna; but to read his right wits, is to read thus: therefore perpend 18, my princess, and give ear. Oli. Read it you, sirrah. [To FABIAN. Fab. [Reads.] By the Lord, madam, you wrong me, and the world shall know it: though you have put me into darkness, and given your drunken cousin rule over me, yet have I the benefit of my senses as well as your ladyship. I have your own letter that induced me to the semblance I put on; with the which I doubt not but do myself much right, or you much shame. Think of me as y you please. I leave my duty a little unthought of, and speak out of my injury. The madly-used Malvolio. Oli. Did he write this? Clo. Ay, madam. Duke. This savours not much of distraction. [Erit FABIAN. My lord, so please you, these things further thought on, To think me as well a sister as a wife, One day shall crown the alliance on't, so please you, Here at my house, and at my proper cost. Duke, Madam, I am most apt to embrace your offer. Your master quits you [To VIOLA]; and, for your service done him, So much against the mettle 19 of your sex, Oli. A sister?- you are she. Re-enter FABIAN, with MALVOLIO. Duke. Is this the madman? 18 Consider. 19 Frame and constitution. Have I, Malvolio? no. Mal. Lady, you have. Pray you, peruse that letter: You must not now deny it is your hand, First told me, thou wast mad: then cam'st 22 in smiling, And in such forms which here were presuppos'd Upon thee in the letter. Pr'ythee, be content: This practice 23 hath most shrewdly pass'd upon thee; But, when we know the grounds and authors of it, Thou shalt be both the plaintiff and the judge Of thine own cause. 20 Inferior. 21 Fool. 22 Thou is here undertood: 'then cam'st thou in smiling.' 23 Practice is a deceit, an insidious stratagem. duction to the Taming of the Shrew: 'Sirs, I will practise on this drunken man.' So in the In |