Some necessaries that I needs must use, Val. Will you make haste? Pro. I will. Even as one heat another heat expels, Or as one nail by strength drives out another, So the remembrance of my former love Her true perfection, or my false trangression, SCENE V. The same. A street. Enter SPEED and LAUNCE severally. 200 210 [Exit. Speed. Launce! by mine honesty, welcome to Milan ! Launce. Forswear not thyself, sweet youth, for I am not welcome. I reckon this always, that a man is never undone til he be hanged, nor never welcome to a place till some certain shot be paid and the hostess say "Welcome!" Speed. Come on, you madcap, I'll to the alehouse with you presently; where, for one shot of five pence, thou shalt have five thousand welcomes. But, sirrah, how did thy master part with Madam Julia? Launce. Marry, after they closed in earnest, they parted very fairly in jest. Speed. But shall she marry him? Launce. No. Speed. How then? shall he marry her? Launce. No, neither. Speed. What, are they broken? 11 Launce. No, they are both as whole as a fish. Speed. Why, then, how stands the matter with them? Launce. Marry, thus: when it stands well with him, it stands well with her. Speed. What an ass art thou! I understand thee not. 20 Launce. What a block art thou, that thou canst not! My staff understands me. Speed. What thou sayest? Launce. Ay, and what I do too: look thee, I'll but lean, and my staff understands me. Speed. It stands under thee, indeed. Launce. Why, stand-under and under-stand is all one. Speed. But tell me true, will't be a match? 30 Launce. 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. Launce. Thou shalt never get such a secret from me but by a parable. Speed. 'Tis well that I get it so. But, Launce, how say. est thou, that my master is become a notable lover? Launce. I never knew him otherwise. Speed. Than how? Launce. A notable lubber, as thou reportest him to be. Speed. Why, thou whoreson ass, thou mistakest me. Launce. Why, fool, I meant not thee; I meant thy master. Speed. I tell thee, my master is become a hot lover. Launce. Why, I tell thee, I care not though he burn himself in love. If thou wilt, go with me to the alehouse ; if not, thou art an Hebrew, a Jew, and not worth the name of a Christian. Speed. Why? Launce 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. [Exeunt. SCENE VI. The same. The DUKE's palace. Enter PROTEUS. Pro. To leave my Julia shall I be forsworn ; To love fair Silvia, shall I be forsworn; To wrong my friend, I shall be much forsworn ; Love bade me swear and Love bids me forswear. .10 But now I worship a celestial sun. But there I leave to love where I should love. 20 If I keep them, I needs must lose myself; I to myself am dearer than a friend. For love is still most precious in itself; And Silvia-witness Heaven, that made her fair!- I will forget that Julia is alive, Remembering that my love to her is dead; And Valentine I'll hold an enemy, Aiming at Silvia as a sweeter friend. I cannot now prove constant to myself, For Thurio, he intends, shall wed his daughter; SCENE VII. Verona. JULIA's house. Enter JULIA and LUCETTA. Jul. Counsel, Lucetta; gentle girl, assist me; Luc. Alas, the way is wearisome and long! 30 40 [Exit. To measure kingdoms with his feeble steps; 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 pined in, By longing for that food so long a time. Didst thou but know the inly touch of love, Thou wouldst as soon go kindle fire with snow As seek to quench the fire of love with words. Luc. I do not seek to quench your love's hot fire, But qualify the fire's extreme rage, Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason. Jul. The more thou damm'st it up, the more it burns. The current that with gentle murmur glides, 10 20 Thou know'st, being stopp'd, impatiently doth rage; He makes sweet music with the enamell'd stones, Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge He overtaketh in his pilgrimage, And so by many winding nooks he strays With willing sport to the wild ocean. Then let me go and hinder not my course : I'll be as patient as a gentle stream And make a pastime of each weary step, Till the last step have brought me to my love; A blessed soul doth in Elysium. 30 Luc. But in what habit will you go along? Jul. Not like a woman; for I would prevent 40 The loose encounters of lascivious men : Gentle Lucetta, fit me with such weeds As may beseem some well-reputed page. Luc. Why, then, your ladyship must cut your hair. With twenty odd-conceited true-love knots. To be fantastic may become a youth Of greater time than I shall show to be. Luc. What fashion, madam, shall I make your breeches? What compass will you wear your farthingale?" 50 Luc. You must needs have them with a codpiece, madam. Jul. Out, out, Lucetta! that will be ill-favour'd. Luc. A round hose, madam, now's not worth a pin, Unless you have a codpiece to stick pins on. Jul. Lucetta, as thou lovest me, let me have What thou thinkest 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. Luc. If you think so, then stay at home and go 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. Warrant me welcome to my Proteus. Luc. All these are servants to deceitful men. 60 70 His love sincere, his thoughts immaculate, His tears pure messengers sent from his heart, His heart as far from fraud as heaven from earth. Luc. Pray heaven he prove so, when you come to him! To bear a hard opinion of his truth: ACT III. 80 [Exeunt. 90 SCENE I. Milan. The DUKE's palace. Enter DUKE, THURIO, and PROTEUS. Duke. Sir Thurio, give us leave, I pray, awhile; We have some secrets to confer about. [Exit Thu Now, tell me, Proteus, what's your will with me? Pro. My gracious lord, that which I would discover The law of friendship bids me to conceal; |