The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 539

CRESSIDA. Night hath been too brief.

TROILUS. Beshrew the witch! with venomous wights she stays As tediously as h.e.l.l, but flies the grasps of love With wings more momentary-swift than thought.

You will catch cold, and curse me.

CRESSIDA. Prithee tarry.

You men will never tarry.

O foolish Cressid! I might have still held off, And then you would have tarried. Hark! there's one up.

PANDARUS. [Within] What's all the doors open here?

TROILUS. It is your uncle.

Enter PANDARUS

CRESSIDA. A pestilence on him! Now will he be mocking.

I shall have such a life!

PANDARUS. How now, how now! How go maidenheads?

Here, you maid! Where's my cousin Cressid?

CRESSIDA. Go hang yourself, you naughty mocking uncle.

You bring me to do, and then you flout me too.

PANDARUS. To do what? to do what? Let her say what.

What have I brought you to do?

CRESSIDA. Come, come, beshrew your heart! You'll ne'er be good, Nor suffer others.

PANDARUS. Ha, ha! Alas, poor wretch! a poor capocchia! hast not slept to-night? Would he not, a naughty man, let it sleep? A bugbear take him!

CRESSIDA. Did not I tell you? Would he were knock'd i' th' head!

[One knocks]

Who's that at door? Good uncle, go and see.

My lord, come you again into my chamber.

You smile and mock me, as if I meant naughtily.

TROILUS. Ha! ha!

CRESSIDA. Come, you are deceiv'd, I think of no such thing.

[Knock]

How earnestly they knock! Pray you come in: I would not for half Troy have you seen here.

Exeunt TROILUS and CRESSIDA PANDARUS. Who's there? What's the matter? Will you beat down the door? How now? What's the matter?

Enter AENEAS AENEAS. Good morrow, lord, good morrow.

PANDARUS. Who's there? My lord Aeneas? By my troth, I knew you not. What news with you so early?

AENEAS. Is not Prince Troilus here?

PANDARUS. Here! What should he do here?

AENEAS. Come, he is here, my lord; do not deny him.

It doth import him much to speak with me.

PANDARUS. Is he here, say you? It's more than I know, I'll be sworn. For my own part, I came in late. What should he do here?

AENEAS. Who!-nay, then. Come, come, you'll do him wrong ere you are ware; you'll be so true to him to be false to him. Do not you know of him, but yet go fetch him hither; go.

Re-enter TROILUS

TROILUS. How now! What's the matter?

AENEAS. My lord, I scarce have leisure to salute you, My matter is so rash. There is at hand Paris your brother, and Deiphobus, The Grecian Diomed, and our Antenor Deliver'd to us; and for him forthwith, Ere the first sacrifice, within this hour, We must give up to Diomedes' hand The Lady Cressida.

TROILUS. Is it so concluded?

AENEAS. By Priam, and the general state of Troy.

They are at hand and ready to effect it.

TROILUS. How my achievements mock me!

I will go meet them; and, my lord Aeneas, We met by chance; you did not find me here.

AENEAS. Good, good, my lord, the secrets of neighbour Pandar Have not more gift in taciturnity.

Exeunt TROILUS and AENEAS PANDARUS. Is't possible? No sooner got but lost? The devil take Antenor! The young prince will go mad. A plague upon Antenor! I would they had broke's neck.

Re-enter CRESSIDA

CRESSIDA. How now! What's the matter? Who was here?

PANDARUS. Ah, ah!

CRESSIDA. Why sigh you so profoundly? Where's my lord? Gone? Tell me, sweet uncle, what's the matter?

PANDARUS. Would I were as deep under the earth as I am above!

CRESSIDA. O the G.o.ds! What's the matter?

PANDARUS. Pray thee, get thee in. Would thou hadst ne'er been born!

I knew thou wouldst be his death! O, poor gentleman! A plague upon Antenor!

CRESSIDA. Good uncle, I beseech you, on my knees I beseech you, what's the matter?

PANDARUS. Thou must be gone, wench, thou must be gone; thou art chang'd for Antenor; thou must to thy father, and be gone from Troilus. 'Twill be his death; 'twill be his bane; he cannot bear it.

CRESSIDA. O you immortal G.o.ds! I will not go.

PANDARUS. Thou must.

CRESSIDA. I will not, uncle. I have forgot my father; I know no touch of consanguinity, No kin, no love, no blood, no soul so near me As the sweet Troilus. O you G.o.ds divine, Make Cressid's name the very crown of falsehood, If ever she leave Troilus! Time, force, and death, Do to this body what extremes you can, But the strong base and building of my love Is as the very centre of the earth, Drawing all things to it. I'll go in and weep- PANDARUS. Do, do.

CRESSIDA. Tear my bright hair, and scratch my praised cheeks, Crack my clear voice with sobs and break my heart, With sounding 'Troilus.' I will not go from Troy.

Exeunt

ACT IV. SCENE 3.

Troy. A street before PANDARUS' house

Enter PARIS, TROILUS, AENEAS, DEIPHOBUS, ANTENOR, and DIOMEDES

PARIS. It is great morning; and the hour prefix'd For her delivery to this valiant Greek Comes fast upon. Good my brother Troilus, Tell you the lady what she is to do And haste her to the purpose.

TROILUS. Walk into her house.

I'll bring her to the Grecian presently; And to his hand when I deliver her, Think it an altar, and thy brother Troilus A priest, there off'ring to it his own heart. Exit PARIS. I know what 'tis to love, And would, as I shall pity, I could help!

Please you walk in, my lords. Exeunt

ACT IV. SCENE 4.

Troy. PANDARUS' house

Enter PANDARUS and CRESSIDA

PANDARUS. Be moderate, be moderate.

CRESSIDA. Why tell you me of moderation?

The grief is fine, full, perfect, that I taste, And violenteth in a sense as strong As that which causeth it. How can I moderate it?

If I could temporize with my affections Or brew it to a weak and colder palate, The like allayment could I give my grief.

My love admits no qualifying dross; No more my grief, in such a precious loss.

Enter TROILUS

PANDARUS. Here, here, here he comes. Ah, sweet ducks!