The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 574

Thou subtle, perjur'd, false, disloyal man, Think'st thou I am so shallow, so conceitless, To be seduced by thy flattery That hast deceiv'd so many with thy vows?

Return, return, and make thy love amends.

For me, by this pale queen of night I swear, I am so far from granting thy request That I despise thee for thy wrongful suit, And by and by intend to chide myself Even for this time I spend in talking to thee.

PROTEUS. I grant, sweet love, that I did love a lady; But she is dead.

JULIA. [Aside] 'Twere false, if I should speak it; For I am sure she is not buried.

SILVIA. 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?

PROTEUS. I likewise hear that Valentine is dead.

SILVIA. And so suppose am I; for in his grave a.s.sure thyself my love is buried.

PROTEUS. Sweet lady, let me rake it from the earth.

SILVIA. Go to thy lady's grave, and call hers thence; Or, at the least, in hers sepulchre thine.

JULIA. [Aside] He heard not that.

PROTEUS. 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.

JULIA. [Aside] If 'twere a substance, you would, sure, deceive it And make it but a shadow, as I am.

SILVIA. I am very loath to be your idol, sir; But since your falsehood shall become you well To wors.h.i.+p shadows and adore false shapes, Send to me in the morning, and I'll send it; And so, good rest.

PROTEUS. As wretches have o'ernight That wait for execution in the morn.

Exeunt PROTEUS and SILVIA JULIA. Host, will you go?

HOST. By my halidom, I was fast asleep.

JULIA. Pray you, where lies Sir Proteus?

HOST. Marry, at my house. Trust me, I think 'tis almost day.

JULIA. Not so; but it hath been the longest night That e'er I watch'd, and the most heaviest. Exeunt

SCENE III.

Under SILVIA'S window

Enter EGLAMOUR

EGLAMOUR. This is the hour that Madam Silvia Entreated me to call and know her mind; There's some great matter she'd employ me in.

Madam, madam!

Enter SILVIA above, at her window

SILVIA. Who calls?

EGLAMOUR. Your servant and your friend; One that attends your ladys.h.i.+p's command.

SILVIA. Sir Eglamour, a thousand times good morrow!

EGLAMOUR. As many, worthy lady, to yourself!

According to your ladys.h.i.+p's impose, I am thus early come to know what service It is your pleasure to command me in.

SILVIA. O Eglamour, thou art a gentleman- Think not I flatter, for I swear I do not- Valiant, wise, remorseful, well accomplish'd.

Thou art not ignorant what dear good will I bear unto the banish'd Valentine; Nor how my father would enforce me marry Vain Thurio, whom my very soul abhors.

Thyself hast lov'd; and I have heard thee say No grief did ever come so near thy heart As when thy lady and thy true love died, Upon whose grave thou vow'dst pure chast.i.ty.

Sir Eglamour, I would to Valentine, To Mantua, where I hear he makes abode; And, for the ways are dangerous to pa.s.s, I do desire thy worthy company, Upon whose faith and honour I repose.

Urge not my father's anger, Eglamour, But think upon my grief, a lady's grief, And on the justice of my flying hence To keep me from a most unholy match, Which heaven and fortune still rewards with plagues.

I do desire thee, even from a heart As full of sorrows as the sea of sands, To bear me company and go with me; If not, to hide what I have said to thee, That I may venture to depart alone.

EGLAMOUR. Madam, I pity much your grievances; Which since I know they virtuously are plac'd, I give consent to go along with you, Recking as little what betideth me As much I wish all good befortune you.

When will you go?

SILVIA. This evening coming.

EGLAMOUR. Where shall I meet you?

SILVIA. At Friar Patrick's cell, Where I intend holy confession.

EGLAMOUR. I will not fail your ladys.h.i.+p. Good morrow, gentle lady.

SILVIA. Good morrow, kind Sir Eglamour. Exeunt

SCENE IV.

Under SILVIA'S Window

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 sav'd 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 dining-chamber, 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 gentleman-like dogs under the Duke's table; he had not been there, bless the mark, a p.i.s.sing 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 stock for puddings he hath stol'n, 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 serv'd 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 in boy's clothes

PROTEUS. Sebastian is thy name? I like thee well, And will employ thee in some service presently.

JULIA. In what you please; I'll do what I can.

PROTEUS..I hope thou wilt. [To LAUNCE] How now, you wh.o.r.eson peasant!

Where have you been these two days loitering?

LAUNCE. Marry, sir, I carried Mistress Silvia the dog you bade me.

PROTEUS. 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.

PROTEUS. But she receiv'd my dog?

LAUNCE. No, indeed, did she not; here have I brought him back again.

PROTEUS. What, didst thou offer her this from me?

LAUNCE. Ay, sir; the other squirrel was stol'n from me by the hangman's boys in the market-place; and then I offer'd her mine own, who is a dog as big as ten of yours, and therefore the gift the greater.

PROTEUS. 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? Exit LAUNCE A slave that still an end turns me to shame!

Sebastian, I have entertained thee Partly that I have need of such a youth That can with some discretion do my business, For 'tis no trusting to yond foolish lout, But chiefly for thy face and thy behaviour, Which, if my augury deceive me not, Witness good bringing up, fortune, and truth; Therefore, know thou, for this I entertain thee.

Go presently, and take this ring with thee, Deliver it to Madam Silvia- She lov'd me well deliver'd it to me.

JULIA. It seems you lov'd not her, to leave her token.

She is dead, belike?

PROTEUS. Not so; I think she lives.

JULIA. Alas!

PROTEUS. Why dost thou cry 'Alas'?

JULIA. I cannot choose But pity her.

PROTEUS. Wherefore shouldst thou pity her?

JULIA. 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: You dote on her that cares not for your love.

'Tis pity love should be so contrary; And thinking on it makes me cry 'Alas!'

PROTEUS. Well, give her that ring, and therewithal This letter. That's her chamber. Tell my lady I claim the promise for her heavenly picture.

Your message done, hie home unto my chamber, Where thou shalt find me sad and solitary. Exit PROTEUS JULIA. How many women would do such a message?

Alas, poor Proteus, thou hast entertain'd A fox to be the shepherd of thy lambs.

Alas, poor fool, why do I pity him That with his very heart despiseth me?

Because he loves her, he despiseth me; Because I love him, I must pity him.

This ring I gave him, when he parted from me, To bind him to remember my good will; And now am I, unhappy messenger, To plead for that which I would not obtain, To carry that which I would have refus'd, To praise his faith, which I would have disprais'd.

I am my master's true confirmed love, But cannot be true servant to my master Unless I prove false traitor to myself.