Troilus And Cressida Part 15

Enter DIOMEDES

DIOMEDES. What, are you up here, ho? Speak.

CALCHAS. [Within] Who calls?

DIOMEDES. Diomed. Calchas, I think. Where's your daughter?

CALCHAS. [Within] She comes to you.

Enter TROILUS and ULYSSES, at a distance; after them THERSITES

ULYSSES. Stand where the torch may not discover us.

Enter CRESSIDA

TROILUS. Cressid comes forth to him.

DIOMEDES. How now, my charge!

CRESSIDA. Now, my sweet guardian! Hark, a word with you.

[Whispers]

TROILUS. Yea, so familiar!

ULYSSES. She will sing any man at first sight.

THERSITES. And any man may sing her, if he can take her cliff; she's noted.

DIOMEDES. Will you remember?

CRESSIDA. Remember? Yes.

DIOMEDES. Nay, but do, then; And let your mind be coupled with your words.

TROILUS. What shall she remember?

ULYSSES. List!

CRESSIDA. Sweet honey Greek, tempt me no more to folly.

THERSITES. Roguery!

DIOMEDES. Nay, then- CRESSIDA. I'll tell you what- DIOMEDES. Fo, fo! come, tell a pin; you are a forsworn- CRESSIDA. In faith, I cannot. What would you have me do?

THERSITES. A juggling trick, to be secretly open.

DIOMEDES. What did you swear you would bestow on me?

CRESSIDA. I prithee, do not hold me to mine oath; Bid me do anything but that, sweet Greek.

DIOMEDES. Good night.

TROILUS. Hold, patience!

ULYSSES. How now, Troyan!

CRESSIDA. Diomed!

DIOMEDES. No, no, good night; I'll be your fool no more.

TROILUS. Thy better must.

CRESSIDA. Hark! a word in your ear.

TROILUS. O plague and madness!

ULYSSES. You are moved, Prince; let us depart, I pray, Lest your displeasure should enlarge itself To wrathful terms. This place is dangerous; The time right deadly; I beseech you, go.

TROILUS. Behold, I pray you.

ULYSSES. Nay, good my lord, go off; You flow to great distraction; come, my lord.

TROILUS. I prithee stay.

ULYSSES. You have not patience; come.

TROILUS. I pray you, stay; by h.e.l.l and all h.e.l.l's torments, I will not speak a word.

DIOMEDES. And so, good night.

CRESSIDA. Nay, but you part in anger.

TROILUS. Doth that grieve thee? O withered truth!

ULYSSES. How now, my lord?

TROILUS. By Jove, I will be patient.

CRESSIDA. Guardian! Why, Greek!

DIOMEDES. Fo, fo! adieu! you palter.

CRESSIDA. In faith, I do not. Come hither once again.

ULYSSES. You shake, my lord, at something; will you go?

You will break out.

TROILUS. She strokes his cheek.

ULYSSES. Come, come.

TROILUS. Nay, stay; by Jove, I will not speak a word: There is between my will and all offences A guard of patience. Stay a little while.

THERSITES. How the devil luxury, with his fat rump and potato finger, tickles these together! Fry, lechery, fry!

DIOMEDES. But will you, then?

CRESSIDA. In faith, I will, lo; never trust me else.

DIOMEDES. Give me some token for the surety of it.

CRESSIDA. I'll fetch you one.

Exit ULYSSES. You have sworn patience.

TROILUS. Fear me not, my lord; I will not be myself, nor have cognition Of what I feel. I am all patience.

Re-enter CRESSIDA

THERSITES. Now the pledge; now, now, now!

CRESSIDA. Here, Diomed, keep this sleeve.

TROILUS. O beauty! where is thy faith?

ULYSSES. My lord!

TROILUS. I will be patient; outwardly I will.

CRESSIDA. You look upon that sleeve; behold it well.

He lov'd me-O false wench!-Give't me again.

DIOMEDES. Whose was't?

CRESSIDA. It is no matter, now I ha't again.

I will not meet with you to-morrow night.

I prithee, Diomed, visit me no more.

THERSITES. Now she sharpens. Well said, whetstone.

DIOMEDES. I shall have it.

CRESSIDA. What, this?

DIOMEDES. Ay, that.

CRESSIDA. O all you G.o.ds! O pretty, pretty pledge!

Thy master now lies thinking on his bed Of thee and me, and sighs, and takes my glove, And gives memorial dainty kisses to it, As I kiss thee. Nay, do not s.n.a.t.c.h it from me; He that takes that doth take my heart withal.

DIOMEDES. I had your heart before; this follows it.

TROILUS. I did swear patience.

CRESSIDA. You shall not have it, Diomed; faith, you shall not; I'll give you something else.

DIOMEDES. I will have this. Whose was it?

CRESSIDA. It is no matter.

DIOMEDES. Come, tell me whose it was.

CRESSIDA. 'Twas one's that lov'd me better than you will.

But, now you have it, take it.

DIOMEDES. Whose was it?

CRESSIDA. By all Diana's waiting women yond, And by herself, I will not tell you whose.

DIOMEDES. To-morrow will I wear it on my helm, And grieve his spirit that dares not challenge it.

TROILUS. Wert thou the devil and wor'st it on thy horn, It should be challeng'd.

CRESSIDA. Well, well, 'tis done, 'tis past; and yet it is not; I will not keep my word.

DIOMEDES. Why, then farewell; Thou never shalt mock Diomed again.