Therefore let every man now task his thought, 310 [Exeunt. Flourish. ACT II. PROLOGUE. Enter Chorus. Chor. Now all the youth of England are on fire, And hides a sword from hilts unto the point 10 15 O England! model to thy inward greatness, What mightst thou do, that honour would thee do, Were all thy children kind and natural! But see thy fault! France hath in thee found out A nest of hollow bosoms, which he fills 21 One, Richard Earl of Cambridge, and the second, Ere he take ship for France, and in Southampton. - SCENE I. London. A street. 31 35 40 [Exit. Enter Corporal NYм and Lieutenant BARDOLPH. Bard. Well met, Corporal Nym. Nym. Good morrow, Lieutenant Bardolph. Bard. What, are Ancient Pistol and you friends yet? Nym. For my part, I care not; I say little, but when time shall serve, there shall be smiles; but that shall be as it may. I dare not fight; but I will wink and hold out mine iron: it is a simple one, but what though? it will toast cheese, and it will endure cold as another man's sword will; and there's an end. 9 Bard. I will bestow a breakfast to make you friends; and we 'll be all three sworn brothers to France. Let it be so, good Corporal Nym. Nym. Faith, I will live so long as I may, that's the certain of it; and when I cannot live any longer, I will do as I may: that is my rest, that is the rendezvous of it. 16 Bard. It is certain, corporal, that he is married to Nell Quickly; and, certainly, she did you wrong, for you were troth-plight to her. 19 Nym. I cannot tell; things must be as they may. Men may sleep, and they may have their throats about them at that time; and some say knives have edges. It must be as it may; though patience be a tired mare, yet she will plod. There must be conclusions. Well, I cannot tell. Bard. Enter PISTOL and HOSTESS. 25 Here comes Ancient Pistol and his wife; good corporal, be patient here. How now, mine host Pistol! Pist. Base tike, call'st thou me host? Now, by this hand, I swear, I scorn the term; 30 Host. No, by my troth, not long; for we cannot lodge and board a dozen or fourteen gentlewomen that live honestly by the prick of their needles, but it will be thought we keep a bawdy house straight. -[Nym and Pistol draw.] O well a day, Lady, if he be not drawn now! we shall see wilful adultery and murder committed. 36 Bard. Good lieutenant!-good corporal! - offer nothing here. Nym. Pish! Pist. Pish for thee, Iceland dog! thou prickear'd cur of Iceland! 40 Host. Good Corporal Nym, show thy valour, and put up your sword. Nym. Will you shog off? I would have you solus. Pist. 'Solus,' egregious dog? O viper vile! I do retort the 'solus' in thy bowels; 45 50 Nym. I am not Barbason; you cannot conjure me. I have an humour to knock you indifferently well. If you grow foul with me, Pistol, I will scour you with my rapier, as I may, in fair terms. If you would walk off, I would prick your guts a little, in good terms, as I may; and that 's the humour of it. Pist. O braggart vile, and damned furious wight! The grave doth gape, and doting death is near; Therefore exhale. 60 Bard. Hear me, hear me what I say: he that strikes the first stroke, I'll run him up to the hilts, as I am a soldier. Pist. [Draws. An oath of mickle might; and fury shall abate. Give me thy fist, thy fore-foot to me give; 65 Nym. I will cut thy throat, one time or other, in fair terms; that is the humour of it. Pist. Couple a gorge!' That is the word. I thee defy again. 70 O hound of Crete, think'st thou my spouse to get? No; to the spital go, And from the powdering-tub of infamy Enter the Boy. 75 Boy. Mine host Pistol, you must come to my master, and you, hostess; he is very sick, and would to bed. Good Bardolph, put thy face between his sheets, and do the office of a warmingpan. Faith, he 's very ill. Bard. Away, you rogue! 82 |