THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA DUKE OF MILAN, Father to Silvia. VALENTINE, PROTEUS, the Two Gentlemen. ANTONIO, Father to Proteus. DRAMATIS PERSONE. THURIO, a foolish rival to Valentine. PANTHINO, Servant to Antonio. JULIA, beloved of Proteus. SCENE.-Verona; Milan; and the frontiers of Mantua. ACT I. SCENE I.-Verona. An open place. Enter VALENTINE and PROTEUS. therein, Even as I would when I to love begin. Pro. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine, adieu! Val. No, I will not, for it boots thee not. Coy looks with heart-sore sighs; one fading With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights: 4 If haply won, perhaps a hapless gain; 8 Think on thy Proteus, when thou haply seest 12 32 Pro. 'Tis love you cavil at: I am not Love. When thou dost meet good hap; and in thy The eating canker dwells, so eating love 16 If ever danger do environ thee, 20 Pro. It shall go hard but I'll prove it by another. Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and Bot the sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me: therefore I am no sheep. 91 Pro. The sheep for fodder follow the shephard, the shepherd for food follows not the sheep; thou for wages followest thy master, thy master for wages follows not thee: therefore thou art a sheep. 96 Speed. Such another proof will make me cry 'baa.' Pro. But, dost thou hear? gavest thou my letter to Julia? 100 Speed. Ay, sir: I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a laced mutton; and she, a laced motton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour. 104 Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such store of muttons. Speed. If the ground be overcharged, you were best stick her. 136 Pro. Come, come; open the matter in brief: what said she? Speed. Open your purse, that the money and the matter may be both at once delivered. 140 Pro. Well, sir, here is for your pains [giving him money] What said she? Speed. Truly, sir, I think you'll hardly win her. Pro. Why? couldst thou perceive so much from her? 145 Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter. And being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she'll prove as hard to you in telling your mind. Give her no token but stones, for she's as hard as steel. Pro. What! said she nothing? 152 Speed. No, not so much as 'Take this for thy pains.' To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testerned me; in requital whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourself. And so, sir, I'll commend you to my master. 157 Which cannot perish, having thee aboard, Being destin'd to a drier death on shore. 160 [Exit SPEED. 108 I must go send some better messenger: Luc. I have no other but a woman's reason: think him so because I think him so. Jul. And wouldst thou have me cast my love on him? Luc. Ay, if you thought your love not cast away. Jul. Why, he, of all the rest hath never mov'd me. Fie, fie! how wayward is this foolish love Luc. Re-enter LUCETTA. 60 What would your ladyship? 64 That you might kill your stomach on your meat Luc. Yet he of all the rest, I think, best And not upon your maid. loves ye. 28 Jul. His little speaking shows his love but small. Luc. Fire that's closest kept burns most of all. Jul. They do not love that do not show their love. Jul. What is 't that you took up so gingerly? Jul. Why didst thou stoop, then? That I let fall. 69 To take a paper up Jul. And is that paper nothing? 72 Jul. Then let it lie for those that it concerns. Luc. Madam, it will not lie where it concerns, Unless it have a false interpreter. Jul. Some love of yours hath writ to you Luc. That I might sing it, madam, to a tune: Give me a note: your ladyship can set. Jul. As little by such toys as may be possible; Jul. And why not you? I cannot reach so high. 84 Jul. Let's see your song. [Taking the letter.] How now, minion! Luc. Keep tune there still, so you will sing it out: And yet methinks, I do not like this tune. Luc. Luc. Indeed, I bid the base for Proteus. Jul. This babble shall not henceforth trouble me. Here is a coil with protestation!— 96 [Tears the letter. O hateful hands, to tear such loving words! I throw thy name against the bruising stones, 112 Enter ANTONIO and PANTHINO. Ant. Tell me, Panthino, what sad talk was that Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister? Pant. 'Twas of his nephew Proteus, your son. Ant. Why, what of him? Pant. He wonder'd that your lordship 4 Would suffer him to spend his youth at home, While other men, of slender reputation, Put forth their sons to seek preferment out: Some to the wars, to try their fortune there; 8 Some to discover islands far away; Some to the studious universities. For any or for all these exercises He said that Proteus your son was meet, And did request me to importune you To let him spend his time no more at home, Which would be great impeachment to his age, In having known no travel in his youth. 12 16 Ant. Nor need'st thou much importune me to that 20 Whereon this month I have been hammering. 26 Pro. Sweet love! sweet lines! sweet life! Here is her hand, the agent of her heart; Here is her oath for love, her honour's pawn. O! that our fathers would applaud our loves, 48 SCENE I.-Milan. O heavenly Julia! Ant. How now! what letter are you reading there? Pro. May't please your lordship, 'tis a word or two Of commendations sent from Valentine, Deliver'd by a friend that came from him. 52 Ant. Lend me the letter; let me see what ACT II. [Exeunt. A Room in the DUKE'S Palace. Enter VALENTINE and SPEED. Speed. Sir, your glove. [Offering a glove. Val. Not mine; my gloves are on. Speed. Why, then this may be yours, for this is but one. Val. Ha! let me see: ay, give it me, it's mine; Sweet ornament that decks a thing divine! Ah Silvia! Silvia! Speed. [Calling.] Madam Silvia! Madam Silvia! Val. Go to, sir. Tell me, do you know 64 Madam Silvia? Muse not that I thus suddenly proceed; 69 Pro. My lord, I cannot be so soon provided: Please you, deliberate a day or two. 73 16 Speed. She that your worship loves? Val. Why, how know you that I am in love? Speed. Marry, by these special marks: first, you have learned, like Sir Proteus, to wreathe your arms, like a malecontent; to relish a lovesong, like a robin-redbreast; to walk alone, like one that had the pestilence; to sigh, like a schoolboy that had lost his A B C; to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam; |