網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

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.
EGLAMOUR, Agent for Silvia, in her escape.
SPEED, a clownish Servant to Valentine.
LAUNCE, the like to Proteus.

PANTHINO, Servant to Antonio.
HOST, where Julia lodges in Milan.
OUTLAWS with Valentine.

JULIA, beloved of Proteus.
SILVIA, beloved of Valentine.
LUCETTA, waiting woman to Julia.
Servants, Musicians.

SCENE.-Verona; Milan; and the frontiers of Mantua.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-Verona. An open place.

Enter VALENTINE and PROTEUS.
Val. Cease to persuade, my loving Proteus:
Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits.
Were't not affection chains thy tender days
To the sweet glances of thy honour'd love,
I rather would entreat thy company
To see the wonders of the world abroad
Than, living dully sluggardiz'd at home,
Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness.
But since thou lov'st, love still, and thrive

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.
Pro.
What? 28
Val. To be in love, where scorn is bought
with groans;

Coy looks with heart-sore sighs; one fading
moment's mirth

With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights:

4 If haply won, perhaps a hapless gain;
If lost, why then a grievous labour won:
However, but a folly bought with wit,
Or else a wit by folly vanquished.

8

Think on thy Proteus, when thou haply seest 12
Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel:
Wish me partaker in thy happiness

32

[blocks in formation]

Pro. 'Tis love you cavil at: I am not Love.
Val. Love is your master, for he masters you;
And he that is so yoked by a fool,
Methinks, should not be chronicled for wise.
Pro. Yet writers say, as in the sweetest bud

When thou dost meet good hap; and in thy The eating canker dwells, so eating love
danger,

16

If ever danger do environ thee,
Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers,
For I will be thy beadsman, Valentine.
Val. And on a love-book pray for my success?
Pro. Upon some book I love I'll pray for
thee.

20

[blocks in formation]
[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

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

[merged small][ocr errors]

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:

[blocks in formation]

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
That, like a testy babe, will scratch the nurse 56
And presently all humbled kiss the rod!
How churlishly I chid Lucetta hence,
When willingly I would have had her here:
How angerly I taught my brow to frown,
When inward joy enforc'd my heart to smile.
My penance is, to call Lucetta back
And ask remission for my folly past.
What ho! Lucetta!

Luc.

Re-enter LUCETTA.

60

What would your ladyship? 64
Jul. Is it near dinner-time?
Luc.
I would it were;

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.

[blocks in formation]

Jul. What is 't that you took up so gingerly?
Luc. Nothing.

Jul. Why didst thou stoop, then?
Luc.

That I let fall.

69

To take a paper up

Jul. And is that paper nothing?
Luc. Nothing concerning me.

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

[blocks in formation]

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;
Best sing it to the tune of 'Light o' Love.' 80
Luc. It is too heavy for so light a tune.
Jul. Heavy! belike it hath some burden, then?
Luc. Ay; and melodious were it, would you
sing it.

Jul. And why not you?
Luc.

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.
Jul. You do not?

Luc.
No, madam; it is too sharp. 88
Jul. You, minion, are too saucy.
Lue. Nay, now you are too flat
And mar the concord with too harsh a descant:
There wanteth but a mean to fill your song. 92
Jul. The mean is drown'd with your unruly
bass.

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.

[blocks in formation]

O hateful hands, to tear such loving words!
Injurious wasps, to feed on such sweet honey
And kill the bees that yield it with your stings!
I'll kiss each several paper for amends. 105
Look, here is writ 'kind Julia:' unkind Julia!
As in revenge of thy ingratitude,

I throw thy name against the bruising stones,
Trampling contemptuously on thy disdain. 109
And here is writ 'love-wounded Proteus:'
Poor wounded name! my bosom, as a bed
Shall lodge thee till thy wound be throughly
heal'd;

112

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

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.
I have consider'd well his loss of time,
And how he cannot be a perfect man,
Not being tried and tutor❜d in the world:
Experience is by industry achiev'd
And perfected by the swift course of time.
Then tell me, whither were I best to send him?
Pant. I think your lordship is not ignorant
How his companion, youthful Valentine,
Attends the emperor in his royal court.

26

[blocks in formation]

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.

[blocks in formation]

O! that our fathers would applaud our loves, 48 SCENE I.-Milan.
To seal our happiness with their consents!

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

[blocks in formation]

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!

[blocks in formation]

Val. Go to, sir. Tell me, do you know 64 Madam Silvia?

Muse not that I thus suddenly proceed;
For what I will, I will, and there an end.
I am resolv'd that thou shalt spend some time
With Valentinus in the emperor's court:
What maintenance he from his friends receives,
Like exhibition thou shalt have from me.
To-morrow be in readiness to go:
Excuse it not, for I am peremptory.

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;

« 上一頁繼續 »