you well. nature : let me live, sir, in a dungeon, i' tlie into this danger. Yet who would have susstocks, or any where, so I may live. pected an ambush where I was taken ? First Sold. We'll see what may be done, First Sold. There is no remedy, sir, but so you confess freely; therefore, once more to you must die : the general says, you that have this Captain Dumain : you have answered to so traitorously discovered the secrets of your his reputation with the duke and to his valor : army and made such pestiferous reports of what is his honesty ? 279 men very nobly held, can serve the world for Par. He will steal, sir, an egg out of a no honest use ; therefore you must die. Come, cloister: for rapes and ravishments he paral. headsman, off with his head. [my death ! lels Nessus: he professes not keeping of oaths; Par. O Lord, sir, let me live, or let me see in breaking 'em he is stronger than Hercules: First Lord. That shall you, and take your he will lie, sir, with such volubility, that you leave of all your friends. (Unblinding him. would think truth were a fool : drunkenness So, look about you : know you any here is his best virtue, for he will be swine-drunk ; Ber. Good morrow, noble captain. 349 and in his sleep he does little harm, save to Sec Lord. God bless you, Captain Parolles. his bed-clothes about him ; but they know his First Lord. God save you, noble captain. conditions and lay him in straw. I have but Sec. Lord. Captain, what greeting will you little more to say, sir, of his honesty: he has to my Lord Lafeli ? I am for France. every thing that an honest man should not First Lord. Good captain, will you give me have ; what an honest man should have, he a copy of the sonnet you writ to Diana in behas nothing half of the Count Rousillon ? an I were not a First Lord. I begin to love him for this. very coward, l’ld compel it of you : but fare Ber. For this description of thine honesty? [Ereint Bertram and Lords. A pox upon him for me, he's more and more a First Sold. You are undone, captain, all cat. but your scarf ; that has a knot on't yet. 359 First Sold. What say you to his expertness Pur. Who cannot be crushed with a plot ? in war? First Sold. If you could find out a country Par. Faith, sir, he has led the drum before where but women were that had received so the English tragedians; to belie bim, I will not, much shame, you might begin an impudent and more of his soldiership I know not ; ex- nation. Fare ye well, sir ; I am for France cept, in that country he had the honor to be too : we shall speak of you there. the officer at a place there called Mile-end, to [Exit with Soldiers. instruct for the doubling of files : I would do Par. Yet am I thankful : if my heart were the man what honor I can, but of this I am great, not certain. "Twould barst at this. Captain I'll be no more; First Lord. He hath out-villained villany so But I will eat and drink, and sleep as soft far, that the rarity redeems him. As captain shall : simply the thing I am Ber. A pox on him, he's a cat still. Shall make me live. Who knows himself a First Sold. His qualities being at this poor braggart, 370 price, I need not to ask you if gold will corrupt Let him fear this, for it will come to pass him to revolt. 310 That every braggart shall be found an ass. Par. Sir, for a quart d’écu he will sell the Rust, sword ! cool, blushes ! and, Parolles, live fee-simple of his salvation, the inheritance of Safest in shame! being fool'd, by foolery it; and cut the entail from all remainders, and thrive! a perpetual succession for it perpetually. There's place and means for every man alive. First Sold. What's his brother, the other I'll after them. [Exit. Captain Dumain ? Sec. Lord. Why does he ask him of me? SCENE IV. Florence. The Widow's house. First Sold. What's he? Par. E'en a crow o' the same nest; pot Enter HELENA, Widow, and DIANA. altogether so great as the first in goodness, but Hel. That you may well perceive I have not greater a great deal in evil : he excels his wrong'd you, brother for a coward, yet his brother is reputed One of the greatest in the Christian world one of the best that is : in a retreat he outruns Shall be my surety ; 'fore whose throne 'tis any lackey ; marry, in coming on he has the needful, cramp. Ere I can perfect mine intents, to kneel : First Sold. If your life be saved, will you Time was, I did him a desired office, undertake to betray the Florentine ? Dear almost as his life ; which gratitude Par. Ay, and the captain of his horse, Through flinty Tartar's bosom would peep Count Rousillon. forth, First Sold. I'll whisper with the general, And answer, thanks : I duly am inform'd and know his pleasure. 330 His grace is at Marseilles ; to which place Par. (Aside] I'll no more drumming ; a We have convenient convoy. You must know, plague of all drums ! Only to seem to deserve I am supposed dead : the army breaking, 11 well, and to beguile the supposition of that My husband hies him home; where, heaven lascivious young boy the count, have I run aidine And by the leave of my good lord the king, Gentle madam, Nor you, mistress, Ever a friend whose thoughts more truly labor To recompense your love: doubt not but hearen Hath bronght me up to be your daughter's dower, As it hath fated her to be my motive 20 And helper to a husband. But, О strange men! That can such sweet use make of what they liate, When saucy trusting of the cozen'd thoughts Defiles the pitchy night : so lust doth play With what it loathes for that which is away. But more of this hereafter. You, Diana, Under my poor instructions yet must suffer Something in my behalf. Dia. Let death and honesty Go with your impositions, I am yours Upon your will to suffer. II. Yet, I pray you: 30 But with the word the time will bring on sum mner, When briers shall have leaves as well as thorns, And be as sweet as sharp. We must away; Our wagon is prepared, and time revives us : All'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL : still the fine's the crown ; Whate'er the course, the end is the renown. [Ereunt. SCENE V. Rousillon. The Count's palace. Enter COUNTESS, LaFev, and Clown. Laf. No, no, no, your son was misled with a snipt-taffeta fellow there, whose villanous saffron would have made all the unbaked and doughy youth of a nation in his color : your daughter-in-law had been alive at this hour, and your son here at home, more advanced by the king than by that red-tailed humble-bee I speak of. Count. I would I had not known him ; it was the death of the most virtuous gentle that ever nature had praise for creating. If she had partaken of my flesh, and cost me the dearest groans of a mother, I could not have owed her a more rooted love. Laf. 'Twas a good lady, 'twas a good lady : we may pick a thousand salads ere we light on such another herb. Clo. Indeed, sir, she was the sweet marjoram of the salad, or rather, the herb of grace. Laf. They are not herbs, you knave; they are nose-herbs. 20 Clo. I am no gret Nebuchadnezzar, sir ; I have not much skill in grass. Laf. Whether dost thou profess thyself, a knare or a fool ? Clo. A fool, sir, at a woman's service, and a knave at a man's, Lof. Your distinction ? Clo. I would cozen the man of his wife and do his service. Laf. So you were a knace at his service, indeed. 31 Clo. And I would give his wife my bauble, sir, to do her service. Laf. I will subscribe for thee, thou art both knave and fool. Clo. At your service. Laf. No, no, no. Clo. Why, sir, if I cannot serve you, I can serve as great a prince as you are. Laf. Who's that? a Frenchman ? 40 Clo. Faith, sir, a' has an English name ; but his fisnomy is more hotter in France than there. L. What prince is that? The black prince, sir; alias, the prince of darkness ; alias, the devil. Laf. Hold thee, there's my purse : I give thee not this to suggest thee from thy master thou talkest of; serve him still. Clo. I am a woodland fellow, sir, that always loved a great fire ; and the master I speak of ever keeps a good fire. But, sure, he is the prince of the world ; let his nobility remain in's court. I am for the house with the narrow gate, which I take to be too little for pomp to enter : some that humble themselves may ; but the many will be too chill and tender, and they'll be for the flowery way that leads to the broad gate and the great fire. Lat. Go thy ways, I begin to be aweary of thee; and I tell thee so before, because I would not fall out with thee. Go thy ways : let my horses be well looked to, without any tricks. Clo. If I put any tricks upon 'em, sir, they shall be jades' tricks ; which are their own right by the law of nature. [Exit. Lar: A shrewd knave and an unhappy. Count. So he is. My lord that's gone inade himself much sport out of him : by luis authority he remains here, which he thinks is a patent for his sauciness ; and, indeed, he has no pace, but runs where he will. 71 Laf. I like him well ; 'tis not amiss. And i was about to tell you, since I heard of the good lady's death and that my lord your son was upon his return home, I moved the king my master to speak in the behalf of my danghter ; which, in the minority of them both, his majesty, out of a self-gracious remembrance, did first propose : his highness hath promised me to do it ; and, to stop up the displeasure he hath conceived against your son, there is no fitter matter. How does your ladyship like it? Count. With very much content, my lord ; and I wish it happily effected. Laf. His highness comes post from Marseilles, of as able body as when he numbered thirty : he will be here to-morrow, or I am de. ceived by him that in such intelligence hath seldom failed. Count. It rejoices me, that I hope I shall see him ere I die. I have letters that my sop WONA will be here to-night: I shall beseech your Gent. The king's not here. lordship to remain with me till they meet to Hel. Not here, sir ! gether. Gent. Not, indeed : Laf. Madam, I was thinking with what He hence removed last night and with more manners I might safely be admitted. haste Count. You need but plead your honorable Than is his lise. privilege. Wid. Lord, how we lose our pains ! Laf. Lady, of that I have made a bold llel. ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL yet, charter; but I thank my God it holds yet. Though time seem so adverse and means unRe-enter Clown, fit. I do beseech you, whither is he gone? Clo. O madam, yonder's my lord your son Gent. Marry, as I take it, to Rousillon; with a patch of velvet on's face: whether Whither I am going. there be a scar under't or no, the velvet Hel. I do beseech you, sir, knows ; but 'tis a goodly patch of velvet : his Since you are like to see the king before me, left cheek is a cheek of two pile and a half, but his right cheek is worn bare. Commend the paper to his gracious hand, 31 Laf. A scar nobly got, or a noble scar, is a Which I presume shall render yon no blame good livery of honor ; so belike is that. But rather make you thank your pains for it. I will come a er you with what good speed Clo. But it is your carbonadoed face. Our means will make us me:ins. Laf. Let us go see your son, I pray you : I Gent. This l'll do for you. long to talk with the young noble soldier. 109 Clo. Faith there's a dozen of 'em, with Hel. And you shall find yourself to be well thankd, delicate fine hats and most courteous feathers, Whate'er falls more. We must to horse which bow the head and nod at every man. again. [Ereunt. SCENE II. Rousillon. Before the Count's ACT V. palace. SCENE I. Marseilles. A street. Enter Clown, and PAROLLES, following. Par. Good Monsieur Lavache, give my Enter HELENA, Widow, and DIANA, with two Lord Lefeu this letter : I have ere now, sir, Attendants. been better known to you, when I have held Hel. But this exceeding posting day and familiarity with fresher clothes ; but I am night now, sir, muddied in fortune's mood, and Must wear your spirits low; we cannot help smell somewhat strong of her strong dis pleasure, But since you have made the days and nights Clo. Truly, fortune's displeasure is but as one, sluttish, if it smell so strongly as thon speakTo wear your gentle limbs in my affairs, est of: I will henceforth eat no fish of forBe bold you do so grow in my reqnital tune's butiering. Prithee, allow the wind. 10 As nothing can unroot you. In happy time ; Pur. Nay, you need not to stop your nose, Enter a Gentleman. sir ; I spake but by a metaphor. Clo. Indeed, sir, if your metaphor stivk, I This man may help me to his majesty's ear, will stop my nose ; or against any man's metaIf he would spend his power. God save you, phor. Prithee, get thee further. sir. Pur. Pray you, deliver me this paper. Gent. Clo. Foh! prithee, stand away: a paper Hel. Sir, I have seen you in the court of from fortune's close-stool to give to a nobleFrance. 10 man! Look, here he comes himself. 19 Gent. I have been sometimes there. Hel. I do presume, sir, that you are not Enter LAFEU. fallen Here is a jurr of fortune's, sir, or of fortune's From the report that goes upon your good- cat,-but not a musk-cat, -that has fallen inness; to the unclean fishpond of her displeasure, And therefore, goaded with most sharp occa- and, as he says, is muddied withal : pray you, gions, sir, use the carp as you may ; for he looks Which lay nice manners by, I put you to like a poor, decayed, ingenious, foolish, rasa The use of your own virtues, for the which cally knave. I do pity his distress in my I shall continue thankful. similes of comfort and leave him to your lordGent. What's your will ? ship. [Erit. Hel. That it will please you Par. My lord, I am a man whom fortune To give this poor petition to the king, hath cruelly scratched. 29 And aid me with that store of power yon Laf And what would you have me to do? have 20 'Tis too late to pare her nails now. Wherein To come into his presence. have yeni played she knave with fortune that it : And you. x viedį blade ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. (Act . she should scratch yon, who of herself is a Par. I beseech your honor to hear me one Laf. You beg a single penny more : come, you shall ha't ; save your word, 40 Par. My name, my good lord, is Parolles. Luf. You beg more than 'word,' then. your drum ? Laf. Was I, in sooth ? and I was the first Par. It lies in you, my lord, to bring me in some grace, for you did bring me out. 50 Par. I praise God for you. [Exeunt. the two French Lords, with Attendants. esteem 'Tis past, my liege ; force, My honor'd lady, him, This I must say, 11 captive, serve Huibly call'd mistress. King. Praising what is lost Makes the remembrance dear. Well, call him hither ; We are reconciled, and the first view shall kill All repetition : let him not ask our pardon The nature of his great offence is dead, I shall, my liege. [Erit. have you spoke ? Laf. All that he is hath reference to your highness. King. Then shall we have a match. I have letters sent me 30 That set him high in fame. Enter BERTRAM. He looks well on't. forth ; My high-repevted blames, All is whole ; Ber: Admiringly, my liege, at first me, myself, Well excused : away From the great compt : but love that comes too late, Like a remorseful pardon slowly carried, To the great sender turns a sour offence, Crying That's good that's gone. Our ram faults GO done, noon. her. lin ; me mine eye, The main consents are had ; and here we'll stay To see our widower's second marriage-day. 70 Count. Which better than the first, I dear heaven, bless! Or, ere they meet, in me, 0 nature, cesse ! Laf. Come on, my son, in whom my house's name Must be digested, give a favor from you To sparkle in the spirits of my daughter, That she may quickly come. (Bertram gives a ring.) By my old beard, And every hair that's on't, Helen, that's dead, Hers it was not. 80 King. Now, pray you, let me see it ; for While I was speaking, oft was fasten'd to't. This ring was mine; and, when I gave it Helen, I bade her, if her fortunes ever stood Necessitied to help, that by this token I would relieve her. Had you that craft, to reave her Of what should stead her most ? Ber. My gracious sovereign, Howe'er it pleases you to take it so, The ring was never hers. Count. Son, on my life, I have seen her wear it ; and she reckon'd it At her life's rate. 91 Laf. I am sure I saw her wear it. Ber. You are deceived, my lord ; she neve er saw it: [me, In Florence was it from a casement thrown Wrapp'd in a paper, which contain’d the name Of her that threw it : noble she was, and thought I stood engaged: but when I had subscribed To mine own fortune and inform’d her fully I could not answer in that course of honor As she had made the overture, she ceased In heavy satisfaction and would never 100 Receive the ring again. King. Plutus him lf, That knows the tinct and multiplying medi cine, Hath not in nature's mystery more science Than I have in this ring : 'twas mine, 'twas Helen's, Whoever gave it you. Then, if you know That you are well acquainted with yourself, Confess 'twas hers, and by what rough en forcement You got it from her : she call'd the saints to surety That she would never put it from her finger, Unless she gave it to yourself in bed, 110 Where you have never come, or sent it us Upon lier great disaster. Ber. She never saw it. King. Thou speak'st it falsely, as I love mine honor ; And makest conjectural fears to come into Which I would fain shut out. If it should prove (so ;That thou art so inhuman,-'twill not prove And yet I know not: thou didst hate her deadly, And she is dead; which nothing, but to close Her eyes myself, could win me to believe, More than to see this ring. Take him away. [Guards seize Bertram. My fore-past proofs, howe'er the matter fall, Shall tax my fears of little vanity, Having vainly feard too little. Away with him ! We'll sift this matter further. Ber. If you shall prove This ring was ever hers, you shall as easy Prove that I husbanded her bed in Florence, Where yet she never was. [Exit, guarded. King. I am wrapp'd in dismal thinkings. Enter a Gentleman, Gracious sovereign, Whether I have been to blame or no, I know not: Here's a petition from a Florentine, 130 Who hath for four or five removes come short To tender it herself. I undertook it, Vanquish'd thereto by the fair grace and speech Of the poor suppliant, who hy this I know Is here attending : her business looks in her With an importing visage ; and she told me, In a sweet verbal brief, it did concern Your highness with herself. King. [Reads] Upon his many protestations to marry me when his wife was dead, I blush to say it, he won me. Now is the Count Rousillon a widower : his vows are forfeited to me, and my honor's paid to him. He stole from Florence, taking no leave, and I follow him to his country for justice : grant it me, O king! in you it best lies ; otlierwise a seducer flourishes, and a poor maid is undone. DIANA CAPILET. Laf. I will buy me a son-in-law in a fair, and toll for this I'll none of him, King. The heavens have thought well on thee, Lafen, 150 To bring forth this discovery. Seek these suitors : Now, justice on the doers ! sters to you, And that you fly them as you swear them lordship, Yet you desire to marry. Enter Widow and DIANA, What woman's that ? Dia. I am, my lord, a wretched Florentine, |