will be here to-night I shall beseech your lordship to remain with me till they meet together.

Laf. Madam, I was thinking with what manners I might safely be admitted.

Count. You need but plead your honorable privilege.

Laf. Lady, of that I have made a bold charter; but I thank my God it holds yet. Re-enter CLOWN.

Clo. O madam, yonder's my lord your son with a patch of velvet on's face: whether there be a scar under't or no, the velvet knows; but 'tis a goodly patch of velvet: his left cheek is a cheek of two pile and a half, but his right cheek is worn bare.

Laf. A scar nobly got, or a noble scar, is a good livery of honor; so belike is that.

Clo. But it is your carbonadoed face. Laf. Let us go see your son, I pray you: I long to talk with the young noble soldier. 109

Clo. Faith there's a dozen of 'em, with delicate fine hats and most courteous feathers, which bow the head and nod at every man. [Exeunt.

SCENE II. Rousillon. Before the COUNT'S palace.

Enter CLOWN, and PAROLLES, following.

Par. Good Monsieur Lavache, give my Lord Lefeu this letter: I have ere now, sir, been better known to you, when I have held familiarity with fresher clothes; but I am now, sir, muddied in fortune's mood, and smell somewhat strong of her strong displeasure.

Clo. Truly, fortune's displeasure is but sluttish, if it smell so strongly as thou speakest of: I will henceforth eat no fish of fortune's buttering. Prithee, allow the wind. 10

Par. Nay, you need not to stop your nose, sir; I spake but by a metaphor.

Clo. Indeed, sir, if your metaphor stink, I will stop my nose; or against any man's metaphor. Prithee, get thee further.

Par. Pray you, sir, deliver me this paper. Clo. Foh! prithee, stand away: a paper from fortune's close-stool to give to a nobleman! Look, here he comes himself. 19

Enter LAFEU.

Here is a purr of fortune's, sir, or of fortune's cat, but not a musk-cat,-that has fallen into the unclean fishpond of her displeasure, and, as he says, is muddied withal: pray you, sir, use the carp as you may; for he looks like a poor, decayed, ingenious, foolish. rascally knave. I do pity his distress in my similes of comfort and leave him to your lordship. [Exit.

Par. My lord, I am a man whom fortune hath cruelly scratched. 29

Laf And what would you have me to do? 'Tis too late to pare her nails now. Wherein have you played the knave with fortune that

712

[ACT v.

The nature of his great offence is dead,
And deeper than oblivion we do bury
The incensing relics of it: let him approach,
A stranger, no offender; and inform him
So 'tis our will he should.

Gent.
I shall, my liege. [Exit.
King. What says he to your daughter?
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

That set him high in fame.

Laf.

Enter BERTRAM.

30

He looks well on't.

King. I am not a day of season, For thou mayst see a sunshine and a hail In me at once: but to the brightest beams Distracted clouds give way; so stand thou forth;

The time is fair again.

Ber.

My high-repented blames, Dear sovereign, pardon to me. King.

All is whole;

Not one word more of the consumed time. Let's take the instant by the forward top; For we are old, and on our quick'st decrees 40 The inaudible and noiseless foot of Time Steals ere we can effect them. You remember The daughter of this lord?

Ber. Admiringly, my liege, at first I stuck my choice upon her, ere my heart Durst make too bold a herald of my tongue Where the impression of mine eye infixing, Contempt his scornful perspective did lend

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, O dear heaven, bless!

Or, ere they meet, in me, O 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,

Was a sweet creature: such a ring as this,
The last that e'er I took her leave at court,
I saw upon her finger.

Hers it was not.

80

Ber.
King. Now, pray you, let me see it; for

mine eye,

While I was speaking, oft was fasten'd to't. This ring was mine; and, when I gave it

Helen,

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 nev 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
Receive the ring again.

Plutus himself,

100

King. That knows the tinct and multiplying medicine,

Hath not in nature's mystery more science Than I have in this ring: 'twas mine, 'twas

Helen's,

And makest conjectural fears to come into

me

Which I would fain shut out. If it should
prove
[sი ;—
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 fear'd 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.

Gent.

Gracious sovereign, Whether I have been to blame or no, I know

not:

130

Here's a petition from a Florentine,
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 by 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; otherwise 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, Lafeu,

150

To bring forth this discovery. Seek these suitors:

Go speedily and bring again the count.
I am afeard the life of Helen, lady,
Was foully snatch'd.
Count.

Now, justice on the doers!
Re-enter BERTRAM, guarded.

King. I wonder, sir, sith wives are monsters 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,

160

Derived from the ancient Capilet:
My suit, as I do understand, you know,
And therefore know how far I may be pitied.
Wid. I am her mother, sir, whose age and
honor

Both suffer under this complaint we bring,
And both shall cease, without your remedy.
King. Come hither, count; do you know
these women?

Ber. My lord, I neither can nor will deny But that I know them: do they charge me further?

Dia. Why do you look so strange upon your wife?

Ber. She's none of mine, my lord. Dia If you shall marry, You give away this hand, and that is mine; You give away heaven's vows, and those are mine; 171

You give away myself, which is known mine;
For I by vow am so embodied yours,
That she which marries you must marry me,
Either both or none.

Laf. Your reputation comes too short for my daughter; you are no husband for her.

Ber. My lord, this is a fond and desperate creature,

Whom sometime I have laugh'd with: let your highness

179

Lay a more noble thought upon mine honor Than for to think that I would sink it here.

King. Sir, for my thoughts, you have them ill to friend

Till your deeds gain them: fairer prove your honor

Than in my thought it lies.

Dia.

Good my lord,' Ask him upon his oath, if he does think He had not my virginity.

King. What say'st thou to her?
Ber.
She's impudent, my lord,
And was a common gamester to the camp.
Dia. He does me wrong, my lord; if I were
80,

He might have bought me at a common price:
Do not believe him. O, behold this ring,
Whose high respect and rich validity
Did lack a parallel; yet for all that
He gave it to a commoner o' the camp,
If I be one.

Count. He blushes, and 'tis it:

Of six preceding ancestors, that gem,

Conferr'd by testament to the sequent issue, Hath it been owed and worn.

wife;

That ring's a thousand proofs.

This is his

King. Methought you said You saw one here in court could witness it. Dia. I did, my lord, but loath am to produce 201

So bad an instrument: his name's Parolles.
Laf. I saw the man to-day, if man he be.
King. Find him, and bring him hither.
[Exit an Attendant.

What of him?

Ber. He's quoted for a most perfidious slave,

With all the spots o' the world tax'd and debosh'd;

Whose nature sickens but to speak a truth.
Am I or that or this for what he'll utter,
That will speak any thing?

King.
She hath that ring of yours.
Ber. I think she has certain it is I liked
210

her,
And boarded her i' the wanton way of youth:
She knew her distance and did angle for me,
Madding my eagerness with her restraint,
As all impediments in fancy's course
Are motives of more fancy; and, in fine,
Her infinite cunning, with her modern grace,
Subdued mc to her rate: she got the ring;
And I had that which any inferior might
At market-price have bought.
Dia.
I must be patient :
You, that have turn'd off a first so noble
wife,
220

May justly diet me. I pray you yet;
Since you lack virtue, I will lose a husband;
Send for your ring, I will return it home,
And give me mine again.

Ber.

I have it not. King. What ring was yours, I pray you? Dia. Sir, much like

The same upon your finger.

King, Know you this ring? this ring was [abed.

his of late.

Dia. And this was it I gave him, being King. The story then goes false, you threw it him Out of a casement. Dia.

I have spoke the truth. 230 Enter PAROLLES.

Ber. My lord, I do confess the ring was hers.

King. You boggle shrewdly, every feather starts you.

Is this the man you speak of?

Dia.

Ay, my lord.

King. Tell me, sirrah, but tell me true, I

charge you,

Not fearing the displeasure of your master, Which on your just proceeding I'll keep off, By him and by this woman here what know you?

Par. So please your majesty, my master hath been an honorable gentleman: tricks he hath had in him, which gentlemen have. 240

King. Come, come, to the purpose: did he love this woman?

Par. Faith, sir, he did love her; but how? King. How, I pray you?

Par. He did love her, sir, as a gentleman loves a woman.

King. How is that?

Dia. Do you know he promised me marriage?

Par. Faith, I know more than I'll speak. King. But wilt thou not speak all thou knowest?

Par. Yes, so please your majesty. I did go between them, as I said; but more than that, he loved her for indeed he was mad for her, and talked of Satan and of Limbo and of Furies and I know not what: yet I was in that credit with them at that time that I knew of their going to bed, and of other motions, as promising her marriage, and things which would derive me ill will to speak of; therefore I will not speak what I know.

King. Thou hast spoken all already, unless thou canst say they are married: but thou art too fine in thy evidence; therefore stand aside. This ring, you say, was yours? 271

Dia.
Ay, my good lord.
King. Where did you buy it? or who gave
it you?

Dia. It was not given me, nor I did not buy

I'll never tell you.

I'll put in bail, my liege.

King. I think thee now some common customer.

Dia. By Jove, if ever I knew man, 'twas you.

King. Wherefore hast thou accused him all this while?

Dia. Because he's guilty, and he is not guilty:

290

He knows I am no maid, and he'll swear to't;
I'll swear I am a maid, and he knows not.
Great king, I am no strumpet, by my life;
I am either maid, or else this old man's wife.
King. She does abuse our ears: to prison
with her.

Dia. Good mother, fetch my bail. Stay, royal sir : [Exit Widow. The jeweller that owes the ring is sent for, And he shall surety me. But for this lord, Who hath abused me, as he knows himself

Ber.

Both, both. O, pardon!

Hel. O my good lord, when I was like this maid, 310 I found you wondrous kind. There is your ring;

And, look you, here's your letter; this it says: 'When from my finger you can get this ring And are by me with child,' &c. This is done: Will you be mine, now you are doubly won ? Ber. If she, my liege, can make me know this clearly,

I'll love her dearly, ever, ever dearly.

Hel. If it appear not plain and prove untrue,

Deadly divorce step between me and you!
O my dear mother, do I see you living?

320

Laf. Mine eyes smell onions; I shall weep