Val. To do what? Speed. To be a spokesman from madam Silvia. Speed. To yourself: why, she wooes you by a figure. Val. What figure ? Speed. By a letter, I should say. Val. Why, she hath not writ to me? Speed. What need she, when she hath made you write to yourself? Why, do you not perceive the jest? Val. No, believe me. Speed. No believing you indeed, sir: but did you perceive her earnest ? Val. She gave me none, except an angry word. Speed. Why, she hath given you a letter. Val. That's the letter I writ to her friend. Speed. And that letter hath she delivered, and there an end.1 Val. I would it were no worse. Speed. I'll warrant you, 'tis as well: For often have you writ to her; and she, in modesty, Or else for want of idle time, could not again reply; Or fearing else some messenger, that might her mind discover, Herself hath taught her love himself to write unto her lover. All this I speak in print; 2 for in print I found it,— 1 There is the conclusion of the matter. 2 With exactness. Why muse you, sir? 'tis dinner-time. Val. I have dined. Speed. Ay, but hearken, sir: though the cameleon Love can feed on the air, I am one that am nourished by my victuals, and would fain have meat. O, be not like your mistress; be moved, be moved.1 [Exeunt. Verona. SCENE II. A room in Julia's house. Enter PROTEUS and JULIA. Pro. Have patience, gentle Julia. Jul. I must, where is no remedy. Pro. When possibly I can, I will return. Jul. If you turn not, you will return the sooner : Keep this remembrance for thy Julia's sake. [giving a ring. Pro. Why then we 'll make exchange; here, take you this. Jul. And seal the bargain with a holy kiss. I Have compassion on me, though your mistress has none on you. That tide will stay me longer than I should: Ay, so true love should do: it cannot speak ; Enter PANTHINO. Pan. Sir Proteus, you are stayed for. Pro. Go; I come, I come : Alas! this parting strikes poor lovers dumb. SCENE III. The same. A street. [Exeunt. Enter LAUNCE, leading a dog. Launce. Nay, 'twill be this hour ere I have done weeping; all the kind of the Launces have this very fault. I have received my proportion, like the prodigious son, and am going with sir Proteus to the Imperial's court. I think, Crab my dog be the sourest-natured dog that lives: my mother weeping, my father wailing, my sister crying, our maid howling, our cat wringing her hands, and all our house in a great perplexity, yet did not this cruelhearted cur shed one tear: he is a stone, a very pebble-stone, and has no more pity in him than a dog a Jew would have wept to have seen our parting why, my grandam, having no eyes, look you, wept herself blind at my parting. show you the manner of it: This shoe is : Nay, I'll my father; -no, this left shoe is my father;-no, no, this left shoe is my mother;-nay, that cannot be so neither; -yes, it is so, it is so; it hath the worser sole. This shoe, with the hole in it, is my mother, and this my father. A vengeance on 't! there 'tis : now, sir, this staff is my sister; for, look you, she is as white as a lily, and as small as a wand: this hat is Nan, our maid; I am the dog :-no, the dog is himself, and I am the dog,-0, the dog is me, and I am myself; ay, so, so. Now come I to my father; 'Father, your blessing;' now should not the shoe speak a word for weeping; now should I kiss my father; well, he weeps on:-now come I to my mother, (O, that she could speak now!) like a wood 1 woman ;—well, I kiss her ;—why there 'tis ; here's my mother's breath up and down: now come I to my sister; mark the moan she makes: now the dog all this while sheds not a tear, nor speaks a word; but see how I lay the dust with my tears. Enter PANTHINO. Pan. Launce, away, away, aboard; thy master is shipped, and thou art to post after with oars. What's the matter? why weepest thou, man? Away, ass ; you'll lose the tide if you tarry any longer. Launce. It is no matter if the ty'd were lost; for it is the unkindest ty'd that ever any man ty’d. Pan. What's the unkindest tide? 1 Wild, distracted. Launce. Why, he that's ty'd here; Crab, my dog. Pan. Tut, man, I mean thou 'lt lose the flood; and, in losing the flood, lose thy voyage; and, in losing thy voyage, lose thy master; and, in losing thy master, lose thy service; and, in losing thy service,-Why dost thou stop my mouth? Launce. For fear thou shouldst lose thy tongue. Pan. Where should I lose my tongue ? Launce. In thy tale. Pan. In thy tail? Launce. Lose the tide, and the voyage, and the master, and the service :—and the tide. Why, man, if the river were dry, I am able to fill it with my tears; if the wind were down, I could drive the boat with my sighs. Pan. Come, come, away, man; I was sent to call thee. Launce. Sir, call me what thou darest. Pan. Wilt thou go ? Launce. Well, I will go. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Milan. A room in the Duke's palace. Enter VALENTINE, SILVIA, THurio, and speed. Sil. Servant,— Val. Mistress? Speed. Master, sir Thurio frowns on you. Val. Ay, boy, it's for love. Speed. Not of you. Val. Of my mistress then. |