Obrázky stránek
PDF
ePub

Scene II.

AS YOU LIKE IT.

stop that, 'twill fly with the smoke out at the
chimney.

Orl. A man that had a wife with such a wit, he
Ros. Nay, you might keep that check for it, till
might say,-Wit, whither wilt?
you met your wife's wit going to your neighbour's

Orl. Then, in mine own person, I die. Ros. No, faith, die by attorney. The poor world is almost six thousand years old, and in all this time there was not any man died in his own person, videlicet, in a love-cause. Troilus had his brains dashed out with a Grecian club; yet he did what Orl. And what wit could wit have to excuse that? he could to die before; and he is one of the pat-bed. Ros. Marry, to say,-she came to seek you there. terns of love. Leander, he would have lived many a fair year, though Hero had turned nun, if it had not been for a hot midsummer night: for, good You shall never take her without her answer, unyouth, he went but forth to wash him in the Hel-less you take her without her tongue. O, that lespont, and, being taken with the cramp, was woman that cannot make her fault her husband's drowned; and the foolish chroniclers of that age occasion, let her never nurse her child herself, for Orl. For these two hours, Rosalind, I will leave found it was-Hero of Sestos. But these are all she will breed it like a fool. thee. lies; men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, but not for love.

Orl. I would not have my right Rosalind of this mind; for, I protest, her frown might kill me.

Ros. By this hand, it will not kill a fly. But come, now I will be your Rosalind in a more coming-on disposition; and ask me what you will, I will grant it.

Orl. Then love me, Rosalind.

Ros. Alas, dear love, I cannot lack thee two hours.

Orl. I must attend the duke at dinner; by two o'clock I will be with thee again.

Ros. Ay, go your ways, go your ways;-I knew what you would prove; my friends told me as much, and I thought no less-that flattering tongue

Ros. Yes, faith will I, Fridays, and Saturdays, of yours won me:-'tis but one cast away, and and all.

Orl. And wilt thou have me?

Ros. Ay, and twenty such.
Orl. What say'st thou?
Ros. Are you not good?
Orl. I hope so.

Ros. Why then, can one desire too much of a good thing?-Come, sister, you shall be the priest, and marry us.-Give me your hand, Orlando: What do you say, sister?

Orl. Pray thee, marry us.
Cel. I cannot say the words.

so, come, death.-Two o'clock is your hour?
Orl. Ay, sweet Rosalind.

Ros. By my troth, and in good earnest, and so God mend me, and by all pretty oaths that are not dangerous, if you break one jot of your promise, or come one minute behind your hour, I will think you the most pathetical break-promise, and the you call Rosalind, that may be chosen out of the most hollow lover, and the most unworthy of her gross band of the unfaithful: therefore beware my and keep your promise.

censure,

Orl. With no less religion, than if thou wert in

Ros. You must begin,-Will you, Orlando,—deed my Rosalind: So, adieu.
-Will you, Orlando, have to wife

Cel. Go to:

this Rosalind?

Orl. I will.

Ros. Ay, but when?

Ros. Well, time is the old justice that examines all such offenders, and let time try: Adieu!

[Exit Orlando. Cel. You have simply misus'd our sex in your love-prate: we must have your doublet and hose the bird hath done to her own nest. Rosa-plucked over your head, and show the world what

Orl. Why now; as fast as she can marry us. Ros. Then you must say,-I take thee, lind, for wife.

Orl. I take thee, Rosalind, for wife.

Ros. I might ask you for your commission; but -I do take thee, Orlando, for my husband: There a girl goes before the priest; and, certainly, a woman's thought runs before her actions.

Orl. So do all thoughts; they are winged.
Ros. Now tell me, how long you would have
her, after have possessed her.

you

Orl. For ever, and a day.

Ros. O coz, coz, coz, my pretty little coz, that thou didst know how many fathom deep I am in an unknown bottom, like the bay of Portugal. love! But it cannot be sounded; my affection hath

Cel. Or rather bottomless; that as fast as you pour affection in, it runs out.

let him be judge, how deep I am in love :-I'll tell thee, Aliena, I cannot be out of the sight of Orlando: I'll go find a shadow, and sigh till he

Ros. No, that same wicked bastard of Venus, that was begot of thought,2 conceived of spleen, and born of madness; that blind rascally boy, that Ros. Say a day, without the ever: No, no, Or-abuses every one's eyes, because his own are out, lando; men are April when they woo, December when they wed: maids are May when they are maids, but the sky changes when they are wives. I will be more jealous of thee than a Barbary cock-come. pigeon over his hen; more clamorous than a parrot against rain; more new-fangled than an ape; my desires than a monkey; I will more giddy weep for nothing, like Diana in the fountain, and I will do that when you are disposed to be merry; I will laugh like a byen, and that when thou art inclined to sleep.

Orl. But will my Rosalind do so?

Ros. By my life, she will do as I do.

Orl. O, but she is wise.

Cel. And I'll sleep.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-Another part of the Forest. Enter
Jaques and Lords, in the habit of Foresters.

Jag. Which is he that killed the deer?
1 Lord. Sir, it was I.

Jaq. Let's present him to the duke, like a Roman conqueror; and it would do well to set the deer's horns upon his head, for a branch of victory:

2 Lord. Yes, sir.

Ros. Or else she could not have the wit to do-Have you no song, forester, for this purpose? this: the wiser, the waywarder: Make the doors! upon a woman's wit, and it will out at the casement; shut that, and 'twill out at the key-hole;

(1) Bar the doors.

Jaq. Sing it; 'tis no matter how it be in tune, so it make noise enough.

(2) Melancholy.

[blocks in formation]

Ros. How say you now? Is it not past two o'clock? and here much Orlando!

Cel. I warrant you, with pure love, and troubled brain, he hath ta en his bow and arrows, and is gone forth-to sleep: Look, who comes here. Enter Silvius.

Sil. My errand is to you, fair youth;My gentle Phebe bid me give you this:

[Giving a

I know not the contents; but, as I guess,
By the stern brow, and waspish action
Which she did use as she was writing of it,
It bears an angry tenor: pardon me,
I am but as a guiltless messenger.

Alack, in me what strange effect Would they work in mild aspect? Whiles you chid me, I did love; How then might your prayers move? He, that brings this love to thee, Little knows this love in me: And by him seal up thy mind; Whether that thy youth and kind3 Will the faithful offer take Of me, and all that I can make; Or else by him my love deny, And then I'll study how to die. Sil. Call you this chiding? Cel. Alas, poor shepherd!

Ros. Do you pity him? no, he deserves no pity. thee an instrument, and play false strains upon -Wilt thou love such a woman?-What, to make thee! not to be endured!-Well, go your way to her (for I see, love hath made thee a tame snake,) and say this to her :-That if she love me, I charge her to love thee: if she will not, I will never have her, unless thou entreat for her.-If you be a true letter.lover, hence, and not a word; for here comes more [Exit Silvius.

Ros. Patience herself would startle at this letter, And play the swaggerer; bear this, bear all: She says, I am not fair; that I lack manners; She calls me proud; and, that she could not love me Were man as rare as phoenix; Od's my will! Her love is not the hare that I do hunt:

Why writes she so to me?—Well, shepherd, well, This is a letter of your own device.

Sil. No, I protest, I know not the contents; Phebe did write it.

Ros. Come, come, you are a tool, And turn'd into the extremity of love. I saw her hand: she has a leathern hand, A freestone-colour'd hand; I verily did think That her old gloves were on, but 'twas her hands; She has a huswife's hand: but that's no matter: I say, she never did invent this letter; This is a man's invention, and his hand.

Sil. Sure, it is hers.

Ros. Why, 'tis a boisterous and cruel style, A style for challengers; why, she defies me, Like Turk to Christian: woman's gentle brain Could not drop forth such giant rude invention, Such Ethiop words, blacker in their effect Than in their countenance :-Will you hear the letter?

Sil. So please you, for I never heard it yet; Yet heard too much of Phebe's cruelty. Ros. She Phebes me: Mark how the tyrant

writes.

[Reads.

Art thou god to shepherd turn'd,
That a maiden's heart hath burn'd?—

Can a woman rail thus?

Sil. Call you this railing?

Ros. Why, thy godhead laid apart,

Warr'st thou with a woman's heart? Did you ever hear such railing?

While the eye of man did woo me, That could do no vengeancel to me.Meaning me a beast.—

If the scorn of your bright eyne? Have power to raise such love in mine, (1) Mischief. (2) Eyes. (3) Nature.

company.

[blocks in formation]

A sheepcote, fenc'd about with olive-trees?
Where, in the purlieus of this forest, stands
Cel. West of this place, down in the neighbour
bottom,

The rank of osiers, by the murmuring stream,
Left on your right hand, brings you to the place:
There's none within.
But at this hour the house doth keep itself,

Oli. If that an eye may profit by a tongue,
Then I should know you by description;
Such garments, and such years: The boy is fair,
of female favour, and bestows himself
Like a ripe sister: but the woman low,
And browner than her brother. Are not you
The owner of the house I did inquire for?

Cel. It is no boast, being ask'd, to say, we are. Oli. Orlando doth commend him to you both; And to that youth, he calls his Rosalind, He sends this bloody napkin; Are you he?

Ros. I am: What must we understand by this? Oli. Some of my shame; if you will know of me What man I am, and how, and why, and where This handkerchief was stain'd.

Cel.

I pray you, tell it. Oli. When last the young Orlando parted from you,

He left a promise to return again
Within an hour; and, pacing through the forest,
Lo, what befel! he threw his eye aside,
Chewing the food of sweet and bitter fancy,
And, mark, what object did present itself!
Under an oak, whose boughs were moss'd with age,
And high top bald with dry antiquity,

A wretched ragged man, o'ergrown with hair,
Lay sleeping on his back: about his neck

A green and gilded snake had wreath'd itself,
Who with her head, nimble in threats, approach'd
The opening of his mouth; but suddenly
Seeing Orlando, it unlink'd itself,
And with indented glides did slip away
Into a bush: under which bush's shade
A lioness, with udders all drawn dry,

Lay couching, head on ground, with cat-like watch,
When that the sleeping man should stir; for 'tis
(5) Handkerchief.

(4) Environs of a forest.

The royal disposition of that beast,

To prey on nothing that doth seem as dead:
This seen, Orlando did approach the man,
And found it was his brother, his elder brother.

Cel. O, I have heard him speak of that same
brother;

And he did render! him the most unnatural,
That liv'd 'mongst men.
Oli.
And well he might do so,
For well I know he was unnatural.

Ros. But, to Orlando ;-Did he leave him there,
Food to the suck'd and hungry lioness?

Oli. Twice did he turn his back, and purpos'd so:
But kindness, nobler ever than revenge,
And nature, stronger than his just occasion,
Made him give battle to the lioness,
Who quickly fell before him; in which hurtling,

From miserable slumber I awak'd.

Cel. Are you his brother?
Ros.

Was it you he rescu'd? Cel. Was't you that did so oft contrive to kill him?

Oli. 'Twas I; but 'tis not I: I do not shame
To tell you what I was, since my conversion
So sweetly tastes, being the thing I am.
Ros. But, for the bloody napkin?—
Oli.

By and by.

When from the first to last, betwixt us two,
Tears our recountments had most kindly bath'd,
As, how I came into that desert place :-
In brief, he led me to the gentle duke,

Who gave me fresh array, and entertainment,
Committing me unto my brother's love;
Who led me instantly unto his cave,
There stripp'd himself, and here upon his arm
The lioness had torn some flesh away,

[blocks in formation]

Touch. It is meat and drink to me, to see a clown: By my troth, we that have good wits, have much to answer for; we shall be flouting; we cannot hold.

Will. Good even, Audrey.

Aud. God ye good even, William.
Will. And good even to you, sir.

Touch. Good even, gentle friend: Cover thy head, cover thy head; nay, pr'ythee, be covered. How old are you, friend?

Will. Five and twenty, sir.

Touch. A ripe age; Is thy name William?
Will. William, sir.

Touch. A fair name: Wast born i'the forest here?
Will. Ay, sir, I thank God.

Touch. Thank God;-a good answer : Art rich?
Will. 'Faith, sir, so, so.

Touch. So, so, is good, very good, very excellent good:--and yet it is not; it is but so so. Art thou wise?

Will. Ay, sir, I have a pretty wit.

Which all this while had bled; and now he fainted, And cry'd, in fainting, upon Rosalind. Brief, I recover'd him; bound up his wound; And, after some small space, being strong at heart, He sent me hither, stranger as I am, To tell this story, that you might excuse His broken promise, and to give this napkin, Dy'd in this blood, unto the shepherd youth That he in sport doth call his Rosalind. Cel. Why, how now, Ganymede? sweet Gany-heathen philosopher, when he had a desire to eat a mede? [Rosalind faints.grape, would open his lips when he put it into his mouth; meaning thereby, that grapes were made to eat, and lips to open. You do love this maid? Will. I do, sir.

Oli. Many will swoon when they do look on
blood.

Cel. There is more in it :-Cousin-Ganymede !||
Oli. Look, he recovers.
Ros.

I would I were at home.
Cel. We'll lead you thither :-
pray you, will you take him by the arm?
Oli. Be of good cheer, youth:-You a man?-
You lack a man's heart.

I

Ros. I do so, I confess it. Ah, sir, a body would think this was well counterfeited: I pray you tell your brother how well I counterfeited.-Heigh ho!

Oli. This was not counterfeit; there is too great testimony in your complexion, that it was a passion of earnest.

Touch. Why, thou say'st well. I do now remember a saying; The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool. The

Touch. Give me your hand: Art thou learned?
Will. No, sir.

Touch. Then learn this of me; To have, is to have: For it is a figure in rhetoric, that drink being poured out of a cup into a glass, by filling the one doth empty the other: For all your writers do consent, that ipse is he; now you are not ipse, for I am he.

Will. Which he, sir?

Touch. He, sir, that must marry this woman: Therefore, you clown, abandon,-which is in the vulgar, leave, the society, which in the boorish is, company,-of this female,-which in the common is,-woman, which together is, abandon the Oli. Well then, take a good heart, and counter-society of this female; or, clown, thou perishest; feit to be a man.

Ros. Counterfeit, I assure you.

[blocks in formation]

or, to thy better understanding, diest; to wit, I
kill thee, make thee away, translate thy life into
death, thy liberty into bondage: I will deal in
poison with thee, or in bastinado, or in steel; I
will bandy with thee in faction; I will o'er-run thee
with policy; I will kill thee a hundred and fifty
ways; therefore tremble, and depart.

Aud. Do, good William.
Will. God rest you merry, sir.

[Exil

[blocks in formation]

SCENE II.-The same. Enter Orlando and
Oliver.

Orl. Is't possible, that on so little acquaintance you should like her? that, but seeing, you should love her? and, loving, woo? and, wooing, she should grant? and will you perséver to enjoy her? Oli. Neither call the giddiness of it in question, the poverty of her, the small acquaintance, my sudden wooing, nor her sudden consenting; but say with me, I love Aliena; say with her, that she || loves me; consent with both, that we may enjoy each other: it shall be to your good; for my father's house, and all the revenue that was old sir Rowland's, will I estate upon you, and here live and die a shepherd.

[blocks in formation]

Orl. Wounded it is, but with the eyes of a lady. Ros. Did your brother tell you how I counterfeited to swoon, when he showed me your handkerchief?

Orl. Ay, and greater wonders than that.

Ros. O, I know where you are:-Nay, 'tis true: there was never any thing so sudden, but the fight of two rams, and Cæsar's thrasonical brag of I came, saw, and overcame: For your brother and my sister no sooner met, but they looked; no sooner looked, but they loved; no sooner loved, but they sighed; no sooner sighed, but they asked one another the reason; no sooner knew the reason, but they sought the remedy: and in these degrees have they made a pair of stairs to marriage, which they will climb incontinent, or else be incontinent before marriage: they are in the very wrath of love, and they will together; clubs cannot part them.

not to grace me. Believe then, if you please, that I can do strange things: have, since I was three years old, conversed with a magician, most profound in this art, and yet not damnable. If you do love Rosalind so near the heart as your gesture cries it out, when your brother marries Aliena, shall you marry her: I know into what straits of fortune she is driven; and it is not impossible to me, if it appear not inconvenient to you, to set her before your eyes to-morrow, human as she is, and without any danger.

Orl. Speakest thou in sober meanings?

Ros. By my life, I do; which I tender dearly, though I say I am a magician: Therefore, put you in your best array, bid your friends; for if you will be married to-morrow, you shall; and to Rosalind, if you will.

Enter Silvius and Phebe.

Look, here comes a lover of mine, and a lover of

hers.

Phe. Youth, you have done me much ungentle

ness,

To show the letter that I writ to you.

Ros. I care not, if I have: it is my study,
To seem despiteful and ungentle to you:
You are there follow'd by a faithful shepherd;
Look upon him, love him; he worships you.
Phe. Good shepherd, tell this youth what 'tis to
love.

Sil. It is to be all made of sighs and tears;-
And so am I for Phebe.

Phe. And I for Ganymede.
Orl. And I for Rosalind.

Ros. And I for no woman.

Sil. It is to be all made of faith and service;-
And so am I for Phebe.

Phe. And I for Ganymede.
Orl. And I for Rosalind.
Ros. And I for no woman.

Sil. It is to be all made of phantasy,
All made of passion, and all made of wishes;
All adoration, duty and observance,
All humbleness, all patience, and impatience,
All purity, all trial, all observance ;—
And so am I for Phebe.

Orl. They shall be married to-morrow; and I will bid the duke to the nuptial. But, O, how bit-to ter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man's eyes! By so much the more shall I tomorrow be at the height of heart-heaviness, by how much I shall think my brother happy, in having what he wishes for.

Ros. Why then, to-morrow I cannot serve your turn for Rosalind?

Phe. And so am I for Ganymede.
Orl. And so am I for Rosalind.
Ros. And so am I for no woman.
Phe. If this be so, why blame you me to love you?
[To Rosalind.

[ocr errors]

Sil. If this be so, why blame you me to love you? [To Phebe. Orl. If this be so, why blame you me to love you? Ros. Who do you speak to, Why blame you me love you?

Orl. To her, that is not here, nor doth not hear. Ros. Pray you, no more of this; 'tis like the howling of Irish wolves against the moon.-I will help you, [To Silvius.] if I can :-I would love you, To Phebe.] if I could.-To-morrow meet me all together.-I will marry you, [To Phebe.] if ever I marry woman, and I'll be married to-morrow Orl. I can live no longer by thinking. I will satisfy you, [To Orlando.] if ever I satisfied Ros. I will weary you no longer then with idleman, and you shall be married to-morrow :--I talking. Know of me then (for now I speak to some purpose,) that I know you are a gentleman of good conceit: I speak not this, that you should bear a good opinion of my knowledge, insomuch, I say, I know you are; neither do I labour for a greater esteem than may in some little measure draw a belief from you, to do yourself good, and (1) Invite.

will content you, [To Silvius.] if what pleases
you contents you, and you shall be married to-
morrow.-As you [To Orlando.] love Rosalind,
meet;-as you [To Silvius.] love Phebe, meet;
And as I love no woman, I'll meet.—So, fare you
well; I have left you commands.
Sil. I'll not fail, if 1 live.
Phe.
Nor I.
Orl.

Nor I. [Exe.

SCENE III.-The same. Enter Touchstone and
Audrey.

Touch. To-morrow is the joyful day, Audrey; to-morrow will we be married.

Aud. I do desire it with all my heart and I hope it is no dishonest desire, to desire to be a woman of the world. Here comes two of the banished duke's pages.

Enter two Pages.

1 Page. Well met, honest gentleman. Touch. By my troth, well met: Come, sit, sit, and a song.

2 Page. We are for you: sit i'the middle.

1 Page. Shall we clap into't roundly, without hawking, or spitting, or saying we are hoarse; which are the only prologues to a bad voice? 2 Page. I'faith, i'faith; and both in a tune, like two gypsies on a horse.

SONG.

I.

It was a lover, and his lass,

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, That o'er the green corn-field did pass

In the spring time, the only pretty rank time, When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding; Sweet lovers love the spring.

II.

Between the acres of the rye,

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
These pretty country folks would lie,
In spring time, &c.

III.

This carol they began that hour,

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
How that a life was but a flower
In spring time, &c.

IV.

And therefore take the present time,

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino;
For love is crowned with the prime,
In spring time, &c.

Touch. Truly, young gentlemen, though there was no great matter in the ditty, yet the note was very untunable.

1 Page. You are deceived, sir; we kept time, we lost not our time.

Touch. By my troth, yes; I count it but time lost to hear such a foolish song. God be with you; and God mend your voices-Come, Audrey.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-Another part of the Forest. En

[blocks in formation]

ter:

:

You yours, Orlando, to receive his daughter :—
Keep your word, Phebe, that you'll marry me;
Or else, refusing me, to wed this shepherd :-
Keep your word, Silvius, that you'll marry her,
If she refuse me:-and from hence I go,
To make these doubts all even.

[Exeunt Ros. and Cel.
Duke S. I do remember in this shepherd-boy
Some lively touches of my daughter's favour.
Orl. My lord, the first time that I ever saw him,
Methought he was a brother to your daughter:
But, my good lord, this boy is forest-born;
And hath been tutor❜d in the rudiments
Of many desperate studies by his uncle,
Whom he reports to be a great magician,
Obscured in the circle of this forest.

Enter Touchstone and Audrey.

Jaq. There is, sure, another flood toward, and these couples are coming to the ark! Here comes pair of very strange beasts, which in all tongues are called fools.

[blocks in formation]

Touch. If any man doubt that, let him put me to my purgation. I have trod a measure;2 I have flattered a lady; I have been politic with my friend, smooth with mine enemy; I have undone three tailors; I have had four quarrels, and like to have fought one.

Jaq. And how was that ta'en up?

Touch. 'Faith, we met, and found the quarrel was upon the seventh cause.

Jaq. How seventh cause?-Good my lord, like this fellow.

Duke S. I like him very well.

Touch. God 'ild you, sir; I desire you of the

ter Duke senior, Amiens, Jaques, Orlando, Oli-like. I press in here, sir, amongst the rest of the ver, and Celia.

boy

Duke S. Dost thou believe, Orlando, that the
Can do all this that he hath promised?
Orl. I sometimes do believe, and sometimes do

country copulatives, to swear, and to forswear; according as marriage binds, and blood breaks :-A poor virgin, sir, an ill-favoured thing, sir, but mine own; a poor humour of mine, sir, to take that that no man else will: Rich honesty dwells like a miser, As those that fear they hope, and know they fear.sir, in a poor house; as your pearl, in your foul

[blocks in formation]

Duke S. By my faith, he is very swift and sententious.

Touch. According to the fool's bolt, sir, and such dulcet diseases.

Jaq. But, for the seventh cause; how did you find the quarrel on the seventh cause? Touch. Upon a lie seven times removed;-Bear

(2) A stately solemn dance.

« PředchozíPokračovat »