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but we have almost embossed him," you shall see his fall to-night: for, indeed, he is not for your lordship's respect.

2 Lord. We'll make you some sport with the fox, ere we case him." He was first smoked by the old lord Lafeu: when his disguise and he is parted, tell me what a sprat you shall find him; which shall see this very night.

you

1 Lord. I must go look my twigs; he shall be caught.

Ber. Your brother, he shall go along with

me.

1 Lord. As't please your lordship: I'll leave you.

[Exit. Ber. Now will I lead you to the house, and show

you

The lass I spoke of.

2 Lord.

But, you say, she's honest. Ber. That's all the fault: I spoke with her but

once,

And found her wondrous cold; but I sent to

her,

By this same coxcomb that we have i'the wind,"
Tokens and letters which she did re-send;

And this is all I have done: She's a fair creature ;
Will you go see her?

2 Lord.

With all my heart, my lord. [Exeunt.

7 — we have almost embossed him,] To emboss a deer is to inclose him in a wood.

ere we case him.] That is, before we strip him naked. — we have i'the wind,] To have one in the wind, is enu merated as a proverbial saying by Ray.

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SCENE VII.

Florence. A Room in the Widow's House.

Enter HELENA and WIDOW.

Hel. If you misdoubt me that I am not she,
I know not how I shall assure you further,
But I shall lose the grounds I work upon.'

Wid. Though my estate be fallen, I was well born,

Nothing acquainted with these businesses;

And would not put my reputation now

In any staining act.

Nor would I wish you.

Hel. First, give me trust, the count he is my husband; And, what to your sworn counsel I have spoken, Is so, from word to word; and then you cannot, By the good aid that I of you shall borrow, Err in bestowing it.

Wid.

I should believe you; have show'd me that, which well approves You are great in fortune.

For you

Hel.

Take this purse of gold,

And let me buy your friendly help thus far,

Which I will over-pay, and pay again,

When I have found it. The count he wooes your daughter,

Lays down his wanton siege before her beauty,
Resolves to carry her; let her, in fine, consent,
As we'll direct her how 'tis best to bear it,
Now his important2 blood will nought deny

1 But I shall lose the grounds I work upon.] i. e. by discovere ing herself to the count.

Now his important-] Important, here, is importunate.

That she'll demand: A ring the county wears,'
That downward hath succeeded in his house,
From son to son, some four or five descents
Since the first father wore it: this ring he holds
In most rich choice; yet, in his idle fire,
To buy his will, it would not seem too dear,
Howe'er repented after.

Wid.

Now I see

The bottom of your purpose.

Hel. You see it lawful then: It is no more,
But that your daughter, ere she seems as won,
Desires this ring; appoints him an encounter;
In fine, delivers me to fill the time,

Herself most chastely absent; after this,
To marry her, I'll add three thousand crowns
To what is past already.

Wid.
I have yielded :
Instruct my daughter how she shall perséver,
That time and place, with this deceit so lawful,
May prove coherent. Every night he comes
With musicks of all sorts, and songs compos'd
To her unworthiness: It nothing steads us,
To chide him from our eaves; for he persists,
As if his life lay on't.

Hel.
Why then, to-night
Let us assay our plot; which, if it speed,
Is wicked meaning in a lawful deed,
And lawful meaning in a lawful act;

Where both not sin, and yet a sinful fact :
But let's about it.

[Exeunt.

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ACT IV.

SCENE I. Without the Florentine Camp.

Enter first Lord, with five or six Soldiers in ambush.

1 Lord. He can come no other way but by this hedge' corner: When you sally upon him, speak what terrible language you will; though you understand it not yourselves, no matter; for we must not seem to understand him; unless some one among us, whom we must produce for an interpreter.

1 Sold. Good captain, let me be the interpreter. 1 Lord. Art not acquainted with him? knows he not thy voice?

1 Sold. No, sir, I warrant you.

1 Lord. But what linsy-woolsy hast thou to speak to us again?

1 Sold. Even such as you speak to me.

1 Lord. He must think us some band of strangers i'the adversary's entertainment. Now he hath a smack of all neighbouring languages; therefore we must every one be a man of his own fancy, not to know what we speak to one another; so we seem to know, is to know straight our purpose: chough's language, gabble enough, and good enough. As for you, interpreter, you must seem very politick. But couch, ho! here he comes; to beguile two hours in a sleep, and then to return and swear the lies he forges.

4some band of strangers i'the adversary's entertainment.] That is, foreign troops in the enemy's pay.

5 —so we seem to know, is to know, &c.] We must each fancy a jargon for himself, without aiming to be understood by one another, for provided we appear to understand, that will be sufficient for the success of our project. HENLEY.

Enter PAROLLES.

Par. Ten o'clock: within these three hours 'twill be time enough to go home. What shall I say I have done? It must be a very plausive invention that carries it: They begin to smoke me: and disgraces have of late knocked too often at my door. I find, my tongue is too fool-hardy; but my heart hath the fear of Mars before it, and of his creatures, not daring the reports of my tongue.

1 Lord. This is the first truth that e'er thine own tongue was guilty of.

[Aside. Par. What the devil should move me to undertake the recovery of this drum; being not ignorant of the impossibility, and knowing I had no such purpose? I must give myself some hurts, and say, I got them in exploit: Yet slight ones will not carry it: They will say, Came you off with so little? and great ones I dare not give. Wherefore? what's the instance? Tongue, I must put you into a butter-woman's mouth, and buy another of Bajazet's mule, if you prattle me into these perils.

1 Lord. Is it possible, he should know what he is, and be that he is?

[Aside. Par. I would the cutting of my garments would serve the turn; or the breaking of my Spanish sword.

1 Lord. We cannot afford you so.
Par. Or the baring of my beard;

was in stratagem.

1 Lord. "Twould not do.

6the instance?] The proof.

7

[Aside. and to say, it

[Aside.

of Bajazet's mule,] Parolles probably means, he must buy a tongue which has still to learn the use of speech, that he may run himself into no more difficulties by his loquacity. REED.

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