Luc. Indeed, I bid the base for Proteus.

Jul. This babble shall not henceforth trouble me. Here is a coil with protestation!

[Tears the letter.

Go get you gone, and let the papers lie:
You would be fingering them, to anger me.

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Luc. She makes it strange; but she would be best pleased To be so anger'd with another letter.

[Erit.

Jul. Nay, would I were so anger'd with the same!
O hateful hands, to tear such loving words!
Injurious wasps, to feed on such sweet honey

And kill the bees that yield it with your stings!
I'll kiss each several paper for amends.
Look, here is writ" kind Julia."
As in revenge of thy ingratitute,

Unkind Julia !

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I throw thy name against the bruising stones,
Trampling contemptuously on thy disdain.
And here is writlove-wounded Proteus."
Poor wounded name! my bosom as a bed

Shall lodge thee till thy wound be throughly heal'd;
And thus I search it with a sovereign kiss.

But twice or thrice was

'Proteus" written down.

Be calm, good wind, blow not a word away
Till I have found each letter in the letter,

Except mine own name: that some whirlwind bear
Unto a ragged fearful-hanging rock
And throw it thence into the raging sea!
Lo, here in one line is his name twice writ,
"Poor forlorn Proteus, passionate Proteus,
To the sweet Julia:" that I'll tear away.
And yet I will not, sith so prettily

He couples it to his complaining names.

Thus will I fold them one upon another:

Now kiss, embrace, contend, do what you will.

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Jul. Well, let us go.

Luc. What, shall these papers lie like tell-tales here?

Jul. If you respect them, best to take them up.

Luc. Nay, I was taken up for laying them down :

Yet here they shall not lie, for catching cold.
Jul. I see you have a month's mind to them.

Luc. Ay, madam, you may say what sights you see;

I see things too, although you judge I wink.
Jul. Come, come; will't please you go?

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140

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. The same.

ANTONIO'S house.

Enter ANTONIO and PANTHINO. Ant. Tell me, Panthino, what sad talk was that Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister? Pan. "Twes of his nephew Proteus, your son. Ant. Why, what of him?

Pan.
He wonder'd that your lordship
Would suffer him to spend his youth at home,
While other men, of slender reputation,
Put forth their sons to seek preferment out:
Some to the wars, to try their fortune there;
Some to discover islands far away;
Some to the studious universities.
For any or for all these exercises

He said that Proteus your son was meet,
And did request me to importune you

To let him spend his time no more at home,

Which would be great impeachment to his age,
In having known no travel in his youth.

Ant. Nor need'st thou much importune me to that
Whereon this month I have been hammering.

I have consider'd well his loss of time

And how he cannot be a perfect man,
Not being tried and tutor❜d in the world:
Experience is by industry achieved

Then tell me, whither were I best to send him?

And perfected by the swift course of time.

Pan. I think your lordship is not ignorant

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How his companion, youthful Valentine,

Attends the emperor in his royal court.

Ant. I know it well.

Pan. "Twere good, I think, your lordship sent him thither, There shall he practise tilts and tournaments,

Hear sweet discourse, converse with noblemen,

And be in eye of every exercise

Worthy his youth and nobleness of birth.

Ant. I like thy counsel; well hast thou advised:

And that thou mayst perceive how well I like it
The execution of it shall make known.

Even with the speediest expedition

I will dispatch him to the emperor's court.

With other gentlemen of good esteem

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Pan. To-morrow, may it please you, Don Alphonso

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Are journeying to salute the emperor

And to commend their service to his will.

Ant. Good company; with them shall Proteus go:

And, in good time! now will we break with him.

Enter PROTEUS.

Pro. Sweet love! sweet lines! sweet life!
Here is her hand, the agent of her heart;
Here is her oath for love, her ho iour's pawn.
O, that our fathers would applaud our loves,
To seal our happiness with their consents!
O heavenly Julia!

Ant. How now! what letter are you reading there?
Pro. May't please your lordship, 'tis a word or two
Of commendations sent from Valentine,
Deliver'd by a friend that came from him.

Ant. Lend me the letter; let me see what news.

Pro. There is no news, my lord, but that he writes How happily he lives, how well beloved

And daily graced by the emperor ;

Wishing me with him, partner of his fortune.

Ant. And how stand you affected to his wish?
Pro. As one relying on your lordship's will

And not depending on his friendly wish.

Ant. My will is something sorted with his wish. Muse not that I thus suddenly proceed;

For what I will, I will, and there an end.

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60

I am resolved that thou shalt spend some time
With Valentinus in the emperor's court:

What maintenance he from his friends receives,

Like exhibition thou shalt have from me.

To-morrow be in readiness to go:

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Pro. My lord, I cannot be so soon provided:

Excuse it not, for I am peremptory.

Please you, deliberate a day or two.

Ant. Look, what thou want'st shall be sent after thee:

No more of stay! to-morrow thou must go.

Come on, Panthino: you shall be employ'd

To hasten on his expedition.

Pro. Thus have I shunn'd the fire for fear of burning,

[Exeunt Ant. and Pan.

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And drench'd me in the sea, where I am drown'd.

I fear'd to show my father Julia's letter,

Lest he should take exceptions to my love;

And with the vantage of mine own excuse
Hath he excepted most against my love.
O, how this spring of love resembleth

The uncertain glory of an April day,
Which now shows all the beauty of the sun,
And by and by a cloud takes all away!

Re-enter PANTHINO.

Pan. Sir Proteus, your father calls for you:
He is in haste; therefore, I pray you, go.
Pro. Why, this it is: my heart accords thereto,
And yet a thousand times it answers "no."

ACT II.

SCENE I. Milan. The DUKE's palace.

Enter VALENTINE and SPEED.

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[Exeunt.

Not mine; my gloves are on.

Speed. Why, then, this may be yours, for this is but one. Val. Ha! let me see: ay, give it me, it's mine :

Sweet ornament that decks a thing divine!

Ah, Silvia, Silvia !

Speed. Madam Silvia! Madam Silvia !
Val. How now, sirrah?

Speed. She is not within hearing, sir.

Val. Why, sir, who bade you call her?

Speed. Your worship, sir; or else I mistook.

Val. Well, you'll still be too forward.

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Speed. And yet I was last chidden for being too slow. Val. Go to, sir: tell me, do you know Madam Silvia? Speed. She that your worship loves?

Val. Why, how know you that I am in love?

Speed. Marry, by these special marks: first, you have learned, like Sir Proteus, to wreath your arms, like a malecontent; to relish a love-song, like a robin-red breast; to walk alone, like one that had the pestilence; to sigh, like a school-boy that had lost his A B C; to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam; to fast, like one that takes diet; to watch, like one that fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beggar at Hallowmas. You were wont, when you laughed, to crow like a cock; when you walked, to walk like one of the lions; when you fasted, it was presently after dinner; when you looked sadly, it was for want of money and now you are metamorphosed with a mistress, that, when I look on you, I can hardly think you my master. Val. Are all these things perceived in me?

Speed. They are all perceived without ye.

Val. Without me? they cannot.

Speed. Without you? nay, that's certain, for, without you were so simple, none else would: but you are so without these follies, that these follies are within you and shine

through you like the water in an urinal, that not an eye that sees you but is a physician to comment on your malady. Val. But tell me, dost thou know my lady Silvia? Speed. She that you gaze on so as she sits at supper? Val. Hast thou observed that? even she, 1 mean. Speed. Why, sir, I know her not.

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Val. Dost thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet knowest her not?

Speed. Is she not hard-favoured, sir?
Val. Not so fair, boy, as well-favoured,
Speed. Sir, I know that well enough.
Val. What dost thou know?

Speed. That she is not so fair as, of you, well-favoured. Val. I mean that her beauty is exquiste, but her favour infinite.

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Speed. That's because the one is painted and the other out of all count.

Val. How painted? and how out of count?

Speed. Marry, sir, so painted, to make her fair, that no man counts of her beauty.

Val. How esteemest thou me? I account of her beauty.
Speed. You never saw her since she was deformed.
Val. How long hath she been deformed?

Speed. Ever since you loved her.

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Val. I have loved her ever since I saw her; and still I see her beautiful.

Speed. If you love her, you cannot see her.
Val. Why?

Speed. Because Love is blind. O, that you had mine eyes; or your own eyes had the lights they were wont to have when you chid at Sir Proteus for going ungartered! Val. What should I see then?

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Speed. Your own present folly and her passing deformity for he, being in love, could not see to garter his hose, and you, being in love, cannot see to put on your hose.

Val. Belike, boy, then, you are in love; for last morning you could not see to wipe my shoes.

Speed. True, sir; I was in love with my bed: I thank you, you swinged me for my love, which makes me the bolder to chide you for yours.

Val. In conclusion, I stand affected to her.

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Speed. I would you were set, so your affection would

cease.

Val Last night she enjoined me to write some lines to one she loves.

Speed. And have you?

Val. I have.