She shall be dignified with this high honor,一 Pro. Why, Valentine, what braggardism is this? Val. Pardon me, Proteus; all I can, is nothing To her, whose worth makes other worthies nothing; She is alone. Pro. Then let her alone. Val. Not for the world: why, man, she is mine own; And I as rich in having such a jewel, The water nectar, and the rocks pure gold. Pro. But she loves you ? Val. Ay, and we are betrothed; nay, more, our marriage hour, With all the cunning manner of our flight, 1 Pro. Go on before; I shall inquire you forth: I must unto the road,1 to disembark Some necessaries that I needs must use; And then I'll presently attend you. Val. Will you make haste? Pro. I will. Even as one heat another heat expels, So the remembrance of my former love [Exit Val. Or as one nail by strength drives out another, Is by a newer object quite forgotten. Is it her mien, or Valentinus' praise, Her true perfection, or my false transgression, She is fair; and so is Julia, that I love; 1 The haven where ships ride at anchor. of those whom they designed to torment or destroy. There is no reason but I shall be blind. [Exit. SCENE V. A street. Enter SPEED and LAUNCE. Speed. Launce! by mine honesty, welcome to Milan. Launce. Forswear not thyself, sweet youth; for I am not welcome. I reckon this always that a man is never undone, till he be hanged; nor never welcome to a place, till some certain shot 1 be paid, and the hostess say, welcome. Speed. Come on, you mad-cap, I'll to the alehouse with you presently; where, for one shot of five pence, thou shalt have five thousand welcomes. But, sirrah, how did thy master part with madam Julia? Launce. Marry, after they closed in earnest, they parted very fairly in jest. Speed. But shall she marry him? Speed. How then? Shall he marry her? Speed. What, are they broken ? Launce. No, they are both as whole as a fish. 1 Score, reckoning. Speed. Why then, how stands the matter with them? Launce. Marry, thus; when it stands well with him, it stands well with her. Speed. What an ass art thou! I understand thee not. Launce. What a block art thou, that thou canst not! My staff understands me. Speed. What thou say'st? Launce. Ay, and what I do too: look thee, I'll but lean, and my staff understands me. Speed. It stands under thee, indeed. Launce. Why, stand under and understand is all one. Speed. But tell me true, will 't be a match? Launce. Ask my dog: if he say, ay, it will; if he say, no, it will; if he shake his tail, and say nothing, it will. Speed. The conclusion is then, that it will. Launce. Thou shalt never get such a secret from me, but by a parable. Speed. 'Tis well that I get it so. But, Launce, how say'st thou, that my master is become a notable lover? Launce. I never knew him otherwise. Speed. Than how? Launce. A notable lubber, as thou reportest him to be. 1 What say'st thou to this circumstance? Speed. Why, thou whoreson ass, thou mistakest me. Launce. Why, fool, I meant not thee; I meant thy master. Speed. I tell thee, my master is become a hot lover. Launce. Why, I tell thee, I care not though he burn himself in love. If thou wilt go with me to the alehouse, so; if not, thou art an Hebrew, a Jew, and not worth the name of a Christian. Speed. Why? Launce. Because thou hast not so much charity in thee, as to go to the ale1 with a Christian. Wilt thou go? Speed. At thy service. SCENE VI. [Exeunt. The same. A room in the palace. Pro. To leave my Julia, shall I be forsworn ; Ales were merry-meetings instituted in country places. 2 Sweet-tempting. |