Since she respects my mistress' love so much.
Alas, how love can
trifle with itself!
Here is her picture; let me see. I think,
If I had such a tire, this face of mine
Were full as lovely as is this of hers;
And yet the
painterflatter'd her a little,
Unless I
flatter with myself too much.
Her hair is
auburn, mine is perfect yellow;
If that be all the difference in his love,
I'll get me such a colour'd periwig.
Her eyes are grey as glass, and so are mine;
Ay, but her forehead's low, and mine's as high.
What should it be that he respects in her
But I can make
respective in myself,
If this fond Love were not a blinded god?
Come, shadow, come, and take this shadow up,
For 'tis thy rival. O thou
senseless form,
Thou shalt be worshipp'd, kiss'd, lov'd, and ador'd!
And were there sense in his idolatry
My substance should be
statue in thy stead.
I'll use thee kindly for thy mistress' sake,
That us'd me so; or else, by Jove I vow,
I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes,
To make my master out of love with thee. Exit
ACT V. SCENE I.
Milan. An abbey
Enter EGLAMOUR
EGLAMOUR. The sun begins to gild the
western sky,
And now it is about the very hour
That Silvia at Friar Patrick's cell should meet me.
She will not fail, for lovers break not hours
Unless it be to come before their time,
So much they spur their expedition.
Enter SILVIA
See where she comes. Lady, a happy evening!
SILVIA. Amen, amen! Go on, good Eglamour,
Out at the postern by the abbey wall;
I fear I am attended by some spies.
EGLAMOUR. Fear not. The forest is not three leagues off;
If we recover that, we are sure enough. Exeunt
SCENE II.
Milan. The DUKE'S palace
Enter THURIO, PROTEUS, and JULIA as SEBASTIAN
THURIO. Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my suit?
PROTEUS. O, sir, I find her milder than she was;
And yet she takes exceptions at your person.
THURIO. What, that my leg is too long?
PROTEUS. No; that it is too little.
THURIO. I'll wear a boot to make it somewhat rounder.
JULIA. [Aside] But love will not be spurr'd to what it loathes.
THURIO. What says she to my face?
PROTEUS. She says it is a fair one.
THURIO. Nay, then, the
wanton lies; my face is black.
PROTEUS. But pearls are fair; and the old
saying is:
Black men are pearls in
beauteous ladies' eyes.
JULIA. [Aside] 'Tis true, such pearls as put out ladies' eyes;
For I had rather wink than look on them.
THURIO. How likes she my
discourse?
PROTEUS. Ill, when you talk of war.
THURIO. But well when I
discourse of love and peace?
JULIA. [Aside] But better, indeed, when you hold your peace.
THURIO. What says she to my valour?
PROTEUS. O, sir, she makes no doubt of that.
JULIA. [Aside] She needs not, when she knows it cowardice.
THURIO. What says she to my birth?
PROTEUS. That you are well deriv'd.
JULIA. [Aside] True; from a gentleman to a fool.
THURIO. Considers she my possessions?
PROTEUS. O, ay; and pities them.
THURIO. Wherefore?
JULIA. [Aside] That such an ass should owe them.
PROTEUS. That they are out by lease.
JULIA. Here comes the Duke.
Enter DUKE
DUKE. How now, Sir Proteus! how now, Thurio!
Which of you saw Sir Eglamour of late?
THURIO. Not I.
PROTEUS. Nor I.
DUKE. Saw you my daughter?
PROTEUS. Neither.
DUKE. Why then,
She's fled unto that
peasant Valentine;
And Eglamour is in her company.
'Tis true; for Friar Lawrence met them both
As he in
penance wander'd through the forest;
Him he knew well, and guess'd that it was she,
But, being mask'd, he was not sure of it;
Besides, she did intend confession
At Patrick's cell this even; and there she was not.
These likelihoods
confirm her
flight from hence;
Therefore, I pray you, stand not to
discourse,
But mount you
presently, and meet with me
Upon the rising of the mountain foot
That leads toward Mantua, whither they are fled.
Dispatch, sweet gentlemen, and follow me. Exit
THURIO. Why, this it is to be a peevish girl
That flies her fortune when it follows her.
I'll after, more to be reveng'd on Eglamour
Than for the love of
reckless Silvia. Exit
PROTEUS. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love
Than hate of Eglamour, that goes with her. Exit
JULIA. And I will follow, more to cross that love
Than hate for Silvia, that is gone for love. Exit
SCENE III.
The frontiers of Mantua. The forest
Enter OUTLAWS with SILVA
FIRST OUTLAW. Come, come.
Be patient; we must bring you to our captain.
SILVIA. A thousand more mischances than this one
Have learn'd me how to brook this patiently.
SECOND OUTLAW. Come, bring her away.
FIRST OUTLAW. Where is the gentleman that was with her?
SECOND OUTLAW. Being nimble-footed, he hath
outrun us,
But Moyses and Valerius follow him.
Go thou with her to the west end of the wood;
There is our captain; we'll follow him that's fled.
The
thicket is beset; he cannot 'scape.
FIRST OUTLAW. Come, I must bring you to our captain's cave;
Fear not; he bears an
honourable mind,
And will not use a woman lawlessly.
SILVIA. O Valentine, this I
endure for thee! Exeunt
SCENE IV.
Another part of the forest
Enter VALENTINE
VALENTINE. How use doth breed a habit in a man!
This
shadowy desert, unfrequented woods,
I better brook than flourishing peopled towns.
Here can I sit alone,
unseen of any,
And to the nightingale's complaining notes
Tune my distresses and record my woes.
O thou that dost
inhabit in my breast,
Leave not the
mansion so long tenantless,
Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall
And leave no memory of what it was!
Repair me with thy presence, Silvia:
Thou gentle nymph,
cherish thy
forlorn swain.
What halloing and what stir is this to-day?
These are my mates, that make their wills their law,
Have some
unhappy passenger in chase.
They love me well; yet I have much to do
To keep them from uncivil outrages.
Withdraw thee, Valentine. Who's this comes here?
[Steps aside]
Enter PROTEUS, SILVIA, and JULIA as Sebastian
PROTEUS. Madam, this service I have done for you,
Though you respect not aught your servant doth,
To
hazard life, and
rescue you from him
That would have forc'd your honour and your love.
Vouchsafe me, for my meed, but one fair look;
A smaller boon than this I cannot beg,
And less than this, I am sure, you cannot give.
VALENTINE. [Aside] How like a dream is this I see and hear!
Love, lend me
patience to
forbear awhile.
SILVIA. O
miserable,
unhappy that I am!
PROTEUS. Unhappy were you, madam, ere I came;
But by my coming I have made you happy.
SILVIA. By thy approach thou mak'st me most
unhappy.
JULIA. [Aside] And me, when he approacheth to your presence.
SILVIA. Had I been seized by a hungry lion,
I would have been a breakfast to the beast
Rather than have false Proteus
rescue me.
O, heaven be judge how I love Valentine,
Whose life's as tender to me as my soul!
And full as much, for more there cannot be,
I do
detest false, perjur'd Proteus.
Therefore be gone;
solicit me no more.
PROTEUS. What dangerous action, stood it next to death,
Would I not
undergo for one calm look?
O, 'tis the curse in love, and still approv'd,
When women cannot love where they're belov'd!
SILVIA. When Proteus cannot love where he's belov'd!
Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love,
For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy faith
Into a thousand oaths; and all those oaths
Descended into perjury, to love me.
Thou hast no faith left now, unless thou'dst two,
And that's far worse than none; better have none
Than plural faith, which is too much by one.
Thou
counterfeit to thy true friend!
PROTEUS. In love,
Who respects friend?
SILVIA. All men but Proteus.
PROTEUS. Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words
Can no way change you to a milder form,
I'll woo you like a soldier, at arms' end,
And love you 'gainst the nature of love- force ye.
SILVIA. O heaven!
PROTEUS. I'll force thee yield to my desire.
VALENTINE. Ruffian! let go that rude uncivil touch;
Thou friend of an ill fashion!
PROTEUS. Valentine!
VALENTINE. Thou common friend, that's without faith or love-
For such is a friend now;
treacherous man,
Thou hast beguil'd my hopes;
nought but mine eye
Could have persuaded me. Now I dare not say
I have one friend alive: thou wouldst disprove me.
Who should be trusted, when one's own right hand
Is perjured to the bosom? Proteus,
I am sorry I must never trust thee more,
But count the world a stranger for thy sake.
The private wound is deepest. O time most accurst!