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Attend his further pleasure.

Hel. In everything I wait upon his will.
Par. I shall report it so.

Hel. I pray you. [Exit Par.] Come, sirrah. [Exeunt. SCENE V. Paris. Another apartment in the palace.

Enter LAFEU and BERTRAM.

Laf. But I hope your lordship thinks not him a soldier.

Ber. Yes, my lord, and of very valiant approof.

Laf. You have it from his own deliverance. Ber. And by other warranted testimony. Laf. Then my dial1 goes not true: I took this lark for a bunting.

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[Ber. I do assure you, my lord, he is very great in knowledge, and accordingly valiant.

Laf. I have, then, sinned against his experience, and transgressed against his valour; and my state that way is dangerous, since I' cannot yet find in my heart to repent.] Here he comes: pray you, make us friends; I will pursue the amity.

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Laf. You have made shift to run into 't, boots and spurs and all, like him that leaped into the custard; and out of it you'll run again, rather than suffer question for your residence. Ber. It may be you have mistaken him, my lord.

Laf. And shall do so ever, though I took him at's prayers. Fare you well, my lord; and believe this of me, there can be no kernel in this light nut; the soul of this man is his clothes: [trust him not in matter of heavy consequence; I have kept of them tame, and know their natures.-Farewell, monsieur: I have spoken better of you than you have or will to deserve at my hand; but we must do good against evil.]

Par. An idle lord, I swear.
Ber.

[Exit.

I think so. Par. Why, do you not know him?

Ber. Yes, I do know him well; and common speech

Gives him a worthy pass.-Here comes my clog.

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For such a business; therefore am I found So much unsettled: this drives me to entreat you,

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That presently you take your way for home,
And rather muse3 than ask why I entreat you;]
For my respects are better than they seem,
And my appointments have in them a need
Greater than shows itself, at the first view,
To you that know them not. This to my
mother:
[Giving a letter.
"T will be two days ere I shall see you; so,
I leave you to your wisdom.
Hel.
Sir, I can nothing say,
But that I am your most obedient servant.
Ber. Come, come, no more of that.

Hel.

And ever shall

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Strangers and foes do sunder, and not kiss. Ber. I pray you, stay not, but in haste to horse.

Hel. I shall not break your bidding, good my lord.

Ber. Where are my other men, monsieur?— Farewell. [Exit Helena. Go thou toward home; where I will never come, Whilst I can shake my sword, or hear the drum.

Away, and for our flight.
Par.

3 Muse, wonder.

Bravely, coragio! [Exeunt.

4 Respects, motives; that to which I have respect, or regard, in acting as I do.

5 Appointments, engagements.

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ACT III.

[SCENE I. Florence. A room in the Duke's

palace.

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[Exit.

Count. What have we here? Clo. E'en that you have there. Count. [Reads] "I have sent you a daughter-inlaw: she hath recovered the king, and undone me. I have wedded her, not bedded her; and sworn to make the not eternal. You shall hear I am run away: know it before the report come. If there be breadth enough in the world, I will hold a long distance. My duty to you. Your unfortunate son, BERTRAM." This is not well, rash and unbridled boy, 30 To fly the favours of so good a king; To pluck his indignation on thy head By the misprizing of a maid too virtuous For the contempt of empire.

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I've felt so many quirks1 of joy and grief, That the first face of neither, on the start, Can woman me unto 't:-where is my son, I pray you?

Sec. Gent. Madam, he's gone to serve the Duke of Florence:

[We met him thitherward; for thence we came, And, after some dispatch in hand at court, Thither we bend again.]

Hel. Look on his letter, madam; here's my passport.

[Reads] "When thou canst get the ring upon my finger which never shall come off, [and show me a child begotten of thy body that I am father to,] then call me husband: but in such a then I write a necer."

This is a dreadful sentence.

Count. Brought you this letter, gentlemen?
First Gent.
Ay, madam;

And, for the contents' sake, are sorry for our pains.

Count. I prithee, lady, have a better cheer; If thou engrossest all the griefs are thine, Thou robb'st me of a moiety: he was my son; But I do wash his name out of my blood, 70 And thou art all my child.-Towards Florence is he?

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[Exeunt Countess and Gentlemen. Hel. "Till I have no wife, I have nothing

in France."

Nothing in France, until he has no wife! Thou shalt have none, Rousillon, none in France;

Then hast thou all again. Poor lord! is 't I That chase thee from thy country, and expose Those tender limbs of thine to the event

Of the none-sparing war? and is it I That drive thee from the sportive court, where thou

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Wast shot at with fair eyes, to be the mark Of smoky muskets? [O you leaden messengers, That ride upon the violent speed of fire,

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A lover of thy drum, hater of love. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV. Rousillon. Hall in the Countess's

house.

Enter COUNTESS and STEWARD.

Count. Alas! and would you take the letter of her?

Might you not know she'd do as she has done,
By sending me a letter? Read it again.
Stew. [Reads]

"I am Saint Jaques' pilgrim, thither gone:
Ambitious love hath so in me offended,
That barefoot plod I the cold ground upon,

With sainted vow my faults to have amended. Write, write, that from the bloody course of war

My dearest master, your dear son, may hie: Bless him at home in peace, whilst I from far 10 His name with zealous fervour sanctify:

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