Clo. I am a woodland fellow, sir, that always loved a great fire; and the master I speak of ever keeps a good fire. But, sure, he is the prince of the world, let his nobility remain in's court. I am for the house with the nar(row gate, which I take to be too little for pomp to enter: some that humble themselves may; but the many will be too chill and tender, and they'll be for the flowery way that leads to the broad gate and the great fire. 58

Laf. Go thy ways, I begin to be a-weary of thee; and I tell thee so before, because I would not fall out with thee.] Go thy ways: let my horses be well looked to, without any tricks.

Clo. If I put any tricks upon 'em, sir, they shall be jades' tricks; which are their own right by the law of nature. [Exit.

Laf. A shrewd knave and an unhappy.2 Count. So he is. My lord that's gone made himself much sport out of him: by his authority he remains here, which he thinks is a patent for his sauciness; and, indeed, he has no pace, but runs where he will.

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Clo. O madam, yonder's my lord your son with a patch of velvet on 's face: whether there be a scar under't or no, the velvet knows; but 't is a goodly patch of velvet: [his] left cheek is a cheek of two pile and a half, but his right cheek is worn bare.

Laf. A scar nobly got, or a noble scar, is a good livery of honour; so belike is that. Clo. But it is your carbonadoed1 face.] Laf. Let us go see your son, I pray you: I long to talk with the young noble soldier. 109 [Exeunt Countess and Lafeu.

Clo. Faith, there's a dozen of 'em, with delicate fine hats, and most courteous feathers, which bow the head and nod at every man.

4 Carbonadoed, disfigured with cuts.

[Exit.

Enter LAFEU.

[Here is a pur of Fortune's, sir, or of Fortune's cat,-but not a musk-cat,-that has fallen into the unclean fishpond of her displeasure, and, as he says, is muddied withal: pray you, sir, use the carp as you may; for he looks like a poor, decayed, ingenious, foolish, rascally knave. I do pity his distress in my similes of comfort, and leave him to your lordship.]

[Exit.

1 Allow the wind, don't stop it, stand to the leeward of me.

2 Ingenious, conscious how contemptible he is.

Laf. And what would you have me to do, 't is too late to pare her nails now. [Wherein have you played the knave with Fortune, that she should scratch you, who of herself is a good lady, and would not have knaves thrive long under her?] There's a cardecue for you: let the justices make you and Fortune friends; I am for other business.

Par. I beseech your honour to hear me one single word.

[Laf. You beg a single penny more: come? you shall ha 't; save your word. 405

Par.] My name, my good lord, is Parolles. Laf. [You beg more than "word," then.-] Cox1 my passion! give me your hand:-how does your drum?

Par. O my good lord, you were the first that found me!

Laf. Was I, in sooth? and I was the first that lost thee.

50

Par. It lies in you, my lord, to bring me in some grace, for you did bring me out. {Laf. Out upon thee, knave! [dost thou put upon me at once both the office of God and the devil? one brings thee in grace, and the other brings thee out.] [Trumpets sound.] The king's coming; I know by his trumpets.Sirrah, inquire further after me; I had talk of you last night: though you are a fool and a knave, you shall eat; go to, follow. Par. I praise God for you.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. Rousillon. A room in the
Countess's house.

Flourish. Enter KING, COUNTESS, LAFEU,
the two French Lords, with Attendants.
King. We lost a jewel of her; and our esteem
Was made much poorer by it: but your son,
As mad in folly, lack'd the sense to know
Her estimation home.

Count. 'Tis past, my liege; And I beseech your majesty to make it Natural rebellion, done i' the blaze of youth; When oil and fire, too strong for reason's force, O'erbears it, and burns on.

King. My honour'd lady, I have forgiven and forgotten all; Though my revenges were high2 bent upon

him,

And watch'd the time to shoot.

Laf. This I must say,But first I beg my pardon,-the young lord Did to his majesty, his mother, and his lady, Offence of mighty note; but to himself The greatest wrong of all: he lost a wife, Whose beauty did astonish the survey

10

Of richest eyes; whose words all ears took captive;

1 Cor, God's (disguised form of the word). 2 High, violently.

We're reconcil'd, and the first view shall kill
All repetition:-let him not ask our pardon;
The nature of his great offence is dead,
And deeper than oblivion we do bury
Th' incensing relics of it: let him approach,
A stranger, no offender; and inform him
So 't is our will he should.
First Gent.
I shall, my liege. [Exit.
King. What says he to your daughter?
have you spoke?

Laf. All that he is hath reference to your highness.

King. Then shall we have a match. I've letters sent me

That set him high in fame.

30

Make trivial price of serious things we have, Not knowing them until we know their grave: Oft our displeasures,1 to ourselves unjust, Destroy our friends, and after weep their dust: Our own love waking cries to see what's done, While shameful hate sleeps out the afternoon.] Be this sweet Helen's knell, and now forget her.

Send forth your amorous token for fair Maudlin:

The main consents are had; and here we 'll stay To see our widower's second marriage-day. 70 Count. Which better than the first, O dear heaven, bless!

Or, ere they meet, in me, O nature, cesse !2 Laf. Come on, my son, in whom my house's

That knows the tinct and multiplying medicine,

Hath not in nature's mystery more science Than I have in this ring: 't was mine, 't was Helen's,

Whoever gave it you. Then, if you know That you are well acquainted with yourself, Confess 't was hers, and by what rough enforcement

You got it from her: she call'd the saints to surety

That she would never put it from her finger,
Unless she gave it to yourself in bed,--

Where you have never come,-
Upon her great disaster.

Ber.

-or sent it us

110

She never saw it. King. Thou speak'st it falsely, as I love mine honour;

And mak'st conjectural fears to come into me, Which I would fain shut out. If it should prove That thou art so inhuman,-'t will not prove

so;

4 Reave, bereave, deprive.

5 Subscrib'd to mine own fortune, acknowledged how matters stood with me.

6 Heavy satisfaction, sorrowful acquiescence.

7 Tinct, tincture.