Gent. This I'll do for you. Hel. And you shall find yourself to be well thank'd, Whate'er falls more.-We must to horse again; Go, go, provide. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Rousillon. The inner Court of the COUNTESS'S Palace. Enter CLOWN and PAROLLES. Par. Good monsieur Lavatch,* give my lord Lafeu this letter: I have, ere now, Sir, been better known to you, when I have held familiarity with fresher clothes; but I am now, Sir, muddied in fortune's moat, and smell somewhat strong of her strong displeasure. Clo. Truly, fortune's displeasure is but sluttish, if it smell so strong as thou speakest of: I will henceforth eat no fish of fortune's buttering. Pr'ythee, allow the wind.t Par. Nay, you need not stop your nose, Sir; I spake by a metaphor. Clo. Indeed, Sir, if your metaphor stink, I will stop my nose; or against any man's metaphor. Pr'ythee, get thee further. Par. Pray you, Sir, deliver me this paper. Clo. Foh, pr'ythee, stand away: A paper from fortune's closestool to give to a nobleman! Look, here he comes himself. 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 smiles of comfort, and leave him to your lordship. [Exit CLOWN. Par. My lord, I am a man whom fortune hath cruelly scratched. Laf. And what would you have me to do? 'tis 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 quart d'écu 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. Par. My name, my good lord, is Parolles. Laf. You beg more than one word then.-Cox' 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. Par. It lies in you, my lord, to bring me in some grace, for you did bring me out. * La vache (cow). † Get to leeward of me. 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.-The same. A Room in the COUNTESS's Palace. Flourish. Enter KING, COUNTESS, LAFEU, LORDS, 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.t Count. 'Tis past, my liege: And I beseech your majesty to make it King. My honour'd lady, I have forgiven and forgotten all; Though my revenges were high bent upon him, Laf. This I must say, But first I beg my pardon, The young lord Did to his majesty, his mother, and his lady, Whose beauty did astonish the survey Of richest eyes; whose words all ears took captive; King. Praising what is lost, Makes the remembrance dear. -Well, call him hither: We are reconciled, and the first view shall kill All repetition:§-Let him not ask our pardon; Gent. I shall, my liege. [Exit GENTLEMAN. King. What says he to your daughter? have you spoke? King. Then shall we have a match. I have letters sent me, That set him high in fame. * I. e. of general esteem. + Completely. § Recollection. Richest in the remembered sight of beauty. Enter BERTRAM. Laf. He looks well on't. King. I am not a day of season,* For thou mayst see a sunshine and a hail Ber. My high-repented blames,† Not one word more of the consumed time. Ber. Admiringly, my liege: at first I stuck my choice upon her, ere my heart King. Well excused: That thou didst love her, strikes some scores away To the great sender turns a sour offence, Crying, That's good that's gone: our rash faults Count. Which better than the first, O dear heaven, bless! Or, ere they meet, in me, O nature, cesse ! Laf. Come on, my son, in whom my house's name Must be digested, give a favour from you, To sparkle in the spirits of my daughter, That she may quickly come.-By my old beard, * I. e. of uninterrupted rain. † Faults. + Cease. And every hair that's on't, Helen, that's dead, Ber. Hers it was not. King. Now, pray you, let me see it; for mine eye, This ring was mine; and, when I gave it Helen, Necessitied to help, that by this token I would relieve her: Had you that craft, to reave her Ber. My gracious sovereign, Count. Son, on my life, I have seen her wear it, and she reckon❜d it Laf. I am sure, I saw her wear it. Ber. You are deceived, my lord, she never saw it: King. Plutus himself, That knows the tinct and multiplying medicinef Than I have in this ring: 'twas mine, 'twas Helen's, That you are well acquainted with yourself, Confess 'twas hers, and by what rough enforcement, You got it from her: she call'd the saints to surety, Unless she gave it to yourself in bed Where you have never come), or sent it us Upon her great disaster. Ber. She never saw it. King. Thou speak'st it falsely, as I love mine honour; And mak'st conjectural fears to come into me, In the sense of unengaged. [Guards seize BERTRAM. †The philosopher's stone. My fore-past proofs, howe'er the matter fall, Having vainly fear'd too little.-Away with him ;- Ber. If you shall prove This ring was ever hers, you shall as easy [Exit BERTRAM, guarded. Enter a GENTLEMAN. King. I am wrapp'd in dismal thinkings. Gent. Gracious sovereign, Whether I have been to blame, or no, I know not ;- Who hath, for four or five removes,* come short Vanquish'd thereto by the fair grace and speech Your highness with herself. King. [Reads.] Upon his many protestations to marry me, when his wife was dead, I blush to say it, he won me. Now is the count Rousillon a widower; his vows are forfeited to me, and my honour's paid to him. He stole from Florence, taking no leave, and I follow him to his country for justice: Grant it me, O king; in you it best lies; otherwise a seducer flourishes, and a poor maid is undone. DIANA CAPULET. Laf. I will buy me a son-in-law in a fair, and toll him:† for this, I'll none of him. King. The heavens have thought well on thee, Lafeu, To bring forth this discovery.-Seek these suitors : Go, speedily, and bring again the count. [Exeunt GENTLEMAN, and some Attendants. I am afeard, the life of Helen, lady, Was foully snatch'd. Count. Now, justice on the doers! Enter BERTRAM, guarded. King. I wonder, Sir, since wives are monsters to you, Re-enter GENTLEMAN, with WIDOW and DIANA. My suit, as I do understand, you know, Wid. I am her mother, Sir, whose age and honour * Post-stages. Pay toll for him. |