So shall we stay, mocking intended game; shame. [Trumpets sound within. Boyet. The trumpet sounds; be mask'd, the maskers come. [The ladies mask. Enter the King, BIRON, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAIN, in Russian habits, and masked: MOTH, Musicians, and Attendants. Moth. All hail, the richest beauties on the earth! Boyet. Beauties no richer than rich taffata. Moth. A holy parcel of the fairest dames, [The ladies turn their backs to him. That ever turn'd their backs views! -- to mortal Biron. Their eyes, villain, their eyes. Out views! Boyet True; out, indeed. Moth. Out of your favours, heavenly spirits, vouchsafe Not to behold Biron. Once to behold, rogue. Moth. Once to behold with your sun- beamed eyes, with your sunbeamed eyes Boyet. They will not answer to that epithet; You were best call it, daughter beamed eyes. Moth. They do not mark me, and that brings me out. Biron. Is this your perfectness? be gone, you rogue. Ros. What would these strangers? know their minds, Boyet: If they do speak our language, 'tis our will Boyet. What would you with the Princess? Boyet. Nothing but peace, and gentle visitation. Ros. Why, that they have; and bid them so be gone. Boyet. She says, you have it, and you may be gone. King. Say to her, we have measur'd many miles. To tread a measure with her on this grass. Boyet. They say, that they have measur'd many a mile, To tread a measure with you on this grass. Ros. It is not so: ask them, how many inches Is in one mile: if they have measur'd many, The measure then of one is easily told. A Boyet. If, to come hither, you have measur'd miles, ntar And many miles; the Princess bids you tell, How many inches do fill up one mile Biron. Tell her, we measure them by weary - steps. Boyet. She hears herself.. Ros. How many weary steps, Of many weary miles you have olergone, Are number'd in the travel of one mile? Biron. We number nothing that we spend for you; Our duty is so rich, so infinite, st That we may do it still without accompt. Ros. My face is but a moon, and clouded too. King. Blessed are clouds, to do as such clouds, do! Vouchsafe, bright moon, and these thy stars, to shine (Those clouds remov'd) upon our watry eyne.. Ros. O vain petitioner! beg a greater matter; Thou now request'st but moon shine in the Water. King. Then, in our measure do but vouchsafe one! change: Thou bid'st me beg; this begging is not strange. Ros. Play, musick, then, nay, you must do it [Musick plays. soon. Not yet: no dance, → thus change I like the moon. King. Will you not dance? How come you thus estrang'd? Ros. You took the moon at full; but now she's chang'd. King. Yet still she is the moon, and I the man.. The musick plays; vouchsafe some motion to itand King. But your legs should do it. 1 Ros. Since you are strangers, and come here by King. Why take we hands then? Court'sy, sweet hearts; and so the measure ends. King. More measure of this measure; be not, nice. Ros. We can afford no more at such a price. King. Prize you yourselves; What buys your company? Ros. Your absence only. King. That can never be. Ros. Then cannot we be bought! and so adieu; Twice to your visor, and half once to you! King. If you deny to dance, let's hold more chat. Ros. In private then. King. I am best pleas'd with that. [They converse apart. Biron. White-handed Mistress, one sweet word with thee. Prin. Honey, and milk, and sugar; there is three. Biron. Nay then, two treys, (and if you grow so nice,) Metheglin, wort, and malmsey; dice! There's half a dozen sweets. Prin. Seventh sweet, adieu! Well run, Since you can cog, I'll play no more with you. Biron. One word in secret. Prin. Let it not be sweet. Biron. Thou griev'st my gall. Prin. Gall? bitter. Biron. Therefore meet. [They conversé apart. Dum. Will you vouchsafe with me to change a word? Mar. Name it. Mar. Say you so? Fair Lord, Dum. Please it you, As much in private, and I'll bid adieu. [They converse apart. Kath. What, was your visor made without a tongue? Long. I know the reason, Lady, why you ask. Kath. O, for your reason! quickly, Sir; I long. Long. You have a double tongue within your mask, And would afford my speechless visor half. veal a calf? Long. A calf fair. Lady? Kath. No, a fair Lord calf. Kath. No, I'll not be your half. Take all, and wean it; it may prove an ox. Long. Look how you butt yourself in these sharp mocks! Will you give horns, chaste Lady? do not so. Kath. Then die a calf, before your horns do grow. Long. One word in private with you, ere I Kath. Bleat softly. then, the butcher hears you cry. [They converse apart. Boyet. The tongues of mocking wenches are as keen As is the razor's edge invisible, Cutting a smaller 'hair than may be seen; Above the sense of sense: so sensible Seemeth their conference; their conceits have wings, Fleeter than arrows, bullets, wind, thought, swifter things. |