The Works of William Shakespeare

Luc. Indeed, I bid the base for Proteus.

Jul. This babble shall not henceforth trouble me.

Here is a coil with protestation !

Go get you gone, and let the papers lie:

You would be fingering them, to anger me.

[Tears the letter.

100

Luc. She makes it strange; but she would be best

pleased

To be so anger'd with another letter.

[Exit.

Jul. Nay, would I were so anger'd with the same! O hateful hands, to tear such loving words! Injurious wasps, to feed on such sweet honey, And kill the bees, that yield it, with your stings! I'll kiss each several paper for amends.

105

Look, here is writ 'kind Julia.' Unkind Julia!

As in revenge of thy ingratitude,
I throw thy name against the bruising stones,
Trampling contemptuously on thy disdain.
And here is writ 'love-wounded Proteus.'

110

Poor wounded name! my bosom, as a bed,
Shall lodge thee, till thy wound be throughly heal'd; 115

And thus I search it with a sovereign kiss.

But twice or thrice was 'Proteus' written down.

Be calm, good wind, blow not a word away,

Till I have found each letter in the letter,

Except mine own name: that some whirlwind bear 120

Unto a ragged, fearful-hanging rock,

97 bid] bide Theobald conj. did Gould conj.

99 [Tears the letter.) [Tears it. Pope.
[looking over the Letter; tears, and
throws it away. Capell. [Tearing
the letter, and throwing it down.
Collier, ed. 2 (Collier MS.).

102 best pleased] pleased better Collier,
ed. 2 (Collier MS.).
VOL. I.

103 [Exit.] om. F1.

104 Nay,...same!] Continued to Luc.
Staunton conj.

106 wasps] waspe Collier MS.
107 stings] sting Collier MS.

108 [picking up the Pieces. Capell.
121 fearful-hanging] Delius. fearfull,
hanging Ff.

Luc. I have no other but a woman's reason;

I think him so, because I think him so.

Jul. And wouldst thou have me cast my love on him? 25

Luc. Ay, if you thought your love not cast away.
Jul. Why, he, of all the rest, hath never moved me.
Luc. Yet he, of all the rest, I think, best loves ye.
Jul. His little speaking shows his love but small.
Luc. Fire that's closest kept burns most of all.
Jul. They do not love that do not show their love.
Luc. O, they love least that let men know their love.
Jul. I would I knew his mind.

Luc. Peruse this paper, madam.
Jul. 'To Julia.'-Say, from whom?
Luc. That the contents will show.

Jul. Say, say, who gave it thee?

Luc. Sir Valentine's page; and sent, I think, from Pro

teus.

He would have given it you; but I, being in the way, Did in your name receive it: pardon the fault, I pray. 40 Jul. Now, by my modesty, a goodly broker!

Dare you presume to harbour wanton lines?
To whisper and conspire against my youth?
Now, trust me, 'tis an office of great worth,
And you an officer fit for the place.
There, take the paper: see it be return'd;

Or else return no more into my sight.

Luc. To plead for love deserves more fee than hate.

Jul. Will ye be gone?

That you may ruminate. [Exit.

Jul. And yet I would I had o'erlook'd the letter:

It were a shame to call her back again,
And pray her to a fault for which I chid her.
What fool is she, that knows I am a maid,
And would not force the letter to my view!
Since maids, in modesty, say 'no' to that
Which they would have the profferer construe 'ay.'
Fie, fie, how wayward is this foolish love,
That, like a testy babe, will scratch the nurse,

And presently, all humbled, kiss the rod!
How churlishly I chid Lucetta hence,
When willingly I would have had her here!
How angerly I taught my brow to frown,
When inward joy enforced my heart to smile!
My penance is, to call Lucetta back,
And ask remission for my folly past.
What, ho! Lucetta!

Re-enter LUCETTA.

Luc.

What would your ladyship?

Jul. Is't near dinner-time?
Luc.

I would it were;

That you might kill your stomach on your meat,
And not upon your maid.

Jul. What is't that you took up so gingerly?

49 ye] you Malone.

53 What fool] F4. What 'foole F1F2F3. What a fool Clark and Glover. See note (III).

66 Re-enter Lucetta.] Rowe. om. Ff. Enter Lucetta. Collier MS.

67 Is 't] Is it Capell (Anon. ap. Grey conj.).

near] om. Boswell.

69 [Dropping the letter, and taking it up again. Collier, ed. 2 (Collier MS.).

70 What...gingerly?] As in Collier. Two lines, the first ending you, in Ff. that] om. Steevens (1793), ending the line at up.

Luc. Nothing.

Jul. Why didst thou stoop, then?
Luc. To take a paper up that I let fall.

Jul. And is that paper nothing?

Luc. Nothing concerning me.

Jul. Then let it lie for those that it concerns.

Luc. Madam, it will not lie where it concerns,

Unless it have a false interpreter.

Jul. Some love of yours hath writ to you in rhyme. Luc. That I might sing it, madam, to a tune.

Give me a note: your ladyship can set.

Jul. As little by such toys as may be possible.

Best sing it to the tune of 'Light o' love.'

Luc. It is too heavy for so light a tune.

Jul. Heavy! belike it hath some burden, then?
Luc. Ay; and melodious were it, would you sing it.

Jul. Let's see your song. How now, minion !

Luc. Keep tune there still, so you will sing it out:

And yet methinks I do not like this tune.

Jul. You, minion, are too saucy.

Luc. Nay, now you are too flat,

And mar the concord with too harsh a descant :

There wanteth but a mean to fill your song.

Jul. The mean is drown'd with your unruly bass.

80 tune] time Keightley conj.

81 F1 omits the stop after set.

83 o' love] Theobald. O, Loue F1F2.

O Love F3F4.

88 song.] song.- [snatching the letter.] Collier, ed. 2 (Collier MS.).

How now] Why, how now Hanmer.

After this line Hanmer adds a stage direction [Gives her a box on the ear]. Long MS. adds 'tears the letter and throws it on the ground.'

Nicholson conj.

91 not?] not like it? Keightley.
92 [Slaps her face.
96 your] you F1.