Fr. Gen. Ay, madam. Count. And to be a soldier? Fr. Gen. Such is his noble purpose; and, believe 't, The duke will lay upon him all the honour That good convenience claims. Count. Return you thither? Fr. Env. Ay, madam, with the swiftest wing of speed. Hel. [Reads.] "Till I have no wife, I have nothing in France." 'Tis bitter. Count. Find you that there? Hel. Ay, madam. Fr. Env. 'T is but the boldness of his hand, haply, Which his heart was not consenting to. Count. Nothing in France, until he have no wife! That twenty such rude boys might tend upon, Count. Fr. Env. Ay, my good lady, he. Parolles, was it not? Count. A very tainted fellow, and full of wicked ness. My son corrupts a well-derived nature With his inducement. Fr. Env. Indeed, good lady, The fellow has a deal of that too much, Count. Y' are welcome, gentlemen. I will entreat you, when you see my son, Fr. Gen. We serve you, madam, In that and all your worthiest affairs. Count. Not so, but as we change our courtesies. Will you draw near? [Exeunt COUNTESS and French Gentlemen. Hel. "Till I have no wife, I have nothing in France." Nothing in France, until he has no wife ! 1 holds in f. e. 2 have: in f. e. Thou shalt have none, Rousillon, none in France; Of the non-sparing war? and is it I That drive thee from the sportive court, where thou Of smoky muskets? O! you leaden messengers, Fly with false aim; wound' the still-piercing3 air I met the ravening lion when he roar'd With sharp constraint of hunger; better 't were Were mine at once. No, come thou home, Rousillon, As oft it loses all: I will be gone. My being here it is that holds thee hence: To consolate thine ear. Come, night end, day; Exit. SCENE III.-Florence. Before the DUKE's Palace. Flourish. Enter the DUKE of Florence, BERTRAM, PAROLLES, Lords, Officers, Soldiers, and others. Duke. The general of our horse thou art; and we, Great in our hope, lay our best love and credence Upon thy promising fortune. Ber. Sir, it is À charge too heavy for my strength; but yet Duke. Then go thou forth, And fortune play upon thy prosperous helm, 1 violent in f. e. 2 move in f. e. 3 still-peering in f. e. 4 ravin in f. e. This very day,: As thy auspicious mistress! Ber. Great Mars, I put myself into thy file: Make me but like my thoughts, and I shall prove [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Rousillon. A Room in the COUNTESS'S Palace. Enter COUNTESS and her Steward. Count. Alas! and would you take the letter of her? Might you not know, she would 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 bare-foot plod I the cold ground upon, With sainted vow my faults to have amended. I, his despiteful Juno, sent him forth From courtly friends, with camping foes to live, He is too good and fair for death and me, Whom I myself embrace, to set him free." Count. Ah, what sharp stings are in her mildest words! Rinaldo, you did never lack advice so much, As letting her pass so: had I spoke with her, Which thus she hath prevented. Stew. Pardon me, madam: If I had given you this at over-night, She might have been o'erta'en; and yet she writes, Pursuit would be but vain. Count. What angel shall That he does weigh too light: my greatest grief, [Exeunt. SCENE V.-Without the Walls of Florence. A tucket afar off. Enter an old Widow of Florence, DIANA, VIOLENTA, MARIANA, and other Citizens. Wid. Nay, come; for if they do approach the city, we shall lose all the sight. Dia. They say, the French count has done most honourable service. Wid. It is reported that he has taken their greatest commander, and that with his own hand he slew the Duke's brother. We have lost our labour; they are gone a contrary way: hark! you may know by their trumpets. Mar. Come; let's return again, and suffice ourselves with the report of it. Well, Diana, take heed of this French earl: the honour of a maid is her name, and no legacy is so rich as honesty. Wid. I have told my neighbour, how you have been solicited by a gentleman his companion. Mar. I know that knave; hang him! one Parolles: a filthy officer he is in those suggestions for the young earl.-Beware of them, Diana; their promises, enticements, oaths, tokens, and all these engines of lust, are not the things they go under: many a maid hath been seduced by them; and the misery is, example, that so terrible shows in the wreck of maidenhood, cannot for all that dissuade succession, but that they are limed with the twigs that threaten them. I hope, I need not to advise you further; but I hope, your own grace will keep you where you are, though there were no farther danger known, but the modesty which is so lost. 1 in: in f. e. 2 Flourish of a trumpet. 3 Temptations. Dia. You shall not need to fear me. Enter HELENA in the dress of a Pilgrim. Wid. I hope so.-Look, here comes a pilgrim: I know she will lie at my house; thither they send one another. I'll question her.-God save you, pilgrim ! Hel. To Saint Jaques le Grand. Where do the palmers lodge, I do beseech you? Wid. Ay, marry, is 't.-Hark you! [A march afar off. They come this way. . If you will tarry, holy pilgrim, But till the troops come by, I will conduct you where you shall be lodg'd; As ample as myself. Hel. Is it yourself? Wid. If you shall please so, pilgrim. Hel. I thank you, and will stay upon your leisure. Wid. You came, I think, from France? Hel. I did so. Wid. Here you shall see a countryman of yours, That has done worthy service. Hel. His name, I pray you. Dia. The count Rousillon: know you such a one? Hel. But by the ear, that hears most nobly of him: His face I know not. Dia. Whatsoe'er he is, He's bravely taken here. He stole from France, Hel. Ay, surely, mere the truth: I know his lady. Dia. There is a gentleman, that serves the count, Reports but coarsely of her. Hel. Dia. Monsieur Parolles. What's his name? O! I believe with him, In argument of praise, or to the worth Of the great count himself, she is too mean I have not heard examin'd. |