Wish me partaker in thy happiness

danger,

Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me fool.

36

Val. So, by your circumstance, I fear you'll prove.

Pro. 'Tis love you cavil at: I am not Love.

Val. Love is your master, for he masters you;

And he that is so yoked by a fool,
Methinks, should not be chronicled for wise.
Pro. Yet writers say, as in the sweetest bud

40

Inhabits in the finest wits of all.

44

48

Val. And writers say, as the most forward bud
Is eaten by the canker ere it blow,
Even so by love the young and tender wit
Is turned to folly; blasting in the bud,
Losing his verdure even in the prime,
And all the fair effects of future hopes.
But wherefore waste I time to counsel thee
That art a votary to fond desire?
Once more adieu! my father at the road
Expects my coming, there to see me shipp'd.
Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine.
Val. Sweet Proteus, no; now let us take our
leave.

To Milan let me hear from thee by letters
Of thy success in love, and what news else

52

56

Pro. Why, sir, how do you bear with me? Speed. Marry, sir, the letter very orderly; having nothing but the word 'noddy' for my pains.

137

Pro. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your

slow purse.

136

Pro. Come, come; open the matter in brief: what said she?

Speed. Open your purse, that the money and the matter may be both at once delivered. 140 Pro. Well, sir, here is for your pains [giving him money, What said she?

Speed. Truly, sir, I think you'll hardly win her. Pro. Why? couldst thou perceive so much

from her?

145

152

Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter. And being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she'll prove as hard to you in telling your mind. Give her no token but stones, for she's as hard as steel. Pro. What! said she nothing? Speed. No, not so much as 'Take this for thy pains.' To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testerned me; in requital whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourself. And so, sir, I'll commend you to my master. Pro. Go, go, be gone, to save your ship from wrack;

157

Jul. Of all the fair resort of gentlemen That every day with parle encounter me, In thy opinion which is worthiest love? Luc. Please you repeat their names, I'll show my mind

According to my shallow simple skill.

8

Jul. What think'st thou of the fair Sir Eglamour?

Luc. As of a knight well-spoken, neat and fine; But, were I you, he never should be mine.

II Jul. What think'st thou of the rich Mercatio? Luc. Well of his wealth; but of himself, so so. Jul. What think'st thou of the gentle Proteus? Luc. Lord, Lord! to see what folly reigns in us! Jul. How now! what means this passion at his name?

16

Jul. Now, by my modesty, a goodly broker! Dare you presume to harbour wanton lines? 40 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.

44

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! 52
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 56
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 enforc'd my heart to smile.
My penance is, to call Lucetta back
And ask remission for my folly past.
What ho! Lucetta!

[Gives a letter.

Jul. 'To Julia.' - Say from whom?

Luc.

Re-enter LUCETTA.

60

What would your ladyship? 64

Jul. Is it 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? Luc. Nothing.

69

To take a paper up

Jul. Why didst thou stoop, then? Luc.

That I let fall. Jul.

And is that paper nothing?

72

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 rime.

76

Luc. Nay, now you are too flat

There wanteth but a mean to fill your song. 92

Jul. The mean is drown'd with your unruly

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. 109 And here is writ 'love-wounded Proteus:'

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

112

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
MI I have found each letter in the letter,
116
Except mine own name; that some whirlwind

bear

Unto a ragged, fearful hanging rock,
And throw it thence into the raging sea!
Lo! here in one line is his name twice writ, 120
Poor forlorn Proteus, passionate Proteus,

Jul. Come, come; will't please you go?

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The Same. A Room in ANTONIO'S House.

Enter ANTONIO and PANTHINO.

Ant. Tell me, Panthino, what sad talk was that

Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister? Pant. 'Twas of his nephew Proteus, your son. Ant. Why, what of him?

Pant. He wonder'd that your lordship 4
Would suffer him to spend his youth at home,
While other men, of slender reputation,
Put forth their sons to seek preferment out:
Some to the wars, to try their fortune there; 8
Some to discover islands far away;

Some to the studious universities.
For any or for all these exercises

He said that Proteus your son was meet,

12

Pro. Sweet love! sweet lines! sweet life! Here is her hand, the agent of her heart;

Here is her oath for love, her honour's pawn.

No more of stay; to-morrow thou must go. Come on, Panthino: you shall be employ'd 76 To hasten on his expedition.

[Exeunt ANTONIO and PANTHINO.

Pro. Thus have I shunn'd the fire for fear of burning,

80

And drench'd me in the sea, where I am drown'd.
I fear'd to show my father Julia's letter,
Lest he should take exceptions to my love;
And with the vantage of mine own excuse
Hath he excepted most against my love.
O! how this spring of love resembleth
The uncertain glory of an April day,
Which now shows all the beauty of the sun,
And by and by a cloud takes all away!

Re-enter PANTHINO.

84

43

Pant. Sir Proteus, your father calls for you: He is in haste; therefore, I pray you, go. Pro. Why, this it is: my heart accords thereto,

89

And yet a thousand times it answers, 'no.'

[Exeunt.

АСТ II.

To seal our happiness with their consents!

Muse not that I thus suddenly proceed;
For what I will, I will, and there an end.
I am resolv'd that thou shalt spend some time
With Valentinus in the emperor's court:
What maintenance he from his friends receives,
Like exhibition thou shalt have from me.
To-morrow be in readiness to go:

Excuse it not, for I am peremptory.

69

Speed. She that your worship loves? Val. Why, how know you that I am in love? Speed. Marry, by these special marks: first, you have learned, like Sir Proteus, to wreathe your arms, like a malecontent; to relish a lovesong, like a robin-redbreast; to walk alone, like one that had the pestilence; to sigh, like a