Enter PROTEUS. Pro. Sweet love! sweet lines! sweet life! 50 Ant. How now! what letter are you reading there? Pro. May't please your lordship, 'tis a word or two Of commendations sent from Valentine, Ant. Lend me the letter; let me see what news. Pro. There is no news, my lord, but that he writes How happily he lives, how well beloved Wishing me with him, partner of his fortune. Ant. My will is something sorted with his wish. Muse not that I thus suddenly proceed; For what I will, I will, and there an end. Excuse it not, for I am peremptory. *Allowance. 70 Pro. My lord, I cannot be so soon provided: Please you, deliberate a day or two. Ant. Look, what thou want'st shall be sent after thee: No more of stay! to-morrow thou must go. [Exeunt Ant. and Pan. 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. And with the vantage* of mine own excuse *Advantage. The uncertain glory of an April day, 89 Pan. Sir Proteus, your father calls for you: ACT II. SCENE I. Milan. The DUKE's palace. Enter VALENTINE and Speed. Speed. Sir, your glove. Val. Not mine; my gloves are on Speed. Why, then, this may be yours, for this is but one. Val. Ha! let me see: ay, give it me, it's mine: Sweet ornament that decks a thing divine! Ah, Silvia, Silvia! Speed. Madam Silvia! Madam Silvia! Speed. She is not within hearing, sir. Val. Why, sir, who bade you call her? Speed. Your worship, sir; or else I mistook. 10 Val. Well, you'll still be too forward. Speed. And yet I was last chidden for being too slow. Val. Silvia? Go to, sir: tell me, do you know Madam 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 schoolboy that had lost his A B C; to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam; to fast, like one that takes diet; to watch, like one that fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beggar at Hallowmas. You were wont, when you laughed, to crow like a cock; when you walked, to walk like one of the lions; when you fasted, it was presently after dinner; when you looked sadly, it was for want of money: and now you are metamorphosed with a mistress, that, when I look on you, I can hardly think you my master. Val. Are all these things perceived in me? Speed. They are all perceived without ye. Val. Without me? they cannot. Speed. Without you? nay, that's certain, for, without you were so simple, none else would: but you are so without these follies, that these follies are within you and shine through you like the water in an urinal, that not an eye that sees you but is a physician to comment on your malady. Val. But tell me, dost thou know my lady Silvia? Speed. She that you gaze on so as she sits at supper? Val. Hast thou observed that? even she, I mean. Speed. Why, sir, I know her not. 50 Val. Dost thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet knowest her not? Speed. Is she not hard-favoured, sir? Speed. That she is not so fair as, of favoured. you, well Val. I mean that her beauty is exquisite, but her favour infinite. 60 Speed. That's because the one is painted and the other out of all count. Val. How painted? and how out of count? Speed. Marry, sir, so painted, to make her fair, that no man counts of her beauty. Val. How esteemest thou me? I account of her beauty. Speed. You never saw her since she was deformed. Val. How long hath she been deformed? 70 Val. I have loved her ever since I saw her; and still I see her beautiful. Speed. If you love her, you cannot see her. Speed. Because Love is blind. O, that you had mine eyes; or your own eyes had the lights they were wont to have when you chid at Sir Proteus for going ungartered! Val. What should I see then? 80 Speed. Your own present folly and her passing deformity: for he, being in love, could not see to garter his hose, and you, being in love, cannot see to put on your hose. Val. Belike, boy, then, you are in love; for last morning you could not see to wipe my shoes. Speed. True, sir; I was in love with my bed: I thank you, you swinged me for my love, which makes me the bolder to chide you for yours. Val. In conclusion, I stand affected to her. 90 Speed. I would you were set, so your affection would cease. Val. Last night she enjoined me to write some lines to one she loves. Speed. And have you? Val. I have. Speed. Are they not lamely writ? Val. No, boy, but as well as I can do them. Peace! here she comes. Speed. [Aside] O excellent motion!* O exceeding puppet! Now will he interpret to her. Enter SILVIA. *Puppet. Val. Madam and mistress, a thousand good morrows. Speed. [Aside] O, give ye good even! here's a million of manners. Sil. Sir Valentine and servant, to you two thousand. Speed. [Aside] He should give her interest, and she gives it him. Val. As you enjoin'd me, I have writ your letter Unto the secret nameless friend of yours; Which I was much unwilling to proceed in But for my duty to your ladyship. Sil. I thank you, gentle servant: 'tis very* clerkly done. *Real. Val. Now trust me, madam, it came hardly off; For being ignorant to whom it goes Sil. Perchance you think too much of so much pains? Val. No, madam; so it stead you, I will write, Please you command, a thousand times as much; And yet Sil. A pretty period! Well, I guess the sequel; And yet I will not name it; and yet I care not; Speed. [Aside] And yet you will; and yet another 'yet.' Val. What means your ladyship? do you not like it? Sil. Yes, yes: the lines are very quaintly writ; But since unwillingly, take them again. Nay, take them. Val. Madam, they are for you. 130 Sil. Ay, ay: you writ them, sir, at my request; But I will none of them; they are for you; I would have had them writ more movingly. another. Sil. And when it's writ, for my sake read it over, And if it please you, so; if not, why, so. Val. If it please me, madam, what then? Sil. Why, if it please you, take it for your labour: And so, good morrow, servant. [Exit. 140 Speed. O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible, |