Val. Ay, my good lord, I know the gentleman To be of worth and worthy estimation And not without desert so well reputed. Duke. Hath he not a son? Val. Ay, my good lord; a son that well de serves The honour and regard of such a father. Duke. You know him well? 60 Val. I know him as myself; for from our infancy We have conversed and spent our hours together: To clothe mine age with angel-like perfection, He is as worthy for an empress' love 80 And here he means to spend his time awhile: been he. Duke. Welcome him then according to his worth. Silvia, I speak to you, and you, Sir Thurio; [Exit. Val. This is the gentleman I told your ladyship, Had come along with me, but that his mistress Did hold his eyes lock'd in her crystal looks. Sil. Belike that now she hath enfranchised them 90 Upon some other pawn for fealty. Val. Nay, sure, I think she holds them prisoners still. Sil. Nay, then he should be blind; and, being blind, How could he see his way to seek out you? Val. Why, lady, Love hath twenty pair of eyes. Thu. They say that Love hath not an eye at all. Val. To see such lovers, Thurio, as yourself: Upon a homely object Love can wink. Sil. Have done, have done; here comes the gentleman. 100 Enter PROTEUS. [Exit Thurio.. Val. Welcome, dear Proteus! Mistress, I beseech you, Confirm his welcome with some special favour. Sil. His worth is warrant for his welcome hither, If this be he you oft have wish'd to hear from. Val. Mistress, it is: sweet lady, entertain him To be my fellow-servant to your ladyship. Sil. Too low a mistress for so high a servant. Pro. Not so, sweet lady: but too mean a servant Pro. To have a look of such a worthy mistress. *Reward. That you are worthless. Re-enter THURIO. Thu. Madam, my lord your father would speak with you. Sil. I wait upon his pleasure. Come, Sir Thurio, Go with me. Once more, new servant, welcome: I'll leave you to confer of home affairs: When you have done, we look to hear from you. Pro. We'll both attend upon your ladyship. [Exeunt Silvia and Thurio. Val. Now, tell me, how do all from whence you came? Pro. Your friends are well and have them much commended. Val. And how do yours? Pro. I left them all in health. How does your lady? and how thrives your love? Pro. My tales of love were wont to weary you; I know you joy not in a love-discourse. Val. Ay, Proteus, but that life is alter'd now: I have done penance for contemning Love, Whose high imperious thoughts have punish'd me Love hath chased sleep from my enthralled eyes sorrow. O gentle Proteus, Love's a mighty lord Nor to his service no such joy on earth. 140 Pro. Enough; I read your fortune in your eye. Was this the idol that you worship so? Val. Even she; and is she not a heavenly saint? Pro. No; but she is an earthly paragon. Val. Call her divine. I will not flatter her. Pro. Val. O, flatter me; for love delights in praises. Pro. When I was sick, you gave me bitter pills, And I must minister the like to you. 150 Val. Then speak the truth by her; if not divine, Yet let her be a principality, Sovereign to all the creatures on the earth. Pro. Except my mistress. Val. Sweet, except not any; Except thou wilt except against my love. Pro. Have I not reason to prefer mine own? Val. And I will help thee to prefer her too: She shall be dignified with this high honourTo bear my lady's train, lest the base earth Should from her vesture chance to steal a kiss 160 And, of so great a favour growing proud, Disdain to root the summer-swelling flower And make rough winter everlastingly. Pro. Why, Valentine, what braggardism is this? Val. Pardon me, Proteus: all I can is nothing To her whose worth makes other worthies nothing; She is alone. Val. Not for the world: why, man, she is mine own, And I as rich in having such a jewel As twenty seas, if all their sand were pear!, 170 Val. Ay, and we are betroth'd: nay, more, our marriage-hour, With all the cunning manner of our flight, Val. 180 190 [Exit Valentine. Even as one heat another heat expels, Or as one nail by strength drives out another, 200 Her true perfection, or my false transgression, Speed. Milan! SCENE V. The same. A street. 210 †Discretion. Enter SPEED and LAUNCE severally. [Exit. Launce! by mine honesty, welcome to Launce. Forswear not thyself, sweet youth, for I am not welcome. I reckon this always, that a man is never undone till he be hanged, nor never welcome to a place till some certain shot be paid and the hostess say 'Welcome!' Speed. Come on, you madcap, I'll to the alehouse with you presently; where, for one shot* of five pence, thou shalt have five thousand welcomes. But, sirrah, how did thy master part with Madam Julia? *Reckoning at alehouse. Launce. Marry, after they closed in earnest, they parted very fairly in jest. Speed. But shall she marry him? Launce. No. |