SCENE IV. Another part of the Forest. Enter VALENTINE. VAL. How use doth breed a habit in a man! Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain! These are my mates, that make their wills their law, Have some unhappy passenger in chase: They love me well; yet I have much to do, To keep them from uncivil outrages. Withdraw thee, Valentine; who 's this comes here? Enter PROTEUS, SILVIA, and Julia. PRO. Madam, this service I have done for you, (Though you respect not aught your servant doth,) To hazard life, and rescue you from him VAL. How like a dream is this I see and hear! Love, lend me patience to forbear a while. [Steps aside. [Aside. But, by my coming, I have made you happy. [Aside. I would have been a breakfast to the beast, • Record-to sing: thus: "Fair Philomel, night-music of the spring, Drayton's Eclogues, 1593. O, Heaven be judge how I love Valentine, Therefore be gone, solicit me no more. PRO. What dangerous action, stood it next to death, O, 't is the curse in love, and still approv'd3, For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy faith Descended into perjury, to love me. Thou hast no faith left now, unless thou 'dst two, PRO. Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words I'll woo you like a soldier, at arms' end; And love you 'gainst the nature of love, force you. SIL. O heaven! VAL. Thou common friend, that 's without faith or love; Is perjur'd to the bosom? Proteus, I am sorry I must never trust thee more, But count the world a stranger for thy sake The private wound is deepest: O time most accurs'd! 'Mongst all foes, that a friend should be the worst. Approv'd-proved, experienced. Now. The second folio has, "Who should be trusted now," &c. Hanmer reads "Who should be trusted when one's own right hand." in adopting the reading of the second folio. The first folio omits now. We agree with Mr. Collier And once again I do receive thee honest:- Is nor of heaven, nor earth; for these are pleas'd; By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeas'd,- Why, wag! how now? what's the matter? Look up; speak. [Faints. JUL. O good sir, my master charged me to deliver a ring to madam Silvia; which, out of my neglect, was never done. PRO. Where is that ring, boy? JUL. Here 't is: this is it. PRO. How! let me see: Why, this is the ring I gave to Julia. JUL. O, cry your mercy, sir, I have mistook; This is the ring you sent to Silvia. PRO. But how camest thou by this ring? At my depart, I gave this unto Julia. JUL. And Julia herself did give it me; And Julia herself has brought it hither. PRO. How! Julia! JUL. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths, Be thou asham'd, that I have took upon me It is the lesser blot, modesty finds, Women to change their shapes, than men their minds. [Gives a ring. [Shows another ring PRO. Than men their minds! 't is true; O heaven! were man But constant, he were perfect: that one error Fills him with faults; makes him run through all sins": Inconstancy falls off ere it begins: A Faints is a modern stage direction. b Cleft the root-an allusion to cleaving the pin, in archery, continuing the metaphor from give aim." To cleave the pin was to break the nail which attached the mark to the butt. All sins. In the original, All th' sins. What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye? VAL. Come, come, a hand from either: Let me be blest to make this happy close; "T were pity two such friends should be long foes. PRO. Bear witness, Heaven, I have my wish for ever. JUL. And I mine. Enter Outlaws, with DUKE and THURIO. OUT. A prize, a prize, a prize! VAL. Forbear, forbear, I say; it is my lord the duke. THU. Yonder is Silvia; and Silvia 's mine. VAL. Thurio, give back, or else embrace thy death; I hold him but a fool, that will endanger I claim her not, and therefore she is thine. DUKE. The more degenerate and base art thou, Now, by the honour of my ancestry, ⚫ I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine, And think thee worthy of an empress' love! Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserv'd her. VAL. I thank your grace; the gift hath made me happy. I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake, To grant one boon that I shall ask of you. • The reading of the original edition is, "Verona shall not hold thee." The correction of the place, which appears essential, was made by Theobald. The same mistake occurs in Act III., Scene 1, when the Duke says, "There is a lady in Verona here," the scene being clearly in Milan. But Theobald reads "Milan shall not behold thee." The licensed retardation of dramatic blank verse may dispense with the second change. DUKE. I grant it, for thine own, whate'er it be. Forgive them what they have committed here, And fit for great employment, worthy lord. VAL. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold With our discourse to make your grace to smile: DUKE. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes. VAL. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along, That done, our day of marriage shall be yours; [Exeunt E VOL. I. |