Complete Plays, The (426 page)

Proteus

Go, go, be gone, to save your ship from wreck,
Which cannot perish having thee aboard,
Being destined to a drier death on shore.

Exit Speed

I must go send some better messenger:
I fear my Julia would not deign my lines,
Receiving them from such a worthless post.

Exit

S
CENE
II. T
HE
SAME
. G
ARDEN
OF
J
ULIA
’
S
HOUSE
.

Enter JullA and Lucetta

Julia

But say, Lucetta, now we are alone,
Wouldst thou then counsel me to fall in love?

Lucetta

Ay, madam, so you stumble not unheedfully.

Julia

Of all the fair resort of gentlemen
That every day with parle encounter me,
In thy opinion which is worthiest love?

Lucetta

Please you repeat their names, I’ll show my mind
According to my shallow simple skill.

Julia

What think’st thou of the fair Sir Eglamour?

Lucetta

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

Julia

What think’st thou of the rich Mercatio?

Lucetta

Well of his wealth; but of himself, so so.

Julia

What think’st thou of the gentle Proteus?

Lucetta

Lord, Lord! to see what folly reigns in us!

Julia

How now! what means this passion at his name?

Lucetta

Pardon, dear madam: ’tis a passing shame
That I, unworthy body as I am,
Should censure thus on lovely gentlemen.

Julia

Why not on Proteus, as of all the rest?

Lucetta

Then thus: of many good I think him best.

Julia

Your reason?

Lucetta

I have no other, but a woman’s reason;
I think him so because I think him so.

Julia

And wouldst thou have me cast my love on him?

Lucetta

Ay, if you thought your love not cast away.

Julia

Why he, of all the rest, hath never moved me.

Lucetta

Yet he, of all the rest, I think, best loves ye.

Julia

His little speaking shows his love but small.

Lucetta

Fire that’s closest kept burns most of all.

Julia

They do not love that do not show their love.

Lucetta

O, they love least that let men know their love.

Julia

I would I knew his mind.

Lucetta

Peruse this paper, madam.

Julia

‘To Julia.’ Say, from whom?

Lucetta

That the contents will show.

Julia

Say, say, who gave it thee?

Lucetta

Valentine’s page; and sent, I think, from Proteus.
He would have given it you; but I, being in the way,
Did in your name receive it: pardon the fault I pray.

Julia

Now, by my modesty, a goodly broker!
Dare you presume to harbour wanton lines?
To whisper and conspire against my youth?
Now, trust me, ’tis an office of great worth
And you an officer fit for the place.
Or else return no more into my sight.

Lucetta

To plead for love deserves more fee than hate.

Julia

Will ye be gone?

Lucetta

 
That you may ruminate.

Exit

Julia

And yet I would I had o’erlooked the letter:
It were a shame to call her back again
And pray her to a fault for which I chid her.
What a fool is she, that knows I am a maid,
And would not force the letter to my view!
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
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 enforced my heart to smile!
My penance is to call Lucetta back
And ask remission for my folly past.
What ho! Lucetta!

Re-enter Lucetta

Lucetta

 
What would your ladyship?

Julia

Is’t near dinner-time?

Lucetta

I would it were,
That you might kill your stomach on your meat
And not upon your maid.

Julia

What is’t that you took up so gingerly?

Lucetta

Nothing.

Julia

Why didst thou stoop, then?

Lucetta

To take a paper up that I let fall.

Julia

And is that paper nothing?

Lucetta

Nothing concerning me.

Julia

Then let it lie for those that it concerns.

Lucetta

Madam, it will not lie where it concerns
Unless it have a false interpeter.

Julia

Some love of yours hath writ to you in rhyme.

Lucetta

That I might sing it, madam, to a tune.
Give me a note: your ladyship can set.

Julia

As little by such toys as may be possible.
Best sing it to the tune of ‘Light o’ love.’

Lucetta

It is too heavy for so light a tune.

Julia

Heavy! belike it hath some burden then?

Lucetta

Ay, and melodious were it, would you sing it.

Julia

And why not you?

Lucetta

 
I cannot reach so high.

Julia

Let’s see your song. How now, minion!

Lucetta

Keep tune there still, so you will sing it out:
And yet methinks I do not like this tune.

Julia

You do not?

Lucetta

 
No, madam; it is too sharp.

Julia

You, minion, are too saucy.

Lucetta

Nay, now you are too flat
And mar the concord with too harsh a descant:
There wanteth but a mean to fill your song.

Julia

The mean is drown’d with your unruly bass.

Lucetta

Indeed, I bid the base for Proteus.

Julia

This babble shall not henceforth trouble me.
Here is a coil with protestation!

Tears the letter

Go get you gone, and let the papers lie:
You would be fingering them, to anger me.

Lucetta

She makes it strange; but she would be best pleased
To be so anger’d with another letter.

Exit

Julia

 
Nay, would I were so anger’d with the same!
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.
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.
And here is writ ‘love-wounded Proteus.’
Poor wounded name! my bosom as a bed
Shall lodge thee till thy wound be thoroughly heal’d;
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
Till I have found each letter in the letter,
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,
‘Poor forlorn Proteus, passionate Proteus,
To the sweet Julia:’ that I’ll tear away.
And yet I will not, sith so prettily
He couples it to his complaining names.
Thus will I fold them one on another:
Now kiss, embrace, contend, do what you will.

Re-enter Lucetta

Lucetta

Madam,
Dinner is ready, and your father stays.

Julia

Well, let us go.

Lucetta

What, shall these papers lie like tell-tales here?

Julia

If you respect them, best to take them up.

Lucetta

Nay, I was taken up for laying them down:
Yet here they shall not lie, for catching cold.

Julia

I see you have a month’s mind to them.

Lucetta

Ay, madam, you may say what sights you see;
I see things too, although you judge I wink.

Julia

Come, come; will’t please you go?

Exeunt

S
CENE
III. T
HE
SAME
.
A
NTONIO
’
S
HOUSE
.

Enter Antonio and Panthino

Antonio

Tell me, Panthino, what sad talk was that
Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister?

Panthino

’Twas of his nephew Proteus, your son.

Antonio

Why, what of him?

Panthino

 
He wonder’d that your lordship
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;
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,
And did request me to importune you
To let him spend his time no more at home,
Which would be great impeachment to his age,
In having known no travel in his youth.

Antonio

Nor need’st thou much importune me to that
Whereon this month I have been hammering.
I have consider’d well his loss of time
And how he cannot be a perfect man,
Not being tried and tutor’d in the world:
Experience is by industry achieved
And perfected by the swift course of time.
Then tell me, whither were I best to send him?

Panthino

I think your lordship is not ignorant
How his companion, youthful Valentine,
Attends the emperor in his royal court.

Antonio

I know it well.

Panthino

’Twere good, I think, your lordship sent him thither:
There shall he practise tilts and tournaments,
Hear sweet discourse, converse with noblemen.
And be in eye of every exercise
Worthy his youth and nobleness of birth.

Antonio

I like thy counsel; well hast thou advised:
And that thou mayst perceive how well I like it,
The execution of it shall make known.
Even with the speediest expedition
I will dispatch him to the emperor’s court.

Panthino

To-morrow, may it please you, Don Alphonso,
With other gentlemen of good esteem,
Are journeying to salute the emperor
And to commend their service to his will.

Antonio

Good company; with them shall Proteus go:
And, in good time! now will we break with him.

Enter Proteus

Proteus

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.
O, that our fathers would applaud our loves,
To seal our happiness with their consents!
O heavenly Julia!

Antonio

How now! what letter are you reading there?

Proteus

May’t please your lordship, ’tis a word or two
Of commendations sent from Valentine,
Deliver’d by a friend that came from him.

Antonio

Lend me the letter; let me see what news.

Proteus

There is no news, my lord, but that he writes
How happily he lives, how well beloved
And daily graced by the emperor;
Wishing me with him, partner of his fortune.

Antonio

And how stand you affected to his wish?

Proteus

As one relying on your lordship’s will
And not depending on his friendly wish.

Antonio

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.
I am resolved 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.

Proteus

My lord, I cannot be so soon provided:
Please you, deliberate a day or two.

Antonio

Look, what thou want’st shall be sent after thee:
No more of stay! to-morrow thou must go.
Come on, Panthino: you shall be employ’d
To hasten on his expedition.

Exeunt Antonio and Panthino

Proteus

Thus have I shunn’d the fire for fear of burning,
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

Panthino

Sir Proteus, your father calls for you:
He is in haste; therefore, I pray you to go.

Proteus

Why, this it is: my heart accords thereto,
And yet a thousand times it answers ‘no.’