The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (378 page)

BOOK: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
6.98Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

the height of passion and they will be together: even sticks

cannot separate them.

 

ORLANDO

They shall be married to-morrow, and I will bid the

duke to the nuptial. But, O, how bitter a thing it

is to look into happiness through another man's

eyes! By so much the more shall I to-morrow be at

the height of heart-heaviness, by how much I shall

think my brother happy in having what he wishes for.

 

They will be married tomorrow, and I will ask the

duke to come to the ceremony. But O, how bitter it

is to look at happiness through another man’s

eyes! As happy as he will be, I will tomorrow be

that depressed in seeing that

my brother will have everything he desires.

 

ROSALIND

Why then, to-morrow I cannot serve your turn for Rosalind?

 

Tomorrow, can I be your Rosalind again?

 

ORLANDO

I can live no longer by thinking.

 

I can no longer keep pretending.

 

ROSALIND

I will weary you then no longer with idle talking.

Know of me then, for now I speak to some purpose,

that I know you are a gentleman of good conceit: I

speak not this that you should bear a good opinion

of my knowledge, insomuch I say I know you are;

neither do I labour for a greater esteem than may in

some little measure draw a belief from you, to do

yourself good and not to grace me. Believe then, if

you please, that I can do strange things: I have,

since I was three year old, conversed with a

magician, most profound in his art and yet not

damnable. If you do love Rosalind so near the heart

as your gesture cries it out, when your brother

marries Aliena, shall you marry her: I know into

what straits of fortune she is driven; and it is

not impossible to me, if it appear not inconvenient

to you, to set her before your eyes tomorrow human

as she is and without any danger.

 

I will not tire you anymore with foolish talk.

Listen now, for I have a purpose for my words

and I know you are a smart man, I

don’t say this so that you will think highly

of my knowledge, just because I speak highly of your knowledge,

and I also do not say this to build a better reputation

for myself in your mind, but only to do

good for you. Believe me when I say

that I can do strange and magical things. I have

since I was three years old, spoken with a

magician, one very strong in his art and yet not

cursed and damned to hell. If you love Rosalind as much

as you gesture, then when your brother

marries Aliena, you will marry her. I know

where fortune has taken her, and it is

not impossible for me to get her, if it is not inconvenient

to you, and put her in front of your eyes tomorrow as a human

and without any danger.

 

ORLANDO

Speakest thou in sober meanings?

 

Are you speaking honestly and seriously?

 

ROSALIND

By my life, I do; which I tender dearly, though I

say I am a magician. Therefore, put you in your

best array: bid your friends; for if you will be

married to-morrow, you shall, and to Rosalind, if you will.

 

I swear by my life, which is worth a lot to me, that I am, even if

I say I am a magician. Put on your

best clothes and invite your friends, for if you want to be

married tomorrow, you will be, and if you want to marry Rosalind, you will.

 

Enter SILVIUS and PHEBE

 

Look, here comes a lover of mine and a lover of hers.

 

Look, here comes one who loves me, and one who loves her.

 

PHEBE

Youth, you have done me much ungentleness,

To show the letter that I writ to you.

 

Youth, it was very unkind

to show him the letter I wrote to you.

 

ROSALIND

I care not if I have: it is my study

To seem despiteful and ungentle to you:

You are there followed by a faithful shepherd;

Look upon him, love him; he worships you.

 

I don’t care that I did. I am trying

to be spiteful and unkind to you.

You are followed by a faithful shepherd,

so look at him and love him: he worships you.

 

PHEBE

Good shepherd, tell this youth what 'tis to love.

 

Good shepherd, tell this youth what it means to love someone.

 

SILVIUS

It is to be all made of sighs and tears;

And so am I for Phebe.

 

It is made of sighing and crying,

and so I am in love with Phebe.

 

PHEBE

And I for Ganymede.

 

And I with Ganymede.

 

ORLANDO

And I for Rosalind.

 

And I with Rosalind.

 

ROSALIND

And I for no woman.

 

And I with no woman.

 

SILVIUS

It is to be all made of faith and service;

And so am I for Phebe.

 

It is to be made of being faithful and one’s servant,

and I am that for Phebe.

 

PHEBE

And I for Ganymede.

 

And I for Ganymede.

 

ORLANDO

And I for Rosalind.

 

And I for Rosalind.

 

ROSALIND

And I for no woman.

 

And I for no woman.

 

SILVIUS

It is to be all made of fantasy,

All made of passion and all made of wishes,

All adoration, duty, and observance,

All humbleness, all patience and impatience,

All purity, all trial, all observance;

And so am I for Phebe.

 

It is to be made of fantasy and daydreams,

made of passion and wishing

all adoration, duty, and devotion,

all humility and patience, and impatience,

all purity, all hardships, all devotion.

And so am I for Phebe.

 

PHEBE

And so am I for Ganymede.

 

And so am I for Ganymede.

 

ORLANDO

And so am I for Rosalind.

 

And so am I for Rosalind.

 

ROSALIND

And so am I for no woman.

 

And so am I for no woman.

 

PHEBE

If this be so, why blame you me to love you?

 

If this is true, then why do you blame me for loving you?

 

SILVIUS

If this be so, why blame you me to love you?

 

If this is true, then why do you blame me for loving you?

 

ORLANDO

If this be so, why blame you me to love you?

 

If this is true, then why do you blame me for loving you?

 

ROSALIND

Who do you speak to, 'Why blame you me to love you?'

 

Who are you talking to with this?

 

ORLANDO

To her that is not here, nor doth not hear.

 

To her that is not here and does not hear.

 

ROSALIND

Pray you, no more of this; 'tis like the howling

of Irish wolves against the moon.

 

Please, all of you, stop. It is like

Irish wolves howling at the moon.

 

To SILVIUS

 

I will help you, if I can:

 

I will help, if I can.

 

To PHEBE

 

I would love you, if I could. To-morrow meet me all together.

 

If I could, I would love you too. Tomorrow meet me, everyone.

 

To PHEBE

 

I will marry you, if ever I marry woman, and I'll be

married to-morrow:

 

If I ever marry a woman, I will marry you, and I will be

married tomorrow.

 

To ORLANDO

 

I will satisfy you, if ever I satisfied man, and you

shall be married to-morrow:

 

I will satisfy you, more than I ever satisfied a man, and you

shall be married tomorrow.

 

To SILVIUS

 

I will content you, if what pleases you contents

you, and you shall be married to-morrow.

 

You will be happy, if what pleases you makes you happy,

and you will be married tomorrow.

 

To ORLANDO

 

As you love Rosalind, meet:

 

Since you love Rosalind, come.

 

To SILVIUS

 

as you love Phebe, meet: and as I love no woman,

I'll meet. So fare you well: I have left you commands.

 

And since you love Phebe, come. And I love no woman,

and will come. Fare you all well, you have my commands for tomorrow.

 

SILVIUS

I'll not fail, if I live.

 

As I live, I will be there.

 

PHEBE

Nor I.

 

Me too.

 

ORLANDO

Nor I.

 

Me too.

 

Exeunt

 

Enter TOUCHSTONE and AUDREY

 

TOUCHSTONE

To-morrow is the joyful day, Audrey; to-morrow will

we be married.

 

Tomorrow is the happy day, Audrey. Tomorrow we will

be married.

 

AUDREY

I do desire it with all my heart; and I hope it is

no dishonest desire to desire to be a woman of the

world. Here comes two of the banished duke's pages.

 

I desire it with all of my heart. I hope it is

not unchaste of me to desire to be a married woman.

Here come two of the duke’s pages.

 

Enter two Pages

 

First Page

Well met, honest gentleman.

 

Hello, honest gentlemen.

 

TOUCHSTONE

By my troth, well met. Come, sit, sit, and a song.

 

Truly, good to see you. Come and sit, and sing a song.

Other books

Death in Autumn by Magdalen Nabb
Daughter of the King by Sandra Lansky
Losing Romeo by Cindi Madsen
My Father's Notebook by Kader Abdolah
On Fire by Carla Neggers
Conan the Barbarian by Michael A. Stackpole
Worth Dying For by Luxie Ryder
Snapshot by Linda Barnes
Murder Takes a Break by Bill Crider