William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (336 page)

Read William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition Online

Authors: William Shakespeare

Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare

BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
9.6Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
Enter Olivia, and Viola as Cesario
 
FABIAN Here he comes with your niece. Give them way till he take leave, and presently after him.
SIR TOBY I will meditate the while upon some horrid message for a challenge.
Exeunt Sir Toby, Fabian, and Maria
OLIVIA
I have said too much unto a heart of stone,
And laid mine honour too unchary out.
There’s something in me that reproves my fault,
But such a headstrong potent fault it is
That it but mocks reproof.
VIOLA With the same ’haviour
That your passion bears goes on my master’s griefs.
OLIVIA (
giving a jewel
)
Here, wear this jewel for me, ’tis my picture—
Refuse it not, it hath no tongue to vex you—
And I beseech you come again tomorrow.
What shall you ask of me that I’ll deny,
That honour, saved, may upon asking give?
VIOLA
Nothing but this: your true love for my master.
OLIVIA
How with mine honour may I give him that
Which I have given to you?
VIOLA I will acquit you.
OLIVIA
Well, come again tomorrow. Fare thee well.
A fiend like thee might bear my soul to hell.
Exit
Enter Sir Toby and Fabian
 
SIR TOBY Gentleman, God save thee.
VIOLA And you, sir.
SIR TOBY That defence thou hast, betake thee to’t. Of what nature the wrongs are thou hast done him, I know not, but thy intercepter, full of despite, bloody as the hunter, attends thee at the orchard end. Dismount thy tuck, be yare in thy preparation, for thy assailant is quick, skilful, and deadly.
VIOLA You mistake, sir, I am sure no man hath any quarrel to me. My remembrance is very free and clear from any image of offence done to any man.
SIR TOBY You’ll find it otherwise, I assure you. Therefore, if you hold your life at any price, betake you to your guard, for your opposite hath in him what youth, strength, skill, and wrath can furnish man withal.
VIOLA I pray you, sir, what is he?
SIR TOBY He is knight dubbed with unhatched rapier and on carpet consideration, but he is a devil in private brawl. Souls and bodies hath he divorced three, and his incensement at this moment is so implacable that satisfaction can be none but by pangs of death and sepulchre. Hob nob is his word, give’t or take’t.
VIOLA I will return again into the house and desire some conduct of the lady. I am no fighter. I have heard of some kind of men that put quarrels purposely on others, to taste their valour. Belike this is a man of that quirk.
SIR TOBY Sir, no. His indignation derives itself out of a very competent injury, therefore get you on, and give him his desire. Back you shall not to the house unless you undertake that with me which with as much safety you might answer him. Therefore on, or strip your sword stark naked, for meddle you must, that’s certain, or forswear to wear iron about you.
VIOLA This is as uncivil as strange. I beseech you do me this courteous office, as to know of the knight what my offence to him is. It is something of my negligence, nothing of my purpose.
SIR TOBY I will do so. Signor Fabian, stay you by this gentleman till my return. Exit
VIOLA Pray you, sir, do you know of this matter?
FABIAN I know the knight is incensed against you even to a mortal arbitrement, but nothing of the circumstance more.
VIOLA I beseech you, what manner of man is he?
FABIAN Nothing of that wonderful promise to read him by his form as you are like to find him in the proof of his valour. He is indeed, sir, the most skilful, bloody, and fatal opposite that you could possibly have found in any part of Illyria. Will you walk towards him, I will make your peace with him if I can.
VIOLA I shall be much bound to you for’t. I am one that had rather go with Sir Priest than Sir Knight—I care not who knows so much of my mettle. ⌈
Exeunt
⌉
Enter Sir Toby and Sir Andrew
 
SIR TOBY Why, man, he’s a very devil, I have not seen such a virago. I had a pass with him, rapier, scabbard, and all, and he gives me the stuck-in with such a mortal motion that it is inevitable, and on the answer, he pays you as surely as your feet hits the ground they step on. They say he has been fencer to the Sophy.
SIR ANDREW Pox on’t, I’ll not meddle with him.
SIR TOBY Ay, but he will not now be pacified, Fabian can scarce hold him yonder.
SIR ANDREW Plague on’t, an I thought he had been valiant and so cunning in fence I’d have seen him damned ere I’d have challenged him. Let him let the matter slip and I’ll give him my horse, grey Capulet.
SIR TOBY I’ll make the motion. Stand here, make a good show on’t—this shall end without the perdition of souls. (
Aside
) Marry, I’ll ride your horse as well as I ride you.
Enter Fabian, and Viola as Cesario
 
[
Aside to Fabian
] I have his horse to take up the quarrel, I have persuaded him the youth’s a devil.
FABIAN (
aside
to Sir Toby
) He is as horribly conceited of him, and pants and looks pale as if a bear were at his heels.
SIR TOBY (
to Viola
) There’s no remedy, sir, he will fight with you for’s oath’ sake. Marry, he hath better bethought him of his quarrel, and he finds that now scarce to be worth talking of. Therefore draw for the supportance of his vow, he protests he will not hurt you.
VIOLA (
aside
) Pray God defend me. A little thing would make me tell them how much I lack of a man.
FABIAN (
to Sir Andrew
) Give ground if you see him furious.
SIR TOBY Come, Sir Andrew, there’s no remedy, the gentleman will for his honour’s sake have one bout with you, he cannot by the duello avoid it, but he has promised me, as he is a gentleman and a soldier, he will not hurt you. Come on, to’t.
SIR ANDREW Pray God he keep his oath.
Enter Antonio
 
VIOLA
I do assure you ’tis against my will.
Sir Andrew and Viola draw their swords
ANTONIO (
drawing his sword, to Sir Andrew
)
Put up your sword. If this young gentleman
Have done offence, I take the fault on me.
If you offend him, I for him defy you.
SIR TOBY You, sir? Why, what are you?
ANTONIO
One, sir, that for his love dares yet do more
Than you have heard him brag to you he will.
SIR TOBY (
drawing his sword
) Nay, if you be an undertaker,
I am for you.
Enter Officers
 
FABIAN O, good Sir Toby, hold. Here come the officers.
SIR TOBY (
to Antonio
) I’ll be with you anon.
VIOLA (
to Sir Andrew
) Pray, sir, put your sword up if you please.
SIR ANDREW Marry will I, sir, and for that I promised you I’ll be as good as my word. He will bear you easily, and reins well.
Sir Andrew and Viola put up their swords
 
FIRST OFFICER This is the man, do thy office.
SECOND OFFICER Antonio, I arrest thee at the suit of Count Orsino.
ANTONIO You do mistake me, sir.
FIRST OFFICER
No, sir, no jot. I know your favour well,
Though now you have no seacap on your head.
(
To Second Officer
) Take him away, he knows I know
him well.
ANTONIO
I must obey. (
To Viola
) This comes with seeking you.
But there’s no remedy, I shall answer it.
What will you do now my necessity
Makes me to ask you for my purse? It grieves me
Much more for what I cannot do for you
Than what befalls myself. You stand amazed,
But be of comfort.
SECOND OFFICER Come, sir, away.
ANTONIO (
to Viola
)
I must entreat of you some of that money.
VIOLA What money, sir?
For the fair kindness you have showed me here,
And part being prompted by your present trouble,
Out of my lean and low ability
I’ll lend you something. My having is not much.
I’ll make division of my present with you.
Hold, (
offering money
) there’s half my coffer.
ANTONIO
Will you deny me now?
Is’t possible that my deserts to you
Can lack persuasion? Do not tempt my misery,
Lest that it make me so unsound a man
As to upbraid you with those kindnesses
That I have done for you.
VIOLA
I know of none,
Nor know I you by voice, or any feature.
I hate ingratitude more in a man
Than lying, vainness, babbling drunkenness,
Or any taint of vice whose strong corruption
Inhabits our frail blood.
ANTONIO
O heavens themselves!
SECOND OFFICER Come, sir, I pray you go.
ANTONIO
Let me speak a little. This youth that you see here
I snatched one half out of the jaws of death,
Relieved him with such sanctity of love,
And to his image, which methought did promise
Most venerable worth, did I devotion.
FIRST OFFICER
What’s that to us? The time goes by, away.
ANTONIO
But O, how vile an idol proves this god!
Thou hast, Sebastian, done good feature shame.
In nature there’s no blemish but the mind.
None can be called deformed but the unkind.
Virtue is beauty, but the beauteous evil
Are empty trunks o’er-flourished by the devil.
FIRST OFFICER
The man grows mad, away with him. Come, come, sir.
ANTONIO Lead me on.
Exit with Officers
VIOLA (
aside
)
Methinks his words do from such passion fly
That he believes himself. So do not I.
Prove true, imagination, O prove true,
That I, dear brother, be now ta’en for you!
SIR TOBY Come hither, knight. Come hither, Fabian. We’ll whisper o’er a couplet or two of most sage saws.
They stand aside
 
VIOLA
He named Sebastian. I my brother know
Yet living in my glass. Even such and so
In favour was my brother, and he went
Still in this fashion, colour, ornament,
For him I imitate. O, if it prove,
Tempests are kind, and salt waves fresh in love!
Exit
SIR TOBY (
to Sir Andrew
) A very dishonest, paltry boy, and more a coward than a hare. His dishonesty appears in leaving his friend here in necessity, and denying him; and for his cowardship, ask Fabian.
FABIAN A coward, a most devout coward, religious in it.
SIR ANDREW ’Slid, I’ll after him again, and beat him.
SIR TOBY Do, cuff him soundly, but never draw thy sword.
SIR ANDREW An I do not—
Exit
FABIAN Come, let’s see the event.
SIR TOBY I dare lay any money ’twill be nothing yet.
Exeunt
4.1
Enter Sebastian and Feste, the clown
 
FESTE Will you make me believe that I am not sent for you?
SEBASTIAN
Go to, go to, thou art a foolish fellow,
Let me be clear of thee.
FESTE Well held out, i’faith! No, I do not know you, nor I am not sent to you by my lady to bid you come speak with her, nor your name is not Master Cesario, nor this is not my nose, neither. Nothing that is so, is so.
SEBASTIAN
I prithee vent thy folly somewhere else,
Thou know’st not me.
FESTE Vent my folly! He has heard that word of some great man, and now applies it to a fool. Vent my folly—I am afraid this great lubber the world will prove a cockney. I prithee now ungird thy strangeness, and tell me what I shall ‘vent’ to my lady? Shall I ‘vent’ to her that thou art coming?

Other books

September Fair by Jess Lourey
Lynch by Nancy A.Collins
Compulsively Mr. Darcy by Nina Benneton
Under Alaskan Skies by Grace, Carol
The VIP Room by Lauren Landish, Emilia Winters, Sarah Brooks, Alexa Wilder, Layla Wilcox, Kira Ward, Terra Wolf, Crystal Kaswell, Lily Marie
Laird of Darkness by Nicole North