The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 304

PRINCESS OF FRANCE. Saint Dennis to Saint Cupid! What are they That charge their breath against us? Say, scout, say.

BOYET. Under the cool shade of a sycamore I thought to close mine eyes some half an hour; When, lo, to interrupt my purpos'd rest, Toward that shade I might behold addrest The King and his companions; warily I stole into a neighbour thicket by, And overheard what you shall overhear- That, by and by, disguis'd they will be here.

Their herald is a pretty knavish page, That well by heart hath conn'd his emba.s.sage.

Action and accent did they teach him there: 'Thus must thou speak' and 'thus thy body bear,'

And ever and anon they made a doubt Presence majestical would put him out; 'For' quoth the King 'an angel shalt thou see; Yet fear not thou, but speak audaciously.'

The boy replied 'An angel is not evil; I should have fear'd her had she been a devil.'

With that all laugh'd, and clapp'd him on the shoulder, Making the bold wag by their praises bolder.

One rubb'd his elbow, thus, and fleer'd, and swore A better speech was never spoke before.

Another with his finger and his thumb Cried 'Via! we will do't, come what will come.'

The third he caper'd, and cried 'All goes well.'

The fourth turn'd on the toe, and down he fell.

With that they all did tumble on the ground, With such a zealous laughter, so profound, That in this spleen ridiculous appears, To check their folly, pa.s.sion's solemn tears.

PRINCESS OF FRANCE. But what, but what, come they to visit us?

BOYET. They do, they do, and are apparell'd thus, Like Muscovites or Russians, as I guess.

Their purpose is to parley, court, and dance; And every one his love-feat will advance Unto his several mistress; which they'll know By favours several which they did bestow.

PRINCESS OF FRANCE. And will they so? The gallants shall be task'd, For, ladies, we will every one be mask'd; And not a man of them shall have the grace, Despite of suit, to see a lady's face.

Hold, Rosaline, this favour thou shalt wear, And then the King will court thee for his dear; Hold, take thou this, my sweet, and give me thine, So shall Berowne take me for Rosaline.

And change you favours too; so shall your loves Woo contrary, deceiv'd by these removes.

ROSALINE. Come on, then, wear the favours most in sight.

KATHARINE. But, in this changing, what is your intent?

PRINCESS OF FRANCE. The effect of my intent is to cross theirs.

They do it but in mocking merriment, And mock for mock is only my intent.

Their several counsels they unbosom shall To loves mistook, and so be mock'd withal Upon the next occasion that we meet With visages display'd to talk and greet.

ROSALINE. But shall we dance, if they desire us to't?

PRINCESS OF FRANCE. No, to the death, we will not move a foot, Nor to their penn'd speech render we no grace; But while 'tis spoke each turn away her face.

BOYET. Why, that contempt will kill the speaker's heart, And quite divorce his memory from his part.

PRINCESS OF FRANCE. Therefore I do it; and I make no doubt The rest will ne'er come in, if he be out.

There's no such sport as sport by sport o'erthrown, To make theirs ours, and ours none but our own; So shall we stay, mocking intended game, And they well mock'd depart away with shame.

[Trumpet sounds within]

BOYET. The trumpet sounds; be mask'd; the maskers come.

[The LADIES mask]

Enter BLACKAMOORS music, MOTH as Prologue, the KING and his LORDS as maskers, in the guise of Russians

MOTH. All hail, the richest heauties on the earth!

BOYET. Beauties no richer than rich taffeta.

MOTH. A holy parcel of the fairest dames [The LADIES turn their backs to him]

That ever turn'd their- backs- to mortal views!

BEROWNE. Their eyes, villain, their eyes.

MOTH. That ever turn'd their eyes to mortal views!

Out- BOYET. True; out indeed.

MOTH. Out of your favours, heavenly spirits, vouchsafe Not to behold- BEROWNE. Once to behold, rogue.

MOTH. Once to behold with your sun-beamed eyes- with your sun-beamed eyes- BOYET. They will not answer to that epithet; You were best call it 'daughter-beamed eyes.'

MOTH. They do not mark me, and that brings me out.

BEROWNE. Is this your perfectness? Be gone, you rogue.

Exit MOTH ROSALINE. What would these strangers? Know their minds, Boyet.

If they do speak our language, 'tis our will That some plain man recount their purposes.

Know what they would.

BOYET. What would you with the Princess?

BEROWNE. Nothing but peace and gentle visitation.

ROSALINE. What would they, say they?

BOYET. Nothing but peace and gentle visitation.

ROSALINE. Why, that they have; and bid them so be gone.

BOYET. She says you have it, and you may be gone.

KING. Say to her we have measur'd many miles To tread a measure with her on this gra.s.s.

BOYET. They say that they have measur'd many a mile To tread a measure with you on this gra.s.s.

ROSALINE. It is not so. Ask them how many inches Is in one mile? If they have measured many, The measure, then, of one is eas'ly told.

BOYET. If to come hither you have measur'd miles, And many miles, the Princess bids you tell How many inches doth fill up one mile.

BEROWNE. Tell her we measure them by weary steps.

BOYET. She hears herself.

ROSALINE. How many weary steps Of many weary miles you have o'ergone Are numb'red in the travel of one mile?

BEROWNE. We number nothing that we spend for you; Our duty is so rich, so infinite, That we may do it still without accompt.

Vouchsafe to show the sunshine of your face, That we, like savages, may worship it.

ROSALINE. My face is but a moon, and clouded too.

KING. Blessed are clouds, to do as such clouds do.

Vouchsafe, bright moon, and these thy stars, to shine, Those clouds removed, upon our watery eyne.

ROSALINE. O vain pet.i.tioner! beg a greater matter; Thou now requests but moonshine in the water.

KING. Then in our measure do but vouchsafe one change.

Thou bid'st me beg; this begging is not strange.

ROSALINE. Play, music, then. Nay, you must do it soon.

Not yet? No dance! Thus change I like the moon.

KING. Will you not dance? How come you thus estranged?

ROSALINE. You took the moon at full; but now she's changed.

KING. Yet still she is the Moon, and I the Man.

The music plays; vouchsafe some motion to it.

ROSALINE. Our ears vouchsafe it.

KING. But your legs should do it.

ROSALINE. Since you are strangers, and come here by chance, We'll not be nice; take hands. We will not dance.

KING. Why take we hands then?

ROSALINE. Only to part friends.

Curtsy, sweet hearts; and so the measure ends.

KING. More measure of this measure; be not nice.

ROSALINE. We can afford no more at such a price.

KING. Price you yourselves. What buys your company?

ROSALINE. Your absence only.

KING. That can never be.

ROSALINE. Then cannot we be bought; and so adieu- Twice to your visor and half once to you.

KING. If you deny to dance, let's hold more chat.

ROSALINE. In private then.

KING. I am best pleas'd with that. [They converse apart]

BEROWNE. White-handed mistress, one sweet word with thee.

PRINCESS OF FRANCE. Honey, and milk, and sugar; there is three.

BEROWNE. Nay, then, two treys, an if you grow so nice, Metheglin, wort, and malmsey; well run dice!

There's half a dozen sweets.

PRINCESS OF FRANCE. Seventh sweet, adieu!

Since you can cog, I'll play no more with you.

BEROWNE. One word in secret.

PRINCESS OF FRANCE. Let it not be sweet.

BEROWNE. Thou grievest my gall.

PRINCESS OF FRANCE. Gall! bitter.