ACT III. SCENE I-Milan. An anti-room in the Duke's pal ace. Enter Duke, THURIO, and PROTEUS. Duke. SIR Thurio, give us leave, I pray, awhile; Pro. My gracious lord, that which I would discover, Duke. Proteus, I thank thee for thine honest care; Which to requite, command me while I live. This love of theirs, myself have often seen, Haply, when they have judg'd me fast asleep; And oftentimes have purpos'd to forbid Sir Valentine her company, and my court: But, fearing lest my jealous aim might err, And so, unworthily, disgrace the man, (A rashness that I ever yet have shunn'd,) I gave him gentle looks; thereby to find That which thyself hast now disclos'd to me. And, that thou may'st perceive my fear of this, Knowing that tender youth is soon suggested, I nightl lodge her in an upper tower, The key whereof myself have ever kept; And thence she cannot be convey'd away. Pro. Know, noble lord, they have devis'd a mean Duke. Upon mine honour, he shall never know That I had any light from thee of this. Pro. Adieu, my lord; sir Valentine is coming. [Exit. Enter VALENTINE. Duke. Sir Valentine, whither away so fast? That stays to bear my letters to my friends, Duke. Be they of much import ? Val. The tenor of them doth but signify My health, and happy being at your court. Duke. Nay, then no matter; stay with me awhile; I am to break with thee of some affairs, That touch me near, wherein thou must be secret. 'Tis not unknown to thee, that I have sought To match my friend, sir Thurio, to my daughter. Val. I know it well, my lord; and, sure, the match Were rich and honourable; besides, the gentleman Is full of virtue, bounty, worth, and qualities Beseeming such a wife as your fair daughter: Cannot your grace win her to fancy him? Duke. No, trust me; she is peevish, sullen, froward, Proud, disobedient, stubborn, lacking duty; Neither regarding that she is my child, Nor fearing me as if I were her father: And, may I say to thee, this pride of hers, Upon advice, hath drawn my love from her; And, where I thought the remnant of mine age Should have been cherish'd by her child-like duty, I now am full resolv'd to take a wife, And turn her out to who will take her in: Then let her beauty be her wedding-dower; [2] Pretence is design. STEEV. For me and my possessions she esteems not. Val. Win her with gifts, if she respect not words; her: Send her another; never give her o'er; Duke. But she, I mean, is promis'd by her friends Val. Why then I would resort to her by night. Duke. Ay, but the doors be lock'd, and keys kept safe, That no man hath recourse to her by night. Val. What lets, but one may enter at her window? Duke. Her chamber is aloft, far from the ground; And built so shelving that one cannot climb it Without apparent hazard of his life. Val. Why then, a ladder, quaintly made of cords, Duke. Now, as thou art a gentleman of blood, Advise me where I may have such a ladder. Val. It will be light, my lord, that you may bear it Under a cloak, that is of any length. Duke. A cloak as long as thine will serve the turn? Val. Ay, my good lord. Duke. Then let me see thy cloak; I'll get me one of such another length. Val. Why, any cloak will serve the turn, my lord. I pray thee, let me feel thy cloak upon me. [Reads. Himself would lodge, where senseless they are lying. Silvia, this night will I enfranchise thee : [3] Thou art Phaeton in thy rashness, but without his pretensions: thou art not the son of a divinity, but a terr & filius, a low-born wretch; Merops is thy true father, with whom Phaeton was falsely reproached. JOHNS. 17* VOL. I. Which, all too much, I have bestow'd on thee. Will give thee time to leave our royal court, [Exit DUKE. Val. And why not death, rather than living torment? To die, is to be banish'd from myself; And Silvia is myself: banish'd from her, Is self from self; a deadly banishment ! What light is light, if Silvia be not seen? What joy is joy, if Silvia be not by ? Unless it be to think that she is by, And feed upon the shadow of perfection. Except I be by Silvia in the night, There is no music in the nightingale; Unless I look on Silvia in the day, There is no day for me to look upon : She is my essence; and I leave to be, If I be not by her fair influence Foster'd, illumin'd, cherish'd, kept alive. I fly not death, to fly is deadly doom : Tarry I here, I but attend on death; But, fly I hence, I fly away from life. Enter PROTEUS and LAUNCE. Pro. Run, boy, run, run, and seek him out. Pro. What seest thou ? Laun. Him we go to find: there's not a hair On 's head, but 'tis a Valentine. Pro. Valentine ? Val. No. Pro. Who then? his spirit ? Val. Neither. Pro. What then? Val. Nothing. Laun. Can nothing speak? master, shall I strike? Pro. Whom wouldst thou strike ? Laun. Nothing. Pro. Villain, forbear. |