THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. DUKE OF MILAN, Father to Silvia. LAUNCE, the like to Proteus. VALENTINE, The two Gentlemen. ANTONIO, Father to Proteus. EGLAMOUR, agent for Silvia in her escape. SPEED, a clownish Servant to Va lentine. PANTHINO, Servant to Antonio. JULIA, beloved of Proteus. Julia. Servants, Musicians. SCENE: sometimes in Verona; sometimes in Milan, and on the frontiers of Mantua. ACT I. SCENE I. Enter VALENTINE and PROTEUS. to Pro. Wilt thou begone? Sweet Valentine, adieu. Think on thy Proteus, when thou haply seest Wish me partaker in thy happiness, When thou dost meet good hap; and in thy danger, Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers, Val. And on a love-book pray for my success. How young Leander cross'd the Hellespont. Pro. That's a deep story of a deeper love, For he was more than over shoes in love. Val. 'T is true; for you are over boots in love, And yet you never swam the Hellespont. Pro. Over the boots? nay, give me not the boots. Pro. What? Val. To be in love, where scorn is bought with groans; Coy looks, with heart-sore sighs; one fading moment's mirth, With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights: If haply won, perhaps, a hapless gain; If lost, why then a grievous labour won: However, but a folly bought with wit, Or else a wit by folly vanquished. ed Pro. So, by your circumstance you call me fool. ed Pro. 'T is love you cavil at: I am not love. Val. Love is your master, for he masters you; And he that is so yoked by a fool, d Pro. Yet writers say, as in the sweetest bud The eating canker dwells, so eating love Inhabits in the finest wits of all. Val. And writers say, as the most forward bud Is eaten by the canker ere it blow, Even so by love the young and tender wit Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine. Val. Sweet Proteus, no; now let us take our leave. To Milan let me hear from thee by letters, Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan. He leaves his friends to dignify them more; Enter SPEED. Speed. Sir Proteus, save you. Saw you my master? And I have play'd the sheep in losing him. Pro. Indeed a sheep doth very often stray, An if the shepherd be awhile away. [Exit. Speed. You conclude, that my master is a shepherd, then, Pro. I do. and I a sheep? Speed. Why then, my horns are his horns, whether I wake or sleep. Pro. A silly answer, and fitting well a sheep. VII. Speed. This proves me still a sheep. Pro. True, and thy master a shepherd. Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance. Pro. It shall go hard, but I'll prove it by another. Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me: therefore, I am no sheep. Pro. The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd, the shepherd for food follows not the sheep; thou for wages followest thy master, thy master for wages follows not thee: therefore, thou art a sheep. Speed. Such another proof will make me cry "baa." Pro. But, dost thou hear? gav'st thou my letter to Julia? Speed. Ay, Sir: I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a laced mutton; and she, a laced mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour. Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such store of muttons. Speed. If the ground be overcharg'd, you were best stick her. Pro. Nay, in that you are astray: 't were best pound you. Speed. Nay, Sir, less than a pound shall serve me for carrying your letter. Pro. You mistake: I mean the pound, the pinfold. Speed. From a pound to a pin? fold it over and over, 'T is threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover. Pro. But what said she? did she nod? Speed. I. Pro. Nod, I? why that's noddy. [SPEED nods. Speed. You mistook, Sir: I say she did nod, and you ask me, if she did nod? and I say I. Pro. And that set together, is noddy. Speed. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, take it for your pains. Pro. No, no; you shall have it for bearing the letter. Speed. Well, I perceive I must be fain to bear with you. Speed. Marry, Sir, the letter very orderly; having nothing but the word noddy for my pains. Pro. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse. may be both at once deliver'd. Pro. Well, Sir, here is for your pains. What said she? Speed. Truly, Sir, I think you'll hardly win her. Pro. Why? Couldst thou perceive so much from her? Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter; and being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she 'll prove as hard to you in telling your mind. Give her no token but stones, for she's as hard as steel. Pro. What! said she nothing? Speed. No, not so much as testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testern'd me; in re"take this for thy pains." To quital whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourself. And so, Sir, I'll commend you to my master. Pro. Go, go, be gone, to save your ship from wreck, Which cannot perish, having thee aboard, SCENE II. The Same. Julia's Garden. Enter JULIA and LUCEТТА. Jul. But say, Lucetta, now we are alone, Wouldst thou, then, counsel me to fall in love? Luc. Ay, Madam; so you stumble not unheedfully. Jul. Of all the fair resort of gentlemen, That every day with parle encounter me, In thy opinion which is worthiest love? [Exeunt. Luc. Please you, repeat their names, I'll show my mind According to my shallow simple skill. |