ACT V
Sc. II

THU. Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is black.
PRO. But pearls are fair; and the old saying is,
Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes.
JUL. 'Tis true: such pearls as put out ladies'
For I had rather wink than look on them.
THU. How likes she my discourse?

eyes;

PRO. Ill, when you talk of war.

THU. But well, when I discourse of love and peace?
JUL. But, indeed, better when you hold your peace.

PRO. O, ay; and pities them.

THU. Wherefore?

JUL. That such an ass should owe them.
PRO. That they are out by lease.2
JUL. Here comes the Duke.

Enter DUKE.

DUKE. How now, Sir Proteus! how now, Thurio!
Which of you saw Eglamour of late?

THU. Not I.

PRO. Nor I.

DUKE. Saw you my daughter?

PRO. Neither.

THU. What says she to my valour?

PRO. O Sir, she makes no doubt of that.

JUL. She needs not, when she knows it cowardice. [aside.

THU. What says she to my birth?

PRO. That you are well deriv'd.

JUL. True; from a gentleman to a fool.
THU. Considers she my possessions?1

As he in penance wander'd through the forest:
Him he knew well; and guess'd that it was she,
But, being mask'd, he was not sure of it.

Besides, she did intend confession

ΤΟ

[aside.

[aside.

20

[aside.

At Patrick's cell this even; and there she was not.
These likelihoods confirm her flight from hence:
Therefore, I pray you, stand not to discourse,

1 endowments.

2 in another's keeping.

[aside.

DUKE. Why, then she's fled unto that peasant Valentine,
And Eglamour is in her company.

"Tis true; for Friar Laurence met them both,

30

40

ME OF VERONA

But mount you presently; and meet with me
Upon the rising of the mountain foot

That leads toward Mantua, whither they are fled:
Dispatch, sweet gentlemen, and follow me.
THU. Why, this it is to be a peevish1 girl,

That flies her fortune when it follows her.
I'll after, more to be reveng'd on Eglamour
Than for the love of reckless Silvia.
PRO. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love
Than hate of Eglamour, that goes with her.
JUL. And I will follow, more to cross that love
Than hate for Silvia, that is gone for love.

[exit.

[exit.

[exit.

[exit.

SCENE III. Frontiers of Mantua. The Forest.
Enter SILVIA, and Outlaws.

FIRST OUT. Come, come; be patient; we must bring
you to our Captain.

SIL. A thousand more mischances than this one

Have learn'd me how to brook this patiently.

SEC. OUT. Come, bring her away.

FIRST OUT. Where is the gentleman that was with her?
THIRD OUT. Being nimble-footed, he hath outrun us,

But Moyses and Valerius follow him.

Go thou with her to the west end of the wood;

SCENE IV. Another part of the Forest.
Enter VALENTINE.

VAL. How use doth breed a habit in a man!..
These shadowy, desert, unfrequented woods
I better brook than flourishing peopled towns:

1 foolish.

There is our Captain. We'll follow him that's fled;
The thicket is beset, he cannot 'scape.
FIRST OUT. Come, I must bring you to our Captain's

cave:

Fear not he bears an honourable mind,
And will not use a woman lawlessly.
SIL. O Valentine, this I endure for thee!

10

[exeunt.

ACT V
Sc. IV

Here can I sit alone, unseen of any,
And to the nightingale's complaining notes
Tune my distresses, and record1 my woes.
O thou that dost inhabit in my breast,
Leave not the mansion so long tenantless,
Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall,
And leave no memory of what it was!
Repair me with thy presence, Silvia;
Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain !—

[A noise without.

What halloing and what stir is this to-day?
'Tis sure, my mates, that make their wills their law,
Have some unhappy passenger in chase!

IO

They love me well; yet I have much to-do

To keep them from uncivil outrages.
Withdraw thee, Valentine. Who's this comes here?

[steps aside.

Enter PROTEUS, SILVIA, and JULIA.

PRO. Madam, this service I have done for you

(Though you respect not aught your servant doth),
To hazard life, and rescue you from him
That would have forc'd your honour and your love:
Vouchsafe me, for my meed, but one fair look:
A smaller boon than this I cannot beg,

And less than this, I'm sure, you cannot give.
VAL. How like a dream is this I see and hear!
Love, lend me patience to forbear a while.
SIL. O miserable, unhappy that I am!
PRO. Unhappy were you, Madam, ere I came;

But by my coming I have made you happy.
SIL. By thy approach thou mak'st me most unhappy.
JUL. And me, when he approacheth to your presence.

[aside.

SIL. Had I been seized by a hungry lion,

I would have been a breakfast to the beast
Rather than have false Proteus rescue me.
O Heaven! be judge how I love Valentine,
Whose life's as tender to me as my soul !
And full as much-for more there cannot be―
1 sing.

20

[aside.

30

I do detest false, perjur'd Proteus!
Therefore be gone-solicit me no more.
PRO. What dangerous action, stood it next to death,
Would I not undergo for one calm look?
O, 'tis the curse in love, and still approv'd,

When women cannot love where they 're belov'd—
SIL. When Proteus cannot love where he's belov'd!
Read over Julia's heart, thy first-best love,

For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy faith
Into a thousand oaths; and all those oaths
Descended into perjury, to love me.

Thou hast no faith left now, unless thou 'dst two,
And that's far worse than none; better have none
Than plural faith, which is too much by one—
Thou counterfeit to thy true friend!
PRO.

In love

Who respects friend?
SIL.
All men but Proteus.
PRO. Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words
Can no way change you to a milder form,

I'll woo you like a soldier, at arms' end,

And love you 'gainst love's nature-I will force ye. SIL. O Heaven!

PRO.

Valentine!

VAL. Thou common friend, that's without faith or love
(For such a friend art thou !), thou treacherous man!
Thou hast beguil'd my hopes; nought but mine eye
Could have persuaded me! I dare not say

I have one friend alive: thou would'st disprove me.
Who should be trusted, when one's own right hand
Is perjur'd to the bosom? Proteus,

I am sorry I must never trust thee more,

PRO.

I'll force thee yield to my desire.
VAL. [coming forward.] Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil

touch

Thou friend of an ill fashion!

But count the world a stranger for thy sake.

The private wound is deep'st: O time most curst, 'Mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst! PRO. My shame and guilt confounds me.

40

50

60

70

ACT V

Sc. IV

ACT V
Sc. IV

Forgive me, Valentine: if hearty sorrow
Be a sufficient ransom for offence,
I tender 't here; I do as truly suffer
As e'er I did commit.

VAL.

Then I am paid;
And once again I do receive thee honest.
Who by repentance is not satisfied

Is nor of Heaven nor Earth; for these are pleas'd;
By penitence th' Eternal's wrath 's appeas'd:

And, that my love may appear plain and free,
All that was mine in Silvia I give thee.

JUL. O me unhappy!

[faints.

PRO. Look to the boy.

VAL. Why, boy! why, wag! how now! what's the
matter? look up; speak.

JUL. O good Sir, my master charg'd me to deliver a ring
to Madam Silvia; which, out of my neglect, was never
done.

80

PRO. Where is that ring, boy?

JUL. Here 'tis: this is it.

[gives a ring. PRO. How! let me see why this is the ring I gave to Julia.

90

JUL. O, cry you mercy, Sir, I have mistook :

This is the ring you sent to Silvia. [shows another. PRO. But how cam'st thou by this ring? at my depart gave this unto Julia.

I

JUL. And Julia herself did give it me,

And Julia herself hath brought it hither.

PRO. HOW! Julia!

1 (archery) stood the mark.

JUL. Behold her that gave aim1 to all thy oaths,

And entertain❜d 'em deeply in her heart:

How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root!
O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush!
Be thou asham'd that I have took upon me
Such an immodest raiment-if shame live
In a disguise of love?

It is the lesser blot, modesty finds,

Women to change their shapes than men their minds.
PRO. Than men their minds? 'Tis true. O Heaven, were

man

109