Duke F. I would thou hadst been son to some man else:

The world esteem'd thy father honourable,
But I did find him still mine enemy:

Thou shouldst have better pleased me with this deed

Hadst thou descended from another house.
But fare thee well; thou art a gallant youth :
I would thou hadst told me of another father.

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[Exeunt Duke Fred., train, and Le Beau. Cel. Were I my father, coz, would I do this? Orl. I am more proud to be Sir Rowland's son, His youngest son; and would not change that

calling,

To be adopted heir to Frederick.

Ros. My father loved Sir Rowland as his soul,
And all the world was of my father's mind :
Had I before known this young man his son,
I should have given him tears unto entreaties,
Ere he should thus have ventured.

Cel.

Gentle cousin,

Let us go thank him and encourage him:
My father's rough and envious disposition

Sticks me at heart. Sir, you have well deserved :

If you do keep your promises in love

But justly, as you have exceeded all promise,

Your mistress shall be happy.

Ros.

Gentleman,

[Giving him a chain from her neck.

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Wear this for me, one out of suits with fortune,
That could give more, but that her hand lacks

means.

Shall we go, coz?
Cel.

Ay. Fare you well, fair gentleman. 26.

Orl. Can I not say, I thank you? My better parts

Are all thrown down, and that which here stands

up

Is but a quintain, a mere lifeless block.

Ros. He calls us back: my pride fell with my
fortunes;

I'll ask him what he would. Did you call, sir?
Sir, you have wrestled well and overthrown

More than your enemies.

Cel.

Will you go, coz?

Ros. Have with you. Fare you well.

[Exeunt Rosalind and Celia.

Orl. What passion hangs these weights upon
my tongue?

I cannot speak to her, yet she urged conference.
O poor Orlando, thou art overthrown!
Or Charles or something weaker masters thee.

Re-enter LE BEAU.

Le Beau. Good sir, I do in friendship counsel you

To leave this place. Albeit you have deserved
High commendation, true applause and love,
Yet such is now the duke's condition

That he misconstrues all that you have done.
The duke is humorous; what he is indeed,

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More suits you to conceive than I to speak of.

Orl. I thank you, sir: and, pray you, tell me this; 280

Which of the two was daughter of the duke
That here was at the wrestling?

Le Beau. Neither his daughter, if we judge by

manners;

But yet indeed the lesser is his daughter :
The other is daughter to the banish'd duke,
And here detain'd by her usurping uncle,
To keep his daughter company; whose loves
Are dearer than the natural bond of sisters.
But I can tell you that of late this duke
Hath ta'en displeasure 'gainst his gentle niece,
Grounded upon no other argument

But that the people praise her for her virtues
And pity her for her good father's sake;
And, on my life, his malice 'gainst the lady
Will suddenly break forth. Sir, fare you well :
Hereafter, in a better world than this,

I shall desire more love and knowledge of you.
Orl. I rest much bounden to you: fare you
well.
[Exit Le Beau.

Thus must I from the smoke into the smother;
From tyrant duke unto a tyrant brother :
But heavenly Rosalind!

SCENE III. A room in the palace.
Enter CELIA and RosSALIND.

[Exit.

Cel. Why, cousin! why, Rosalind! Cupid have mercy! not a word?

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300

Ros. Not one to throw at a dog.

Cel. No, thy words are too precious to be cast away upon curs; throw some of them at me; come, lame me with reasons.

Ros. Then there were two cousins laid up; when the one should be lamed with reasons and the other mad without any.

Cel. But is all this for your father?
Ros. No, some of it is for my child's father.
O, how full of briers is this working-day world!

Cel. They are but burs, cousin, thrown upon thee in holiday foolery: if we walk not in the trodden paths, our very petticoats will catch them.

Ros. I could shake them off my coat: these burs are in my heart.

Cel. Hem them away.

Ros. I would try, if I could cry 'hem' and have him.

Cel. Come, come, wrestle with thy affections. Ros. O, they take the part of a better wrestler than myself!

Cel. O, a good wish upon you! you will try in time, in despite of a fall. But, turning these jests out of service, let us talk in good earnest: is it possible, on such a sudden, you should fall into so strong a liking with old Sir Rowland's youngest son?

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20

Ros. The duke my father loved his father 30 dearly.

Cel. Doth it therefore ensue that you should love his son dearly? By this kind of chase, I should

hate him, for my father hated his father dearly; yet I hate not Orlando.

Ros. No, faith, hate him not, for my sake.

Cel. Why should I not? doth he not deserve well?

Ros. Let me love him for that, and do you love him because I do. Look, here comes the duke.

Cel. With his eyes full of anger.

Enter DUKE FREDERICK, with Lords.

Duke F. Mistress, dispatch you with your safest
haste

And get you from our court.
Ros.

Duke F.

Me, uncle?

You, cousin :

Within these ten days if that thou he'st found

So near our public court as twenty miles,

Thou diest for it.

Ros.

I do beseech your grace,

Let me the knowledge of my fault bear with me:

If with myself I hold intelligence

Or have acquaintance with mine own desires,

If that I do not dream or be not frantic,

As I do trust I am not then, dear uncle,

Never so much as in a thought unborn

Did I offend your highness.

Duke F.

Thus do all traitors:

If their purgation did consist in words,
They are as innocent as grace itself:
Let it suffice thee that I trust thee not.

Ros. Yet your mistrust cannot make me a traitor :

Tell me whereon the likelihood depends.

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