2 Lord. Yes, sir. Jaq. Sing it; 'tis no matter how it be in tune, so it make noise enough. SONG. 1. What shall he have, that kill'd the deer? 2. His leather skin, and horns to wear. 1. Then sing him home: Take thou no scorn, to wear the horn; 1. Thy father's father wore it ; All. The horn, the horn, the lusty horn, SCENE III. The Forest. Enter ROSALIND and CELIA. [Exeunt. Ros. How say you now? Is it not past two o'clock? and here much Orlando! Cel. I warrant you, with pure love, and troubled brain, he hath ta'en his bow and arrows, and is gone forth to sleep: Look, who comes here. Enter SILVIUS. Sil. My errand is to you, fair youth;My gentle Phebe bid me give you this: [Giving a letter. I know not the contents; but, as I guess, By the stern brow, and waspish action Which she did use as she was writing of it, It bears an angry tenour: pardon me, I am but as a guiltless messenger. Ros. Patience herself would startle at this letter, And play the swaggerer; bear this, bear all: She says, I am not fair; that I lack manners; She calls me proud; and, that she could not love me Were man as rare as phoenix; Od's my will! Her love is not the hare that I do hunt : Why writes she so to me?-Well, shepherd, well, This is a letter of your own device. Sil. No, I protest, I know not the contents; Phebe did write it. Ros. Come, come, you are a fool, And turn'd into the extremity of love. I saw her hand: she has a leathern hand, A freestone-colour'd hand; I verily did think She has a huswife's hand: but that's no matter: I say, she never did invent this letter; This is a man's invention, and his hand. Sil. Sure, it is hers. Ros. Why, 'tis a boisterous and cruel style, letter? - Will you hear the Sil. So please you, for I never heard it yet; Yet heard too much of Phebe's cruelty. Ros, She Phebes me: Mark how the tyrant writes. Art thou god to shepherd turn'd, That a maiden's heart hath burn'd? Can a woman rail thus ? Sil. Call you this railing? Ros. Why, thy godhead laid apart, Warr'st thou with a woman's heart? Did you ever hear such railing?— Meaning me a beast. If the scorn of your bright eyne" Sil. Call you this chiding? Cel. Alas, poor shepherd! [Reads. Ros. Do you pity him? no, he deserves no pity.Wilt thou love such a woman?-What, to make thee an instrument, and play false strains upon thee! not 6 Mischief. 7 Eyes. s Nature. to be endured!-Well, go your way to her, (for I see, love hath made thee a tame snake,) and say this to her;-That if she love me, I charge her to love thee: if she will not, I will never have her, unless thou entreat for her. If you be a true lover, hence, and not a word; for here comes more company. [Exit SILVIUS. Enter OLIVER. Oli. Good-morrow, fair ones: Pray you, if you know Where, in the purlieus of this forest, stands Cel. West of this place, down in the neighbour bottom, The rank of osiers, by the murmuring stream, Oli. If that an eye may profit by a tongue, Like a ripe sister: but the woman low, Cel. It is no boast, being ask'd, to say, we are. 9 Environs of a forest. Oli. Some of my shame; if you will know of me What man I am, and how, and why, and where This handkerchief was stain'd. Cel. I pray you, tell it. Oli. When last the young Orlando parted from you, He left a promise to return again Within an hour; and, pacing through the forest, A wretched ragged man, o'ergrown with hair, A lioness, with udders all drawn dry, Lay couching, head on ground, with catlike.watch, When that the sleeping man should stir; for 'tis The royal disposition of that beast, To prey on nothing that doth seem as dead: This seen, Orlando did approach the man, And found it was his brother, his elder brother. Cel. O, I have heard him speak of that same brother; And he did render? him the most unnatural That liv'd 'mongst men. 2 Describe. |