Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

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.
ful. And me, when he approacheth to your presence. [afide.
Sil. Had I been seized by a hungry lion,

I would have been a breakfast to the beaft,
Rather than have falfe Protheus refcue me.
O, heav'n be judge, how I love Valentine,
Whofe life's as tender to me as my foul;
And full as much, for more there cannot be,
I do deteft falfe perjur'd Protheus :
Therefore be gone, folicit me no more.

Pro. What dang'rous action, stood it next to death,
Would I not undergo for one calm look ?

O, 'tis the curfe in love, for ever prov'd,

When women cannot love where they're belov'd.

Sil. When Protheus cannot love where he's belov'd.
Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love,

For whose dear fake thou then didst rend thy faith
Into a thousand oaths; and all thofe oaths
Defcended into perjury to deceive me.
Thou haft no faith left now, unless thou'dft 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 refpects friend?

Sil. All men but Protheus.

Pro. Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words Can no way change you to a milder form;

I'll move you like a foldier, at arms end,

And love you 'gainst the nature of love; forcé ye.
Sil. O heav'n!

Pro. I'll force thee yield to my defire.

Val. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch;

Thou

Thou friend of an ill fashion!

Pro. Valentine!

Val. Thou common friend, that's without faith, or love;
For fuch is a friend now: thou treach'rous man!

Thou haft beguil'd my hopes; nought but mine eye
Could have perfuaded me. I dare not fay,

I have one friend alive; thou wouldst difprove me.
Who should be trufted now, when the right hand
Is perjur'd to the bofom? Protheus,

I'm forry, I muft never truft thee more,
But count the world a ftranger for thy fake.
The private wound is deepest. O time accurft!
'Mongst all foes, that a friend fhould be the worst!
Pro. My fhame and guilt confound me:
Forgive me, Valentine; if hearty forrow
Be a fufficient ranfom for offence,

I tender't here; I do as truly fuffer,
As e'er I did commit.

Val. Then I am pay'd:

And once again I do receive thee honeft..
Who by repentance is not fatisfy'd,

Is nor of heav'n, 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!

Pro. Look to the boy.

Val. Why, boy? how now? what's the matter? look up; fpeak. Jul. O good fir, my mafter charg'd me to deliver a ring to madam Silvia, which, out of my neglect, was never done. Pro. Where is that ring, boy

Jul. Here 'tis: this is it.

* This passage either hath been much sophisticated, or is one great proof that the main parts of this play did not proceed from Shakespear: for it is impoffible he could make Valentine act and speak fo much out of character; or give to Silvia fo unnatural a behaviour as to take no notice of this ftrange declaration, if it had been made.

VOL. I.

Dd

Pro.

Pro. How? let me fee:

This is the ring I gave to Julia.

Jul. O, cry you mercy, fir, I have mistook ; This is the ring you fent to Silvia.

I

Pro. How cam'ft thou by this ring? at my depart gave this unto Julia.

ful. And Julia herself did give it me.

And Julia herself hath brought it hither.

Pro. How! Julia?

Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths,
And entertain❜d them deeply in her heart:

How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root on't?
O Protheus, let this habit make thee blush :

Be thou asham'd that I have took upon me

Such an immodest raiment; if fhame live
In a disguise of love:

It is the leffer blot modefty finds,

Women to change their fhapes, than men their minds.

[ocr errors]

Pro. Than men their minds? 'tis true; o heav'n! were man

But conftant, he were perfect; that one error

Fills him with faults, makes him run through all fins:
Inconftancy falls off ere it begins.

What is in Silvia's face but I may spy

More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye?

Val. Come, come, a hand from either:

Let me be bleft to make this happy clofe;

'Twere pity, two fuch friends fhould long be foes.
Pro. Bear witness, heav'n, I have my wish for ever.
ful. And I mine.

SCENE V.

Enter Duke, Thurio, and Out-laws.

Out. A prize, a prize, a prize!

Val. Forbear, forbear, it is my lord the duke.

Your grace

is welcome to a man difgrac'd,

The banish'd Valentine.

Duke.

Duke. Sir Valentine?

Thu. Yonder is Silvia: and Silvia's mine.

Val. Thurio, give back; or else embrace thy death : Come not within the measure of my wrath.

Do not name Silvia thine;

but once again,
And Milan fhall not hold thee. Here fhe ftands,
Take but poffeffion of her with a touch;
I dare thee but to breathe upon my love.

Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I.
I hold him but a fool that will endanger
His body for a girl that loves him not:
I claim her not; and therefore she is thine.

Duke. The more degenerate and base art thou,
To make fuch means for her as thou haft done,
And leave her on fuch flight conditions.
Now, by the honour of my ancestry,
I do applaud thy fpirit, Valentine,
And think thee worthy of an empress' love :
Know then, I here forget all former griefs,
Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again,
Plead a new state in thy unrival'd merit,
To which I thus fubfcribe: fir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman, and well derived;
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserv'd her.

Val. I thank your grace; the gift hath made me happy.

I now befeech you, for your daughter's fake,

To grant one boon that I shall ask of you.

Duke. I grant it for thine own, whate'er it be.
Val. These banish'd men that I have kept withal,

Are men endu'd with worthy qualities:

Forgive them what they have committed here,
And let them be recalled from their exile.

They are reformed, civil, full of good,

And fit for great employment, worthy lord.

Duke. Thou haft prevail'd; I pardon them and thee; Difpore of them as thou know'ft their deserts.

[blocks in formation]

Come, let us go; we will conclude all jars
With triumphs, mirth, and all folemnity.

Val. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold
With our discourse to make your grace to fmile.
What think you of this page, my lord?

Duke. I think, the boy hath grace in him; he blushes.
Val. I warrant you, my lord, more grace than boy.
Duke. What mean you by that saying?

Val. Please

I'll tell you,

you as we pass along,
That you will wonder what hath fortuned.
Come, Protheus, 'tis your penance but to hear
The ftory of your love discovered:

That done, our day of marriage shall be yours;
One feast, one house, one mutual happiness.

[Exeunt omnes.

« AnteriorContinuar »