SCENE VI.
Camp before Florence.
Enter Bertram, and the two French Lords.
1 Lord.
Nay, good my lord, put him to't; let
him have his way.
2 Lord.
If your lordship find him not a hilding9 note
,
hold me no more in your respect.
1 Lord.
On my life, my lord, a bubble.
Ber.
Do you think, I am so far deceived in him?
1 Lord.
Believe it, my lord, in mine own direct
knowledge, without any malice, but to speak of him
as my kinsman, he's a most notable coward, an infinite
and endless liar, an hourly promise-breaker,
the owner of no one good quality worthy your lordship's
entertainment.
2 Lord.
It were fit you knew him; lest, reposing
too far in his virtue, which he hath not, he might,
at some great and trusty business, in a main
danger, fail you.
Ber.
I would, I knew in what particular action
to try him.
2 Lord.
None better than to let him fetch off
-- 417 --
his drum, which you hear him so confidently undertake
to do.
1 Lord.
I, with a troop of Florentines, will suddenly
surprize him; such I will have, whom, I am
sure, he knows not from the enemy: we will bind
and hood-wink him so, that he shall suppose no
other but that he is carried into the leaguer of the
adversaries9 note, when we bring him to our tents: Be
but your lordship present at his examination; if he
do not, for the promise of his life, and in the highest
compulsion of base fear, offer to betray you, and
deliver all the intelligence in his power against you,
and that with the divine forfeit of his soul upon
oath, never trust my judgment in any thing.
2 Lord.
O for the love of laughter, let him fetch
his drum; he says, he has a stratagem for't: when
your lordship sees the bottom of his1 note success in't,
and to what metal this counterfeit lump of ore2 note
will
be melted, if you give him not John Drum's entertainment3 note
,
your inclining cannot be removed. Here
he comes.
-- 418 --
Enter Parolles.
1 Lord.
O, for the love of laughter, hinder not
-- 419 --
the humour of his design; let him fetch off his
drum in any hand4 note.
Ber.
How now, monsieur? this drum sticks
sorely in your disposition.
2 Lord.
A pox on't; let it go; 'tis but a drum.
Par.
But a drum! Is't but a drum? A drum so
lost!—There was an excellent command! to charge
in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend
our own soldiers.
2 Lord.
That was not to be blamed in the command
of the service: it was a disaster of war that
Cæsar himself could not have prevented, if he had
been there to command.
Ber.
Well, we cannot greatly condemn our success;
some dishonour we had in the loss of that
drum; but it is not to be recovered.
Par.
It might have been recovered.
Ber.
It might, but it is not now.
Par.
It is to be recovered: but that the merit of
service is seldom attributed to the true and exact
performer, I would have that drum or another, or
hic jacet5 note.
Ber.
Why, if you have a stomach to't, monsieur,
if you think your mystery in stratagem can bring
this instrument of honour again into his native
quarter, be magnanimous in the enterprize, and go
on; I will grace the attempt for a worthy exploit:
if you speed well in it, the duke shall both speak of
it, and extend to you what further becomes his
-- 420 --
greatness, even to the utmost syllable of your worthiness.
Par.
By the hand of a soldier, I will undertake
it.
Ber.
But you must not now slumber in it.
Par.
I'll about it this evening: and I will presently
pen down my dilemmas6 note
, encourage myself
in my certainty, put myself into my mortal preparation,
and, by midnight, look to hear further from
me.
Ber.
May I be bold to acquaint his grace, you
are gone about it?
Par.
I know not what the success will be, my
lord; but the attempt I vow.
Ber.
I know, thou art valiant; and, to the possibility
of thy soldiership7 note
, will subscribe for thee.
Farewell.
Par.
I love not many words.
[Exit.
1 Lord.
No more than a fish loves water8 note
.—Is
-- 421 --
not this a strange fellow, my lord? that so confidently
seems to undertake this business, which he
knows is not to be done; damns himself to do, and
dares better be damned than do't.
2 Lord.
You do not know him, my lord, as we
do: certain it is, that he will steal himself into a
man's favour, and, for a week, escape a great deal
of discoveries; but when you find him out, you have
him ever after.
Ber.
Why, do you think, he will make no deed
at all of this, that so seriously he does address himself
unto?
1 Lord.
None in the world; but return with an
invention, and clap upon you two or three probable
lies: but we have almost embossed him9 note
, you shall
see his fall to-night; for, indeed, he is not for your
lordship's respect.
2 Lord.
We'll make you some sport with the fox,
ere we case him1 note. He was first smoked by the
old lord Lafeu: when his disguise and he is parted,
-- 422 --
tell me what a sprat you shall find him; which you
shall see this very night.
1 Lord.
I must go look my twigs; he shall be
caught.
Ber.
Your brother, he shall go along with me.
1 Lord.
As't please your lordship: I'll leave you2 note
.
[Exit.
Ber.
Now will I lead you to the house, and show you
The lass I spoke of.
2 Lord.
But, you say, she's honest.
Ber.
That's all the fault: I spoke with her but once,
And found her wondrous cold; but I sent to her,
By this same coxcomb that we have i' the wind3 note,
Tokens and letters which she did re-send;
And this is all I have done: She's a fair creature;
Will you go see her?
2 Lord.
With all my heart, my lord.
[Exeunt.
James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
