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 meed9 note
, but one fair look;
A smaller boon than this I cannot beg,
And less than this, I am sure you cannot give.
Val.
How like a dream is this, I see, and hear!
Love, lend me patience to forbear a while.
[Aside.
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 soul1 note
?
And full as much (for more there cannot be,)
I do detest false perjur'd Proteus:
Therefore be gone, solicit me no more.
-- 128 --
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'd2 note,
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 had'st 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 the nature of love: force you.
Sil.
O heaven!
Pro.
I'll force thee yield to my desire.
Val.
Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch;
Thou friend of an ill fashion!
Pro.
Valentine!
Val.
Thou common friend, that's without faith or love3 note;
(For such is a friend now,) treacherous man!
Thou has beguil'd my hopes; nought but mine eye
Could have persuaded me: Now I dare not say,
I have one friend alive; thou would'st disprove me.
-- 129 --
Who should be trusted, when one's own right hand4 note
Is perjur'd to the bosom? Proteus,
I am sorry, I must never trust thee more,
But count the world a stranger for thy sake.
The private wound is deepest: O time most accurst5 note
!
'Mongst all foes, that a friend should be the worst!
-- 130 --
Pro.
My shame and guilt confounds me.—
Forgive me, Valentine: if hearty sorrow
Be a sufficient ransom for offence,
I tender it 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 satisfy'd,
Is nor of heaven, nor earth; for these are pleas'd;
By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeas'd:—
And, that my love may appear plain and free,
All, that was mine in Silvia, I give thee6 note
.
-- 131 --
Jul.
O me unhappy!
[Faints.
Pro.
Look to the boy.
Val.
Why, boy! why, wag7 note! how now? what's
the matter? look up; speak.
Jul.
O good sir, my master charg'd me to deliver
a ring to madam Silvia8 note; which, out of my
neglect, was never done.
Pro.
Where is that ring, boy?
Jul.
Here 'tis: this is it.
[Gives a ring.
Pro.
How! let me see9 note
: why this is the ring I
gave to Julia.
-- 132 --
Jul.
O, cry your mercy, sir, I have mistook;
this is the ring you sent to Silvia.
[Shews another ring.
Pro.
But, how cam'st thou by this ring? at my
depart I gave this unto Julia.
Jul.
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 oaths1 note
,
And entertain'd them deeply in her heart:
How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root2 note
?
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 love3 note:
-- 133 --
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
But constant, he were perfect: that one error
Fills him with faults; makes him run through all the sins:
Inconstancy 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 blest to make this happy close;
'Twere pity two such friends should be long foes.
Pro.
Bear witness, heaven, I have my wish for ever.
Jul.
And I mine4 note
.
Enter Out-laws, with Duke and Thurio.
Out.
A prize, a prize, a prize!
Val.
Forbear, forbear, I say; it is my lord the duke5 note.
Your grace is welcome to a man disgrac'd,
-- 134 --
Banished Valentine.
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 wrath6 note:
Do not name Silvia thine; if once again,
Verona shall not hold thee. Here she stands7 note
,
Take but possession 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:
-- 135 --
I claim her not, and therefore she is thine.
Duke.
The more degenerate and base art thou,
To make such means for her as thou hast done8 note
,
And leave her on such slight conditions.—
Now, by the honour of my ancestry,
I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine,
And think thee worthy of an empress' love9 note
.
Know then, I here forget all former griefs1 note,
Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again.—
Plead a new state2 note
in thy unrival'd merit,
To which I thus subscribe,—sir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman, and well deriv'd;
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserv'd her.
Val.
I thank your grace; the gift hath made me happy.
I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake,
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 endued with worthy qualities;
Forgive them what they have committed here,
And let them be recall'd from their exíle:
They are reformed, civil, full of good,
And fit for great employment, worthy lord.
Duke.
Thou hast prevail'd: I pardon them, and thee;
-- 136 --
Dispose of them, as thou know'st their deserts.
Come, let us go; we will include all jars3 note
With triumphs4 note
, mirth, and rare solemnity.
Val.
And as we walk alone, I dare be bold
With our discourse to make your grace to smile:
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 you, I'll tell you as we pass along,
That you will wonder, what hath fortuned.—
Come, Proteus; 'tis your penance, but to hear
The story of your loves discovered:
That done, our day of marriage shall be yours;
One feast, one house, one mutual happiness5. [Exeunt.
