SCENE I.
Part of the French camp in Florence.
Enter one of the French Lords, with five or six Soldiers in ambush.
Lord.
He can come no other way but by this hedge'
corner: When you sally upon him, speak what terrible
language you will; though you understand it
not yourselves, no matter: for we must not seem to
understand him; unless some one amongst us, whom
we must produce for an interpreter.
Sol.
Good captain, let me be the interpreter.
Lord.
Art not acquainted with him? knows he not
thy voice?
Sol.
No, sir, I warrant you.
Lord.
But what linsy-woolsy hast thou to speak to
us again?
Sol.
Even such as you speak to me.
Lord.
He must think us 1 notesome band of strangers
i'the adversary's entertainment. Now he hath a smack
of all neighbouring languages; therefore we must
every one be a man of his own fancy, not to know
what we speak one to another; so we seem to know,
is to know 9Q0411 straight our purpose: chough's language,
gabble enough, and good enough. As for you, interpreter,
-- 97 --
you must seem very politick. But couch,
ho! here he comes; to beguile two hours in a sleep,
and then to return and swear the lies he forges.
Enter Parolles.
Par.
Ten o'clock: within these three hours 'twill
be time enough to go home. What shall I say I have
done? It must be a very plausive invention that carries
it: They begin to smoke me; and disgraces have of
late knock'd too often at my door. I find, my tongue
is too fool-hardy; but my heart hath the fear of Mars
before it, and of his creatures, not daring the reports
of my tongue.
Lord.
This is the first truth that e'er thine own
tongue was guilty of.
[Aside.
Par.
What the devil should move me to undertake
the recovery of this drum; being not ignorant of the
impossibility, and knowing I had not such purpose? I
must give myself some hurts, and say, I got them in
exploit: Yet slight ones will not carry it. They will
say, Came you off with so little? and great ones I
dare not give; Wherefore? what's the2 note instance?
Tongue, I must put you into a butter-woman's
mouth, and buy another of3 note
Bajazet's mule, if you
prattle me into these perils.
Lord.
Is it possible, he should know what he is,
and be that he is?
[Aside.
-- 98 --
Par.
I would, the cutting of my garments would
serve the turn; or the breaking of my Spanish sword.
Lord.
We cannot afford you so.
[Aside.
Par.
Or the baring of my beard; and to say, it was
in stratagem.
Lord.
'Twould not do.
[Aside.
Par.
Or to drown my clothes, and say, I was stript.
Lord.
Hardly serve.
[Aside.
Par.
Though I swore I leap'd from the window of
the citadel—
Lord.
How deep?
[Aside.
Par.
Thirty fathom.
Lord.
Three great oaths would scarce make that be
believ'd.
[Aside.
Par.
I would, I had any drum of the enemies'; I
would swear, I recover'd it.
Lord.
You shall hear one anon.
[Aside.
Par.
A drum now of the enemies!
[Alarum within.
Lord.
Throca movousus, cargo, cargo, cargo.
All.
Cargo, cargo, villianda par corbo, cargo.
Par.
Oh! ransom, ransom:—Do not hide mine
eyes.
[They seize him and blindfold him.
Inter.
Boskos thromuldo boskos.
Par.
I know you are the Muskos' regiment,
And I shall lose my life for want of language:
If there be here German, or Dane, low Dutch,
Italian, or French, let him speak to me, I'll
Discover that which shall undo the Florentine.
Inter.
Boskos vauvado:—
I understand thee, and can speak thy tongue:—
Kerelybonto:—Sir,
Betake thee to thy faith, for seventeen poniards
Are at thy bosom.
Par.
Oh!
Inter.
Oh, pray, pray, pray.—
Manka revania dulche.
Lord.
Oscorbi dulchos volivorco.
Inter.
The general is content to spare thee yet;
-- 99 --
And, hood-winkt as thou art, will lead thee on
To gather from thee: haply, thou may'st inform
Something to save thy life.
Par.
Oh, let me live,
And all the secrets of our camp I'll shew,
Their force, their purposes: nay, I'll speak that
Which you will wonder at.
Inter.
But wilt thou faithfully?
Par.
If I do not, damn me.
Inter.
Acorda linta.—
Come on, thou art granted space.
[Exit with Parolles.
[A short alarum within.
Lord.
Go, tell the count Rousillon, and my brother,
We have caught the woodcock, and will keep him muffled
'Till we do hear from them.
Sol.
Captain, I will.
Lord.
He will betray us all unto ourselves;—
Inform 'em that.
Sol.
So I will, sir.
Lord.
'Till then I'll keep him dark, and safely lock'd.
[Exeunt.
Samuel Johnson [1778], The plays of William Shakspeare. In ten volumes. With the corrections and illustrations of various commentators; to which are added notes by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. The second edition, Revised and Augmented (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10901].