Lo, what befell! He threw his eye aside,
And mark what object did present itself.

Under an old oak, whose boughs were moss'd with

age

And high top bald with dry antiquity,

A wretched ragged man, o'ergrown with hair,
Lay sleeping on his back. About his neck

105

Lay couching, head on ground, with catlike watch,
When that the sleeping man should stir; for 'tis
The royal disposition of that beast

120

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

Oli.

That liv'd amongst men.

And well he might so do,

For well I know he was unnatural.
Ros. But, to Orlando. Did he leave him there,
Food to the suck'd and hungry lioness?

H

125

Oli. Twice did he turn his back and purpos'd so;
But kindness, nobler ever than revenge,
And nature, stronger than his just occasion,
Made him give battle to the lioness,

Who quickly fell before him; in which hurtling
From miserable slumber I awaked.

Cel. Are you his brother?

Ros.

Was't you he rescu❜d?

130

Cel. Was't you that did so oft contrive to kill

him?

Oli. "Twas I; but 'tis not I. I do not shame

To tell you what I was, since my conversion
So sweetly tastes, being the thing I am.

Ros. But, for the bloody napkin ?

Oli.

135

140

By and by.
When from the first to last betwixt us two
Tears our recountments had most kindly bath'd,
As how I came into that desert place,
In brief, he led me to the gentle Duke,
Who gave me fresh array and entertainment,
Committing me unto my brother's love;
Who led me instantly unto his cave,

There stripp'd himself, and here upon his arm
The lioness had torn some flesh away,

145

Which all this while had bled; and now he

fainted

And cri'd, in fainting, upon Rosalind.

Brief, I recover'd him, bound up his wound;

150

And, after some small space, being strong at heart,
He sent me hither, stranger as I am,

To tell this story, that you might excuse

His broken promise, and to give this napkin, 155
Dyed in his blood, unto the shepherd youth

That he in sport doth call his Rosalind.

[Rosalind swoons.] Cel. Why, how now, Ganymede! sweet Ganymede ! Oli. Many will swoon when they do look on blood. Cel. There is more in it. Cousin Ganymede!

Oli. Look, he recovers.

Ros. I would I were at home.

Cel.

We'll lead you

160

thither.

I pray you, will you take him by the arm? Oli. Be of good cheer, youth. You a man! You

lack a man's heart.

Ros. I do so, I confess it. Ah, sirrah, a body would think this was well counterfeited! I pray you, tell your brother how well I counterfeited. Heigh-ho!

Oli. This was not counterfeit.

165

There is too great 170

testimony in your complexion that it was a
passion of earnest.

Ros. Counterfeit, I assure you.

Oli. Well then, take a good heart and counterfeit

to be a man.

Ros. So I do. But, i' faith, I should have been a woman by right.

175

Cel. Come, you look paler and paler. Pray you,

draw homewards. Good sir, go with us. Oli. That will I, for I must bear answer back How you excuse my brother, Rosalind. Ros. I shall devise something; but, I pray you, commend my counterfeiting to him. Will you go?

180

Exeunt.

ACT FIFTH

SCENE I

[The forest.]

Enter Clown [Touchstone] and Audrey.

Touch. We shall find a time, Audrey; patience, gentle Audrey.

Aud. Faith, the priest was good enough, for all

the old gentleman's saying.

Touch. A most wicked Sir Oliver, Audrey, a most vile Martext. But, Audrey, there is a youth here in the forest lays claim to you.

Aud. Ay, I know who 'tis; he hath no interest in me in the world. Here comes the man you

mean.

Enter William.

Touch. It is meat and drink to me to see a clown. By my troth, we that have good wits have much to answer for; we shall be flouting; we cannot hold.

Will. Good even, Audrey.

Aud. God ye good even, William.

Will. And good even to you, sir.

ΙΟΙ

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