Lay sleeping on his back: about his neck A green and gilded snake had wreathed itself, A lioness, with udders all drawn dry, Lay couching, head on ground, with catlike watch, IIO 115 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; 120 And he did render him the most unnatural That lived amongst men. Oli. For well I know he was unnatural. And well he might so do, Ros. But, to Orlando: did he leave him there, Food to the suck'd and hungry lioness? 125 Oli. Twice did he turn his back and purposed 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 130 Cel. Are you his brother? Ros. Was 't you he rescued? 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 By and by. 135 When from the first to last betwixt us two Tears our recountments had most kindly bathed, In brief, he led me to the gentle Duke, and entertainment, Committing me unto my brother's love; There stripp'd himself, and here upon his arm The lioness had torn some flesh 140 145 away, Which all this while had bled; and now he fainted And cried, in fainting, upon Rosalind. Brief, I recover'd him, bound up his wound; And, after some small space, being strong at heart, 150 To tell this story, that you might excuse His broken promise, and to give this napkin, Dyed in his blood, unto the shepherd youth That he in sport doth call his Rosalind. [Rosalind swoons. 155 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 thither. 160 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! 166 Oli. This was not counterfeit there is too great testimony in your complexion that it was a pass on of earnest. Ros. Counterfeit, I assure you. Oli. Well then, take a good heart and counterfeit to be a man. 171 Ros. So I do: but, i' faith, I should have been a woman by right. 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. 175 Ros. I shall devise something: but, I pray you, commend my counterfeiting to him. Will you go? [Exeunt. ACT V. SCENE I. The forest. Enter 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. 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. Enter WILLIAM. Will. Good even, Audrey. Aud. God ye good even, William. Will. And good even to you, sir. Touch. Good even, gentle friend. thy head; nay, prithee, be covered. friend? Will. Five and twenty, sir. 7 12 15 Cover thy head, cover Touch. A ripe age. Is thy name William ? 72 20 Wast born i' the forest here? Touch. A fair name. a good answer. Art rich? Touch. "So so" is good, very good, very excellent good; and yet it is not; it is but so so. Art thou wise? 25 I do now remember a Will. Ay, sir, I have a pretty wit. Touch. Why, thou sayest well. saying, "The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool." The heathen philosopher, when he had a desire to eat a grape, would open his lips when he put it into his mouth; meaning thereby that grapes were made to eat and lips to open. You do love this maid? Will. I do, sir. Touch. Give me your hand. Art thou learned? Will. No, sir. 35 Touch. Then learn this of me: to have, is to have; for it is a figure in rhetoric that drink, being poured out of a cup into a glass, by filling the one doth empty the other; for all your writers do consent that ipse is he: now, you are not ipse, for I am he. Will. Which he, sir? 43 Touch. He, sir, that must marry this woman. Therefore, you clown, abandon,-which is in the vulgar leave,— the society,--which in the boorish is company,—of this female, which in the common is woman; which together is, abandon the society of this female, or, clown, thou perishest; or, to thy better understanding, diest; or, to wit, I kill thee, make thee away, translate thy life into death, thy liberty into bondage: I will deal in poison with thee, or in bastinado, or in steel; I will bandy with thee in faction: I will o'er-run thee with policy; I will kill thee a hundred and fifty ways: therefore tremble, and depart. Aud. Do, good William. Will. God rest you merry, sir. [Exit. 55 |