ACT FOURTH SCENE I The forest. Enter Rosalind, Celia, and Jaques. Jaq. I prithee, pretty youth, let me be better Ros. They say you are a melancholy fellow. abominable fellows, and betray themselves 10 which is emulation; nor the musician's, which which my often rumination wraps me in a most humorous sadness. Ros. A traveler! By my faith, you have great reason to be sad: I fear you have sold your own lands to see other men's; then, to have seen much, and to have nothing, is to have rich eyes and poor hands. Jaq. Yes, I have gained my experience. Ros. And your experience makes you sad: I had rather have a fool to make me merry 30 than experience to make me sad; and to travel for it too! Enter Orlando. Blank Orl. Good-day and happiness, dear Rosalind! Verse Jaq. Nay, then, God buy you, an you talk in blank verse. [Exit. Ros. Farewell, Monsieur Traveler: look you lisp and wear strange suits; disable all the Orl. My fair Rosalind, I come within an hour 41. "swom in a gondola"; that is, been at Venice, then the resort of all travelers, as Paris now. Shakespeare's contemporaries also point their shafts at the corruption of our youth by travel. Bishop Hall wrote his little book Quo Vadis? to stem the fashion.-H. N. H. Ros. Break an hour's promise in love! He that will divide a minute into a thousand parts, and break but a part of the thousandth part 50 of a minute in the affairs of love, it may be said of him that Cupid hath clapped him o' the shoulder, but I'll warrant him heartwhole. Orl. Pardon me, dear Rosalind. Ros. Nay, an you be so tardy, come no more in my sight: I had as lief be wooed of a snail. Orl. Of a snail? Ros. Aye, of a snail; for though he comes slowly, he carries his house on his head; a Orl. What's that? Ros. Why, horns, which such as you are fain to be beholding to your wives for: but he comes armed in his fortunes and prevents the slander of his wife. Orl. Virtue is no horn-maker; and my Rosalind is virtuous. Ros. And I am your Rosalind. Cel. It pleases him to call you so; but he hath a Ros. Come, woo me, woo me; for now I am in a Orl. I would kiss before I spoke. Ros. Nay, you were better speak first; and 70 when you were graveled for lack of matter, 80 Orl. How if the kiss be denied? Ros. Then she puts you to entreaty and there begins new matter. Orl. Who could be out, being before his beloved mistress? Ros. Marry, that should you, if I were your 90 mistress, or I should think my honesty ranker than my wit. Orl. What, of my suit? Ros. Not out of your apparel, and yet out of your suit. Am not I your Rosalind? Orl. I take some joy to say you are, because I would be talking of her. Ros. Well, in her person, I say I will not have Orl. Then in mine own person I die. 100 92. "ranker"; greater. If she did not discomfit Orlando, her wit must be less than her virtue.-C. H. H. 101. "by attorney"; by proxy.—C. H. H. year, though Hero had turned nun, if it had Orl. I would not have my right Rosalind of Orl. Then love me, Rosalind. Ros. Yes, faith, will I, Fridays and Saturdays Orl. And wilt thou have me? Ros. Aye, and twenty such. Orl. What sayest thou? Ros. Are you not good? Orl. I hope so. Ros. Why then, can one desire too much of a Orl. Pray thee, marry us. Cel. I cannot say the words. Ros. You must begin, 'Will you, Orlando' 120 130 |