Duke F. Do so: I'll not be by. [DUKE goes apart. Le Beau. Monsieur the challenger, the princess calls for you. Orl. I attend them with all respect and duty. Ros. Young man, have you challenged Charles the wrestler? Orl. No, fair princess; he is the general challenger: I come but in, as others do, to try with him the strength of my youth. Cel. Young gentleman, your spirits are too bold for your years. You have seen cruel proof of this man's strength: if you saw yourself with our' eyes, or knew yourself with our judgment, the fear of your adventure would counsel you to a more equal enterprise. We pray you, for your own sake, to embrace your own safety, and give over this attempt. Ros. Do, young sir: your reputation shall not therefore be misprised. We will make it our suit to the duke, that the wrestling might not go forward. Orl. I beseech you, punish me not with your hard thoughts, wherein I confess me much guilty, to deny so fair and excellent ladies any thing. But let your fair eyes, and gentle wishes, go with me to my trial: wherein if I be foiled, there is but one shamed that was never gracious; if killed, but one dead that is willing to be so. I shall do my friends no wrong, for I have none to lament me; the world no injury, for in it I have nothing; only in the world I fill up a place, which may be better supplied when I have made it empty. Ros. The little strength that I have, I would it were with you. Cel. And mine, to eke out hers. Ros. Fare you well. Pray heaven, I be deceived in you! Cel. Your heart's desires be with you. Cha. Come; where is this young gallant, that is so desirous to lie with his mother earth? Orl. Ready, sir; but his will hath in it a more modest working. Duke F. You shall try but one fall. Cha. No, I warrant your grace, you shall not entreat 12 your: in f.e. him to a second, that have so mightily persuaded him from a first. Orl. You mean to mock me after you should not have mocked me before; but come your ways. Ros. Now, Hercules be thy speed, young man! Cel. I would I were invisible, to catch the strong fellow by the leg. [CHARLES and ORLANDO wrestle. Ros. O, excellent young man! Cel. If I had a thunderbolt in mine eye, I can tell who should down. [CHARLES is thrown. Shout. Duke F. No more, no more. Orl. Yes, I beseech your grace: I am not yet well breathed. Duke F. How dost thou, Charles? [CHARLES is borne out. Orl. Orlando, my liege: the youngest son of sir Rowland de Bois. Duke F. I would, thou hadst been son to some man else. The world esteem'd thy father honourable, But I did find him still mine enemy: Thou shouldst have better pleas'd me with this deed, But fare thee well; thou art a gallant youth. [Exeunt Duke FRED. Train, and LE BEAU. Ros. My father lov'd sir Rowland as his soul, Cel. Gentle cousin, Let us go thank him, and encourage him: My father's rough and envious disposition Sticks me at heart.-Sir, you have well deserv'd: But justly, as you have exceeded all promise, Ros. Gentleman, [Giving him a chain. Wear this for me, one out of suits with fortune, Cel. Ay.-Fare you well, fair gentleman. Orl. Can I not say, I thank you? My better parts Are all thrown down, and that which here stands up Is but a quintaine1, a mere lifeless block. Ros. He calls us back. My pride fell with my fortunes; I'll ask him what he would.-Did you call, sir? Sir, you have wrestled well, and overthrown More than your enemies. Cel. Will you go, coz? Ros. Have with you.-Fare you well. [Exeunt ROSALIND and CELIA. Orl. What passion hangs these weights upon my tongue? I cannot speak to her, yet she urg'd conference. Re-enter LE BEAU. O, poor Orlando! thou art overthrown. Or Charles, or something weaker, masters thee. That he misconstrues all that you have done. Le Beau. Neither his daughter, if we judge by manners; But yet, indeed, the shorter2 is his daughter: 1 A shiell fastened to a pole, or a puppet, used as a mark in tilting. 2 smaller : in f. e. Pope also made the correction. But that the people praise her for her virtues, I shall desire more love and knowledge of you. SCENE III-A Room in the Palace. Enter CELIA and ROSALIND. [Exit. Cel. Why, cousin; why, Rosalind.-Cupid have mercy!-Not a word? Ros. Not one to throw at a dog. Cel. No, thy words are too precious to be cast away upon curs; throw some of them at me: come, lame me with reasons. Ros. Then there were two cousins laid up, when the one should be lamed with reasons, and the other mad without any. Cel. But is all this for your father? Ros. No, some of it for my father's child.1 O, how full of briars is this working-day world! Cel. They are but burs, cousin, thrown upon thee in holiday foolery: if we walk not in the trodden paths, our very petticoats will catch them. Ros. I could shake them off my coat: these burs are in my heart. Cel. Hem them away. Ros. I would try, if I could cry hem, and have him. Cel. Come, come; wrestle with thy affections. Ros. O! they take the part of a better wrestler than myself. Cel. O, a good wish upon you! you will try in time, in despite of a fall.-But, turning these jests out of service, let us talk in good earnest. Is it possible, on such a sudden, you should fall into so strong a liking with old sir Rowland's youngest son? Ros. The duke my father lov'd his father dearly. Cel. Doth it therefore ensue, that you should love 1 child's father: in f. e. his son dearly? By this kind of chase, I should hate him, for my father hated his father dearly; yet I hate not Orlando. Ros. No 'faith, hate him not, for my sake. Cel. Why should I not? doth he not deserve well? Ros. Let me love him for that; and do you love him, because I do. Enter Duke FREDERICK, with Lords. Look, here comes the duke. Cel. With his eyes full of anger. Duke F. Mistress, dispatch you with your fastest1 Within these ten days if that thou be'st found Ros. I do beseech your grace, Let me the knowledge of my fault bear with me. Or have acquaintance with mine own desires, Duke F Thus do all traitors: If their purgation did consist in words, Ros. Yet your mistrust cannot make me a traitor. Tell me, whereon the likelihood depends. Duke F. Thou art thy father's daughter; there's enough, Ros. So was I when your highness took his dukedom ; Or if we did derive it from our friends, Cel. Dear sovereign, hear me speak. Duke F. Ay, Celia: we stay'd her for your sake ; 1 safest in f. e. |