Re-enter Gentleman, with Widow and DIANA. Dia. I am, my lord, a wretched Florentine, Wid. I am her mother, sir, whose age and honor King. Come hither, count. Do you know these women? Ber. My lord, I neither can nor will deny But that I know them. Do they charge me further? Dia. Why do you look so strange upon your wife? Ber. She's none of mine, my lord. you Dia. That she, which marries you, must marry me, Laf. Your reputation [To BERTRAM.] comes too short for my daughter; you are no husband for her. Ber. My lord, this is a fond and desperate creature, Whom sometimes I have laughed with: let your high ness Lay a more noble thought upon mine honor, Than for to think that I would sink it here. King. Sir, for my thoughts, you have them ill to friend, Till your deeds gain them. Than in my thought it lies! Dia. Fairer prove your honor, Good my lord, Ask him upon his oath, if he does think He had not my virginity. 1 Decease, die. King. What say'st thou to her? Ber. She's impudent, my lord; And was a common gamester to the camp. Dia. He does me wrong, my lord; if I were so, He might have bought me at a common price. Do not believe him: O, behold this ring, Whose high respect, and rich validity,1 Did lack a parallel; yet, for all that He gave it to a commoner o' the camp, If I be one. Count. He blushes, and 'tis it: 2 Of six preceding ancestors, that gem Conferred by testament to the sequent issue, This is his wife: That ring's a thousand proofs. 3 He's quoted for a most perfidious slave, What of him! 4 With all the spots o' the world taxed and deboshed; 1 i. e. value. 2 Malone remarks that the old copy reads, 'tis hit, and that in many of our old chronicles he had found hit printed instead of it. 3 Noted. 4 Debauched. Her insuit coming with her modern grace,1 Dia. I must be patient; You that turned off a first so noble wife, (Since you lack virtue, I Ber. I have it not. King. What ring was yours, I pray you? Dia. The same upon your finger. Sir, much like King. Know you this ring? This ring was his of late. Dia. And this was it I gave him, being abed. King. The story then goes false, you threw it him Out of a casement. Dia. I have spoke the truth. Enter PAROLles. Ber. My lord, I do confess the ring was hers. King. You boggle shrewdly; every feather starts you. Is this the man you speak of? Dia. Ay, my lord. King. Tell me, sirrah, but tell me true, I charge you, Not fearing the displeasure of your master, (Which, on your just proceeding, I'll keep off,) By him, and by this woman here, what know you? Par. So please your majesty, my master hath been an honorable gentleman; tricks he hath had in him, which gentlemen have. 1 "Every thing that obstructs love is an occasion by which love is heightened, and, to conclude, her solicitation concurring with her common or ordinary grace, she got the ring." King. Come, come, to the purpose. Did he love this woman? Par. 'Faith, sir, he did love her; but how? Par. He did love her, sir, as a gentleman loves a woman. King. How is that? Par. He loved her, sir, and loved her not. King. As thou art a knave, and no knave.-What an equivocal companion' is this! Par. I am a poor man, and at your majesty's com mand. Laf. He's a good drum, my lord, but a naughty orator. Dia. Do you know he promised me marriage? Par. 'Faith, I know more than I'll speak. King. But wilt thou not speak all thou know'st? Par. Yes, so please your majesty. I did go between them, as I said; but more than that, he loved her, for, indeed, he was mad for her, and talked of Satan, and of limbo, and of furies, and I know not what yet I was in that credit with them at that time, that I knew of their going to bed, and of other motions, as promising her marriage, and things that would derive me ill will to speak of; therefore I will not speak what I know. King. Thou hast spoken all already, unless thou canst say they are married. But thou art too fine 2 in thy evidence: therefore stand aside.— This ring, you say, was yours? Dia. Ay, my good lord. King. Where did you buy it? or who gave it you? Dia. It was not given me, nor I did not buy it. King. Who lent it you? Dia. It was not lent me neither. King. Where did you find it then? I found it not. 1 i. e. fellow. 2 In the French sense, trop fine. King. If it were yours by none of all these ways, How could you give it him? Dia. I never gave it him. Laf. This woman's an easy glove, my lord; she goes off and on at pleasure. King. This ring was mine; I gave it his first wife. Dia. It might be yours, or hers, for aught I know. King. Take her away; I do not like her now; To prison with her and away with him.— Unless thou tell'st me where thou hadst this ring, Thou diest within this hour. Dia. King. Take her away. Dia. I'll never tell you. I'll put in bail, my liege. Dia. Because he's guilty, and he is not guilty: 2 [Pointing to LAfeu. King. She does abuse our ears; to prison with her. Dia. Good mother, fetch my bail.-Stay, royal sir; [Exit Widow. The jeweller that owes the ring is sent for, And he shall surety me. But for this lord, Who hath abused me, as he knows himself, Though yet he never harmed me, here I quit him. He knows himself my bed he hath defiled; And at that time he got his wife with child: Dead though she be, she feels her young one kick; So there's my riddle, One that's dead is quick. And now behold the meaning. 1 i. e. common woman, with whom any one may be familiar. |