صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني
[ocr errors]

But count the world a stranger for thy sake.
The private wound is deep'st: O time most curst,
'Mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst!
Pro. My shame and guilt confound me.
Forgive me, Valentine: if hearty sorrow
Be a sufficient ransom for offence,
I tender't here; I do as truly suffer
As e'er I did commit.

Val.

Then I am paid;
And once again I do receive thee honest:
Who by repentance is not satisfied

Is nor of heaven nor earth; for these are pleas'd;
By penitence th' Eternal's wrath's appeas'd:

And, that my love may appear plain and free,

All that was mine in Silvia I give thee.

Jul. O me unhappy!

Pro. Look to the boy.

[Faints.

Val. Why, boy! why, wag! how now! what is the matter? Look up; speak.

Jul.

O good sir, my master charg'd me

To deliver a ring to Madam Silvia;

Which, out of my neglect, was never done.

Pro. Where is that ring, boy?

Jul.
Pro.

How! let me see:

Here 'tis; this is it. [Gives a ring.

Why, this is the ring I gave to Julia.
Jul. O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook:

This is the ring you sent to Silvia.

[Shows another ring.

Pro. But how cam'st thou by this ring?

At my depart I gave this unto Julia.

Jul. And Julia herself did give it me;

And Julia herself hath brought it hither.
Pro. How! Julia!

Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths,
And entertain'd 'em deeply in her heart:

How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root!
O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush!

Be thou asham'd that I have took upon me
Such an immodest raiment,

In a disguise of love:

if shame live

It is the lesser blot, modesty finds,

Women to change their shapes than men their minds.

Pro. Than men their minds! 'tis true. O heaven, were man But constant, he were perfect! that one error

Fills him with faults; makes him run through all sins:
Inconstancy falls off ere it begins.

What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy
More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye?

Val. Come, come, a hand from either:

Let me be bless'd to make this happy close;
'Twere pity two such friends should be long foes.
Pro. Bear witness, Heaven, I have my wish for ever.
Jul. And I mine.

Outlaws.
Val.

Enter Outlaws, with Duke and THURIO.
A prize, a prize, a prize!

Forbear, I say! it is my lord the duke.
Your grace is welcome to a man disgrac'd,
Banished Valentine.

Duke.

Sir Valentine!

Thu. Yonder is Silvia; and Silvia's mine.

Forbear,

Val. Thurio, give back, or else embrace thy death; Come not within the measure of:

my

wrath:

Do not name Silvia thine; if once again,
Milano shall not hold thee. Here she stands:
Take but possession of her with a touch;
I dare thee but to breathe upon my love.
Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I;
I hold him but a fool that will endanger
His body for a girl that loves him not:
I claim her not, and therefore she is thine.

Duke. The more degenerate and base art thou,
To make such means for her as thou hast done,

And leave her on such slight conditions.
Now, by the honour of my ancestry,
I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine,
And think thee worthy of an empress' love:
Know, then, I here forget all former griefs,
Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again.
Plead a new state in thy unrivall'd merit,
To which I thus subscribe, Sir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman, and well deriv'd;
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserv'd her.

Val. I thank your grace; the gift hath made me happy. I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake,

To grant one boon that I shall ask of you.

Duke. I grant it, for thine own, whate'er it be.
Val. These banish'd men, that I have kept withal,
Are men endu'd with worthy qualities:

Forgive them what they have committed here,
And let them be recall'd from their exile:

They are reformed, civil, full of good,

And fit for great employment, worthy lord.

Duke. Thou hast prevail'd; I pardon them and thee:
Dispose of them as thou know'st their deserts.
Come, let us go: we will include all jars

With triumphs, mirth, and rare solemnity.

Val. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold
With our discourse to make your grace to smile.
What think you of this page, my lord?

Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes.
Val. I warrant you, my lord, more grace than boy.
Duke. What mean you by that saying?

Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along,

That you will wonder what hath fortuned.
Come, Proteus; 'tis your penance, but to hear
The story of your loves discovered:

That done, our day of marriage shall be yours;
One feast, one house, one mutual happiness.

[Exeunt.

THE

MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR.

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

SIR JOHN FALSTAFF.

FENTON, a young gentleman.

SHALLOW, a country justice.

SLENDER, Cousin to Shallow.

at Windsor.

[blocks in formation]

ROBIN, page to Falstaff.

FORD, two gentlemen dwelling SIMPLE, servant to Slender.

PAGE,

WILLIAM PAGE, a boy, son to RUGBY, servant to Doctor Caius. Page.

SIR HUGH EVANS, a Welsh MISTRESS FORD.

parson.

MISTRESS PAGE.

DOCTOR CAIUS, a French physi- ANNE PAGE, her daughter.

[blocks in formation]

SCENE I. Windsor. Before PAGE's house.

Enter JUSTICE SHALLOW, SLENDER, and SIR HUGH Evans. Shal. Sir Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a StarChamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire. Slen. In the county of Gloster, justice of peace and coram. Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and cust-alorum. Slen. Ay, and rato-lorum too; and a gentleman born, Shakespeare. VII.

14

« السابقةمتابعة »