صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

Thu. Why, this it is to be a peevish girl, That flies her fortune when it follows her: I'll after; more to be reveng'd on Eglamour, Than for the love of reckless 5 Silvia.

[Exit. Pro. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love, Than hate of Eglamour that goes with her. [Exit. Jul. And I will follow more to cross that love, Than hate for Silvia, that is gone for love.

[Exit.

SCENE III.

Frontiers of Mantua.

The Forest.

Enter SILVIA, and Out-laws.

Out. Come, come;

Be patient, we must bring you to our captain.
Sil. A thousand more mischances than this one
Have learn'd me how to brook this patiently.
2 Out. Come, bring her away.

1 Out. Where is the gentleman that was with her? 3 Out. Being nimble-footed, he hath outrun us, But Moyses and Valerius follow him.

Go thou with her to the west end of the wood, There is our captain: we'll follow him that's fled; The thicket is beset, he cannot 'scape.

1 Out Come, I must bring you to our captain's cave: Fear not; he bears an honourable mind,

And will not use a woman lawlessly.

Sil. O Valentine, this I endure for thee! [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

Another part of the Forest.

Enter VALENTINE.

Val. How use doth breed a habit in a man!
This shadowy desert, unfrequented woods,
I better brook than flourishing peopled towns:

4 Peevish in ancient language signified foolish.
5 i. e. careless, heedless.

Here can I sit alone, unseen of any,
And, to the nightingale's complaining notes,
Tune my distresses, and record1 my woes.
O thou that dost inhabit in my breast,
Leave not the mansion so long tenantless;
Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall,
And leave no memory of what it was 2!
Repair me with thy presence, Silvia;

Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain!—
What halloing, and what stir, is this to-day?
These are my mates, that make their wills their law,
Have some unhappy passenger in chase:
They love me well; yet I have much to do
To keep them from uncivil outrages.

Withdraw thee, Valentine; who's this comes here? [Steps aside.

Enter PROTEUS, SILVIA, and Julia.

Pro. Madam, this service I have done for you, (Though you respect not aught your servant doth) To hazard life, and rescue you from him That would have forced your honour and your love. Vouchsafe me, for my meed, but one fair look; A smaller boon than this I cannot beg,

And less than this, I'm sure, you cannot give. Val. How like a dream is this I see and hear! Love, lend me patience to forbear a while.

[Aside.

Sil. O miserable, unhappy that I am! Pro. Unhappy were you, madam, ere I came; But, by my coming, I have made you happy. Sil. By thy approach thou mak'st me most unhappy.

1 To record, anciently signified to sing. It is still used by bird fanciers to express the first essays of a bird to sing; and is evidently derived from the recorder or pipe with which they were formerly taught.

20 thou that dost inhabit in my breast,
Leave not the mansion so long tenantless;
Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall,
And leave no memory of what it was."

It is hardly possible (says Steevens) to point our four lines in Shakspeare more remarkable for ease and elegance than the preceding.

Jul. And me, when he approacheth to your pre

sence.

[Aside.

Sil. Had I been seized by a hungry lion,
I would have been a breakfast to the beast,
Rather than have false Proteus rescue me.
O, heaven be judge, how I love Valentine,
Whose life's as tender3 to me as my soul;
And full as much (for more there cannot be)
I do detest false perjur'd Proteus:
Therefore begone, solicit me no more.

Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next to death,
Would I not undergo for one calm look?
O, 'tis the curse in love, and still approv'd 4,
When women cannot love where they're belov'd.
Sil. When Proteus cannot love where he's belov'd.
Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love,
For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy faith
Into a thousand oaths; aud all those oaths
Descended into perjury, to love me.

Thou hast no faith left now 5, unless thou hadst two,
And that's far worse than none; better have none
Than plural faith, which is too much by one:
Thou counterfeit to thy true friend!

Pro.

Who respects friend?

Sil.

In love,

All men but Proteus.

Pro. Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words Can no way change you to a milder form,

I'll woo you like a soldier, at arms' end;

And love you 'gainst the nature of love, force you. Sil. O heaven!

Pro.

I'll force thee yield to my desire. Val. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch; Thou friend of an ill fashion!

Pro.

Valentine!

Val. Thou common friend, that's without faith or love

3 i. e. as dear.

approv'd is confirm'd by proof.

The word now was supplied in the folio of 1632.

For such is a friend now), treacherous man!
Thou hast beguil'd my hopes; nought but mine eye
Could have persuaded me: Now I dare not say
I have one friend alive; thou wouldst disprove me,
Who should be trusted now, when one's right hand
Is perjur'd to the bosom? Proteus,

I am sorry I must never trust thee more,
But count the world a stranger for thy sake.
The private wound is deepest: O time most accurst!
'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 it 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,

[ocr errors]

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. Here 'tis: this is it.

[Gives a ring.

Pro. How! let me see: 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 them 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; if shame live In a disguise of love:

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 the 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 blest to make this happy close?.
"Twere pity two such friends should be long foes.
Pró. Bear witness, heaven, I have my wish for ever.
Jul. And I mine.

Enter Out-laws, with DUKE and THURIO.

Out. A prize, a prize, a prize!

Val. Forbear, forbear, I say; it is my lord the duke. Your grace is welcome to a man disgrac'd, Barished Valentine.

Duke.

Sir Valentine!

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

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

6 Steevens confounded the phrases of to cry aim (Merry Wives of Windsor, Act iii. Sc. 2) and to give aim, both terms in archery. He who gave aim appears to have been called the mark, and was stationed near the butts, to inform the archers how near their arrows fell to the butt. We are indebted to Mr. Gifford for distinguishing the terms.Vide Massinger, vol. ii. p. 27. Julia meaus to say that she was the mark that gave direction to his vows.

i. e. of her heart, the allusion to archery is continued, and to cleaving the pin in shooting at the butts.

« السابقةمتابعة »