SCENE VI. The Same. An Apartment in the Palace. Enter PROTEUS. Pro. To leave my Julia, shall I be forsworn; To love fair Silvia, shall I be forsworn; To wrong my friend, I shall be much forsworn; Love bad me swear, and love bids me forswear. Unheedful vows may heedfully be broken; But there I leave to love, where I should love. If I keep them, I needs must lose myself; And Silvia, (witness heaven that made her fair!) I will forget that Julia is alive, And Valentine I'll hold an enemy, Aiming at Silvia, as a sweeter friend. I cannot now prove constant to myself Now, presently I'll give her father notice [Exit. SCENE VII.5 Verona. A Room in JULIA'S House. Enter JULIA and LUCETTA. Jul. Counsel, Lucetta; gentle girl, assist me : To lesson me; and tell me some good mean, Luc. Alas! the way is wearisome and long. PRETENDED flight ;] Pretended flight, in the language of the time, is intended flight. See Vol. v. p. 67, Vol. viii. p. 431. 5 Scene VII.] Johnson suggested, with plausibility, that this ought to be the first scene of the third act, and not the last scene of the second act, as it is marked in the folio, 1623. Of such divine perfection, as sir Proteus. Luc. Better forbear, till Proteus make return. Jul. O! know'st thou not, his looks are my soul's food? Pity the dearth that I have pined in, By longing for that food so long a time. Didst thou but know the inly touch of love, Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason. Jul. The more thou damm'st it up, the more it burns. He makes sweet music with the enamel'd stones, And so by many winding nooks he strays Till the last step have brought me to my love; A blessed soul doth in Elysium. Luc. But in what habit will you go along? Gentle Lucetta, fit me with such weeds Luc. Why, then your ladyship must cut your hair. Of greater time than I shall show to be. Luc. What fashion, madam, shall I make your breeches? Jul. That fits as well, as-" tell me, good my lord, What compass will you wear your farthingale?" Why, even what fashion thou best lik'st, Lucetta. Luc. You must needs have them with a codpiece, madam. Jul. Out, out, Lucetta! that will be ill-favour'd. Luc. A round hose, madam, now's not worth a pin, Unless you have a codpiece to stick pins on. Jul. Lucetta, as thou lov'st me, let me have What thou think'st meet, and is most mannerly. But tell me, wench, how will the world repute me For undertaking so unstaid a journey? I fear me, it will make me scandaliz’d. Luc. If you think so, then stay at home, and go not. Luc. Then never dream on infamy, but go. Jul. That is the least, Lucetta, of my fear. Warrant me welcome to my Proteus. Luc. All these are servants to deceitful men. And instances as infinite of love,] i. e. instances as infinite of love, as the "ocean of his tears," mentioned in the preceding line. This is the reading of the folio of 1632, and it seems correct, although the older copy has the line, "And instances of infinite of love." So to read it, we must take "infinite" for infinity. Malone read, "And instances of the infinite of love," which is warranted by no old authority. Luc. Pray heaven, he prove so, when you come to him! Jul. Now, as thou lov'st me, do him not that wrong, To bear a hard opinion of his truth: Only deserve my love by loving him, And presently go with me to my chamber, [Exeunt. ACT III. SCENE I. Milan. An Ante-chamber in the DUKE'S Palace. Enter DUKE, THURIO, and PROTEUS. Duke. Sir Thurio, give us leave, I pray, We have some secrets to confer about.— awhile: [Exit THURIO. Now, tell me, Proteus, what's your will with me? Pro. My gracious lord, that which I would discover, The law of friendship bids me to conceal; But, when I call to mind your gracious favours My duty pricks me on to utter that, Which else no worldly good should draw from me. |