AS YOU LIKE IT

Act 2 Scene 4

(Enter Rosalind in man's clothes as Ganymede; Celia as Aliena, a shepherdess; and Touchstone the clown)
l1l	Rosalind	 O Jupiter, how weary are my spirits!
l2l	Touchstone	I care not for my spirits, if my legs were not
l3l		weary.
l4l	Rosalind	I could find in my heart to disgrace my man’s
l5l		apparel and to cry like a woman. But I must comfort
l6l		the weaker vessel, as doublet and hose ought to show
l7l		itself courageous to petticoat# therefore, courage, good
l8l		Aliena!
l9l	Celia	I pray you, bear with me. I cannot go no further.
l10l	Touchstone	For my part, I had rather bear with you than
l11l		bear you. Yet I should bear no cross if I did bear you,
l12l		for I think you have no money in your purse.
l13l	Rosalind	Well, this is the forest of Ardenne.
l14l	Touchstone	Ay, now am I in Ardenne# the more fool I.
l15l		When I was at home I was in a better place# but
l16l		travellers must be content.
		(Enter Corin and Silvius)
l17l	Rosalind	 Ay, be so, good Touchstone. Look you, who
l18l		comes here—a young man and an old in solemn talk.
l19l	Corin	(to Silvius)
		 That is the way to make her scorn you still.
l20l	Silvius	O Corin, that thou knew’st how I do love her!
l21l	Corin	I partly guess# for I have loved ere now.
l22l	Silvius	No, Corin, being old thou canst not guess,
l23l		Though in thy youth thou wast as true a lover
l24l		As ever sighed upon a midnight pillow.
l25l		But if thy love were ever like to mine—
l26l		As sure I think did never man love so—
l27l		How many actions most ridiculous
l28l		Hast thou been drawn to by thy fantasy?
l29l	Corin	Into a thousand that I have forgotten.
l30l	Silvius	O, thou didst then never love so heartily.
l31l		If thou rememberest not the slightest folly
l32l		That ever love did make thee run into,
l33l		Thou hast not loved.
l34l		Or if thou hast not sat as I do now,
l35l		Wearing thy hearer in thy mistress’ praise,
l36l		Thou hast not loved.
l37l		Or if thou hast not broke from company
l38l		Abruptly, as my passion now makes me,
l39l		Thou hast not loved.
l40l		O, Phoebe, Phoebe, Phoebe!
		(Exit)
l41l	Rosalind	 Alas, poor shepherd, searching of thy wound,
l42l		I have by hard adventure found mine own.
l43l	Touchstone	 And I mine. I remember when I was in love
l44l		I broke my sword upon a stone and bid him take that
l45l		for coming a-night to Jane Smile, and I remember the
l46l		kissing of her batlet, and the cow’s dugs that her pretty
l47l		chapped hands had milked# and I remember the wooing
l48l		of a peascod instead of her, from whom I took two
l49l		cods, and giving her them again, said with weeping
l50l		tears, “Wear these for my sake.” We that are true lovers
l51l		run into strange capers. But as all is mortal in nature,
l52l		so is all nature in love mortal in folly.
l53l	Rosalind	Thou speak’st wiser than thou art ware of.
l54l	Touchstone	Nay, I shall ne’er be ware of mine own wit
l55l		till I break my shins against it.
l56l	Rosalind	 Jove, Jove, this shepherd’s passion
l57l		Is much upon my fashion.
l58l	Touchstone	 And mine, but it grows something stale with
l59l		me.
l60l	Celia	 I pray you, one of you question yon man
l61l		If he for gold will give us any food.
l62l		I faint almost to death.
l63l	Touchstone	(to Corin)
		 Holla, you clown!
l64l	Rosalind	Peace, fool, he’s not thy kinsman.
l65l	Corin	Who calls?
l66l	Touchstone	Your betters, sir.
l67l	Corin	Else are they very wretched.
l68l	Rosalind	(to Touchstone)
		 Peace, I say.
		( 68 To Corin)
		 Good even to you, friend.
l69l	Corin	And to you, gentle sir, and to you all.
l70l	Rosalind	I prithee, shepherd, if that love or gold
l71l		Can in this desert place buy entertainment,
l72l		Bring us where we may rest ourselves, and feed.
l73l		Here’s a young maid with travel much oppressed,
l74l		And faints for succour.
	Corin	Fair sir, I pity her,
l75l		And wish, for her sake more than for mine own,
l76l		My fortunes were more able to relieve her.
l77l		But I am shepherd to another man,
l78l		And do not shear the fleeces that I graze.
l79l		My master is of churlish disposition,
l80l		And little recks to find the way to heaven
l81l		By doing deeds of hospitality.
l82l		Besides, his cot, his flocks, and bounds of feed
l83l		Are now on sale, and at our sheepcote now
l84l		By reason of his absence there is nothing
l85l		That you will feed on. But what is, come see,
l86l		And in my voice most welcome shall you be.
l87l	Rosalind	What is he that shall buy his flock and pasture?
l88l	Corin	That young swain that you saw here but erewhile,
l89l		That little cares for buying anything.
l90l	Rosalind	I pray thee, if it stand with honesty,
l91l		Buy thou the cottage, pasture, and the flock,
l92l		And thou shalt have to pay for it of us.
l93l	Celia	And we will mend thy wages. I like this place,
l94l		And willingly could waste my time in it.
l95l	Corin	Assuredly the thing is to be sold.
l96l		Go with me. If you like upon report
l97l		The soil, the profit, and this kind of life,
l98l		I will your very faithful feeder be,
l99l		And buy it with your gold right suddenly.
		(Exeunt)