THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN

Act 3 Scene 3

(Enter Arcite with a bundle containing meat, wine, and files)
l1l	Arcite	 I should be near the place. Ho, cousin Palamon!
		(Enter Palamon as from the bush)
l2l	Palamon	 Arcite.
	Arcite	The same. I have brought you food and files.
l3l		Come forth and fear not, here’s no Theseus.
l4l	Palamon	Nor none so honest, Arcite.
	Arcite	That’s no matter—
l5l		We’ll argue that hereafter. Come, take courage—
l6l		You shall not die thus beastly. Here, sir, drink#
l7l		I know you are faint. Then I’ll talk further with you.
l8l	Palamon	Arcite, thou mightst now poison me.
	Arcite	I might—
l9l		But I must fear you first. Sit down and, good now,
l10l		No more of these vain parleys. Let us not,
l11l		Having our ancient reputation with us,
l12l		Make talk for fools and cowards. To your health, sir.
l13l	Palamon	Do.
		(Arcite drinks)
		
	Arcite	 Pray sit down, then, and let me entreat you,
l14l		By all the honesty and honour in you,
l15l		No mention of this woman—’twill disturb us.
l16l		We shall have time enough.
	Palamon	Well, sir, I’ll pledge you.
		( 16B Palamon drinks)
l17l	Arcite	 Drink a good hearty draught# it breeds good blood, man.
l18l		Do not you feel it thaw you?
	Palamon	Stay, I’ll tell you
l19l		After a draught or two more.
		(Palamon drinks)
		
	Arcite	Spare it not—
l20l		The Duke has more, coz. Eat now.
	Palamon	Yes.
		(Palamon eats)
		
	Arcite	 I am glad
l21l		You have so good a stomach.
	Palamon	I am gladder
l22l		I have so good meat to ’t.
	Arcite	Is ’t not mad, lodging
l23l		Here in the wild woods, cousin?
	Palamon	Yes, for them
l24l		That have wild consciences.
	Arcite	How tastes your victuals?
l25l		Your hunger needs no sauce, I see.
	Palamon	Not much.
l26l		But if it did, yours is too tart, sweet cousin.
l27l		What is this?
	Arcite	Venison.
	Palamon	’Tis a lusty meat—
l28l		Give me more wine. Here, Arcite, to the wenches
l29l		We have known in our days.
		(Drinking)
		 The lord steward’s daughter.
l30l		Do you remember her?
	Arcite	After you, coz.
l31l	Palamon	She loved a black-haired man.
	Arcite	She did so# well, sir.
l32l	Palamon	And I have heard some call him Arcite, and—
l33l	Arcite	Out with ’t, faith.
	Palamon	She met him in an arbour—
l34l		What did she there, coz? Play o’ th’ virginals?
l35l	Arcite	Something she did, sir—
	Palamon	Made her groan a month for ’t—
l36l		Or two, or three, or ten.
	Arcite	The marshal’s sister
l37l		Had her share too, as I remember, cousin,
l38l		Else there be tales abroad. You’ll pledge her?
	Palamon	Yes.
		( 38B They drink)
l39l	Arcite	 A pretty brown wench ’tis. There was a time
l40l		When young men went a-hunting, and a wood,
l41l		And a broad beech, and thereby hangs a tale—
l42l		Heigh-ho!
	Palamon	For Emily, upon my life! Fool,
l43l		Away with this strained mirth. I say again,
l44l		That sigh was breathed for Emily. Base cousin,
l45l		Dar’st thou break first?
	Arcite	You are wide.
	Palamon	By heaven and earth,
l46l		There’s nothing in thee honest.
	Arcite	Then I’ll leave you—
l47l		You are a beast now.
	Palamon	As thou mak’st me, traitor.
l48l	Arcite	(pointing to the bundle)
		 There’s all things needful: files and shirts and perfumes—
l49l		I’ll come again some two hours hence and bring
l50l		That that shall quiet all.
	Palamon	A sword and armour.
l51l	Arcite	Fear me not. You are now too foul. Farewell.
l52l		Get off your trinkets: you shall want naught.
	Palamon	Sirrah—
l53l	Arcite	I’ll hear no more.
		(Exit)
		
	Palamon	 If he keep touch, he dies for ’t.
		(Exit as into the bush)