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- $Unique_ID{SSP00202}
- $Title{The Two Gentlemen of Verona: Act I, Scene II}
- $Author{Shakespeare, William}
- $Subject{}
- $Log{Dramatis Personae*00200.txt}
-
- Portions copyright (c) CMC ReSearch, Inc., 1989
-
- The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
-
- THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
-
-
- ACT I
- ................................................................................
-
-
- SCENE II: The same. Garden of JULIA's house.
- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
-
- {Enter JULlA and LUCETTA.}
-
- JULIA: But say, Lucetta, now we are alone,
- Wouldst thou then counsel me to fall in love?
-
- LUCETTA: Ay, madam, so you stumble not unheedfully.
-
- JULIA: Of all the fair resort of gentlemen
- That every day with parle encounter me,
- In thy opinion which is worthiest love?
-
- LUCETTA: Please you repeat their names, I'll show my mind
- According to my shallow simple skill.
-
- JULIA: What think'st thou of the fair Sir Eglamour?
-
- LUCETTA: As of a knight well-spoken, neat and fine; 10
- But, were I you, he never should be mine.
-
- JULIA: What think'st thou of the rich Mercatio?
-
- LUCETTA: Well of his wealth; but of himself, so so.
-
- JULIA: What think'st thou of the gentle Proteus?
-
- LUCETTA: Lord, Lord! to see what folly reigns in us!
-
- JULIA: How now! what means this passion at his name?
-
- LUCETTA: Pardon, dear madam: 'tis a passing shame
- That I, unworthy body as I am,
- Should censure thus on lovely gentlemen.
-
- JULIA: Why not on Proteus, as of all the rest? 20
-
- LUCETTA: Then thus: of many good I think him best.
-
- JULIA: Your reason?
-
- LUCETTA: I have no other, but a woman's reason;
- I think him so because I think him so.
-
- JULIA: And wouldst thou have me cast my love on him?
-
- LUCETTA: Ay, if you thought your love not cast away.
-
- JULIA: Why he, of all the rest, hath never moved me.
-
- LUCETTA: Yet he, of all the rest, I think, best loves ye.
-
- JULIA: His little speaking shows his love but small.
-
- LUCETTA: Fire that's closest kept burns most of all. 30
-
- JULIA: They do not love that do not show their love.
-
- LUCETTA: O, they love least that let men know their love.
-
- JULIA: I would I knew his mind.
-
- LUCETTA: Peruse this paper, madam.
-
- JULIA: 'To Julia.' Say, from whom?
-
- LUCETTA: That the contents will show.
-
- JULIA: Say, say, who gave it thee?
-
- LUCETTA: Valentine's page; and sent, I think, from Proteus.
- He would have given it you; but I, being in the way,
- Did in your name receive it: pardon the
- fault I pray. 40
-
- JULIA: Now, by my modesty, a goodly broker!
- Dare you presume to harbor wanton lines?
- To whisper and conspire against my youth?
- Now, trust me, 'tis an office of great worth
- And you an officer fit for the place.
- Or else return no more into my sight.
-
- LUCETTA: To plead for love deserves more fee than hate.
-
- JULIA: Will ye be gone?
-
- LUCETTA: That you may ruminate.
-
- [Exit.]
-
- JULIA: And yet I would I had o'erlooked the letter:
- It were a shame to call her back again 50
- And pray her to a fault for which I chid her.
- What a fool is she, that knows I am a maid,
- And would not force the letter to my view!
- Since maids, in modesty, say 'no' to that
- Which they would have the profferer construe 'ay.'
- Fie, fie, how wayward is this foolish love
- That, like a testy babe, will scratch the nurse
- And presently all humbled kiss the rod!
- How churlishly I chid Lucetta hence,
- When willingly I would have had her here! 60
- How angerly I taught my brow to frown,
- When inward joy enforced my heart to smile!
- My penance is to call Lucetta back
- And ask remission for my folly past.
- What ho! Lucetta!
-
- {Re-enter LUCETTA.}
-
- LUCETTA: What would your ladyship?
-
- JULIA: Is't near dinner-time?
-
- LUCETTA: I would it were,
- That you might kill your stomach on your meat
- And not upon your maid.
-
- JULIA: What is't that you took up so gingerly?
-
- LUCETTA: Nothing. 70
-
- JULIA: Why didst thou stoop, then?
-
- LUCETTA: To take a paper up that I let fall.
-
- JULIA: And is that paper nothing?
-
- LUCETTA: Nothing concerning me.
-
- JULIA: Then let it lie for those that it concerns.
-
- LUCETTA: Madam, it will not lie where it concerns
- Unless it have a false interpeter.
-
- JULIA: Some love of yours hath writ to you in rhyme.
-
- LUCETTA: That I might sing it, madam, to a tune.
- Give me a note: your ladyship can set. 80
-
- JULIA: As little by such toys as may be possible.
- Best sing it to the tune of 'Light o' love.'
-
- LUCETTA: It is too heavy for so light a tune.
-
- JULIA: Heavy! belike it hath some burden then?
-
- LUCETTA: Ay, and melodious were it, would you sing it.
-
- JULIA: And why not you?
-
- LUCETTA: I cannot reach so high.
-
- JULIA: Let's see your song. How now, minion!
-
- LUCETTA: Keep tune there still, so you will sing it out:
- And yet methinks I do not like this tune.
-
- JULIA: You do not?
-
- LUCETTA: No, madam; it is too sharp. 90
-
- JULIA: You, minion, are too saucy.
-
- LUCETTA: Nay, now you are too flat
- And mar the concord with too harsh a descant:
- There wanteth but a mean to fill your song.
-
- JULIA: The mean is drown'd with your unruly bass.
-
- LUCETTA: Indeed, I bid the base for Proteus.
-
- JULIA: This babble shall not henceforth trouble me.
- Here is a coil with protestation!
-
- [Tears the letter.]
-
- Go get you gone, and let the papers lie:
- You would be fingering them, to anger me. 100
-
- LUCETTA: She makes it strange; but she would be best pleased
- To be so anger'd with another letter.
-
- [Exit.]
-
- JULIA: Nay, would I were so anger'd with the same!
- O hateful hands, to tear such loving words!
- Injurious wasps, to feed on such sweet honey
- And kill the bees that yield it with your stings!
- I'll kiss each several paper for amends.
- Look, here is writ 'kind Julia.' Unkind Julia!
- As in revenge of thy ingratitude,
- I throw thy name against the bruising stones, 110
- Trampling contemptuously on thy disdain.
- And here is writ 'love-wounded Proteus.'
- Poor wounded name! my bosom as a bed
- Shall lodge thee till thy wound be thoroughly heal'd;
- And thus I search it with a sovereign kiss.
- But twice or thrice was 'Proteus' written down.
- Be calm, good wind, blow not a word away
- Till I have found each letter in the letter,
- Except mine own name: that some whirlwind bear
- Unto a ragged fearful-hanging rock 120
- And throw it thence into the raging sea!
- Lo, here in one line is his name twice writ,
- 'Poor forlorn Proteus, passionate Proteus,
- To the sweet Julia:' that I'll tear away.
- And yet I will not, sith so prettily
- He couples it to his complaining names.
- Thus will I fold them one on another:
- Now kiss, embrace, contend, do what you will.
-
- {Re-enter LUCETTA.}
-
- LUCETTA: Madam,
- Dinner is ready, and your father stays. 130
-
- JULIA: Well, let us go.
-
- LUCETTA: What, shall these papers lie like tell-tales here?
-
- JULIA: If you respect them, best to take them up.
-
- LUCETTA: Nay, I was taken up for laying them down:
- Yet here they shall not lie, for catching cold.
-
- JULIA: I see you have a month's mind to them.
-
- LUCETTA: Ay, madam, you may say what sights you see;
- I see things too, although you judge I wink.
-
- JULIA: Come, come; will't please you go?
-
- [Exeunt.]
-