First Lord. My lord, he is but even now gone hence : Here was he merry, hearing of a song. Duke S. If he, compact* of jars, grow musical, We shall have shortly discord in the spheres. Go, seek him tell him I would speak with him. : Enter JAQUES. First Lord. He saves my labour by his own approach. Duke S. Why, how now, monsieur ! what a life is this, That your poor friends must woo your company? What, you look merrily! Jaq. A fool, a fool! I met a fool i' the forest, A motley fool; a miserable world! As I do live by food, I met a fool; Who laid him down and basked him in the sun, 'Good morrow, fool,' quoth I. 'No, sir,' quoth he, And then he drew a dial from his poke, Thus we may see,' quoth he, 'how the world wags; And after one hour more 'twill be eleven ; An hour by his dial. O noble fool! A worthy fool! Motley's the only wear. Enter ORLANDO, with his sword drawn. Orl. Forbear, and eat no more. Faq. Why, I have eat none yet. Orl. Nor shalt not, till necessity be served. Jaq. Of what kind should this cock come of? Duke S. Art thou thus boldened, man, by thy distress; Or else a rude despiser of good manners, That in civility thou seem'st so empty? Orl. You touched my vein at first: the thorny point Of bare distress hath ta'en from me the show Of smooth civility: yet am I inland bred He dies that touches any of this fruit Till I and my affairs are answered. Faq. An you will not be answered with reason, I must die. Duke S. What would you have? Your gentleness shall force More than your force move us to gentleness. Orl. I almost die for food; and let me have it. Duke S. Sit down and feed, and welcome to our table. Orl. Speak you so gently? Pardon me, I pray you : I thought that all things had been savage here; And therefore put I on the countenance Of stern commandment. But whate'er you are Under the shade of melancholy boughs, Lose and neglect the creeping hours of time; If ever you have looked on better days, If ever been where bells have knolled to church, If ever from your eyelids wiped a tear In the which hope I blush, and hide my sword. Duke S. True is it that we have seen better days, And have with holy bell been knolled to church, And sat at good men's feasts, and wiped our eyes Orl. Then but forbear your food a little while, Duke S. Go find him out, And we will nothing waste till you return. Orl. I thank ye; and be blest for your good comfort! [Exit. Duke S. Thou seest we are not all alone unhappy : This wide and universal theatre Presents more woeful pageants than the scene Faq. All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players: Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice, Full of wise saws and modern instances; And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts With spectacles on nose and pouch on side, Is second childishness and mere oblivion, Re-enter ORLANDO, with ADAM. Duke S. Welcome. Set down your venerable burthen, And let him feed. Orl. I thank you most for him. So had you need: Give us some music; and, good cousin, sing. W. Shakespeare. Oli. CLVII. AS YOU LIKE IT. ACT IV. SCENE III.-The Forest. ROSALIND, dressed like a boy. CELIA. Enter OLIVER. OOD morrow, fair ones: pray you, if you know, A sheep-cote fenced about with olive trees? Cel. West of this place, down in the neighbour bottom: The rank of osiers by the murmuring stream Left on your right hand brings you to the place. But at this hour the house doth keep itself; There's none within. Oli. If that an eye may profit by a tongue, Like a ripe sister: the woman low And browner than her brother.' Are not you Cel. It is no boast, being asked, to say we are. Ros. I am what must we understand by this? Cel. I pray you, tell it. Oli. When last the young Orlando parted from you He left a promise to return again Within an hour, and pacing through the forest, Chewing the food of sweet and bitter fancy, Lo, what befel! he threw his eye aside, And mark what object did present itself : Under an oak, whose boughs were mossed with age A wretched ragged man, o'ergrown with hair, A green and gilded snake had wreathed itself, Who with her head, nimble in threats, approached A lioness, with udders all drawn dry, Lay couching, head on ground, with catlike watch, To prey on nothing that doth seem as dead : |