ARKCODEX
Act I, Scene 2
1Lawn before the Duke’s palace.
2Enter Celia and Rosalind.
3CeliaI pray thee, Rosalind, sweet my coz, be merry.
4RosalindDear Celia, I show more mirth than I am mistress of; and would you yet I were merrier? Unless you could teach me to forget a banished father, you must not learn me how to remember any extraordinary pleasure.
5CeliaHerein I see thou lovest me not with the full weight that I love thee. If my uncle, thy banished father, had banished thy uncle, the duke my father, so thou hadst been still with me, I could have taught my love to take thy father for mine: so wouldst thou, if the truth of thy love to me were so righteously tempered as mine is to thee.
6RosalindWell, I will forget the condition of my estate, to rejoice in yours.
7CeliaYou know my father hath no child but I, nor none is like to have: and, truly, when he dies, thou shalt be his heir, for what he hath taken away from thy father perforce, I will render thee again in affection; by mine honour, I will; and when I break that oath, let me turn monster: therefore, my sweet Rose, my dear Rose, be merry.
8RosalindFrom henceforth I will, coz, and devise sports. Let me see; what think you of falling in love?
9CeliaMarry, I prithee, do, to make sport withal: but love no man in good earnest; nor no further in sport neither than with safety of a pure blush thou mayst in honour come off again.
10RosalindWhat shall be our sport, then?
11CeliaLet us sit and mock the good housewife Fortune from her wheel, that her gifts may henceforth be bestowed equally.
12RosalindI would we could do so, for her benefits are mightily misplaced, and the bountiful blind woman doth most mistake in her gifts to women.
13Celia’Tis true; for those that she makes fair she scarce makes honest, and those that she makes honest she makes very ill-favouredly.
14RosalindNay, now thou goest from Fortune’s office to Nature’s: Fortune reigns in gifts of the world, not in the lineaments of Nature.
15Enter Touchstone.
16CeliaNo? when Nature hath made a fair creature, may she not by Fortune fall into the fire? Though Nature hath given us wit to flout at Fortune, hath not Fortune sent in this fool to cut off the argument?
17RosalindIndeed, there is Fortune too hard for Nature, when Fortune makes Nature’s natural the cutter-off of Nature’s wit.
18CeliaPeradventure this is not Fortune’s work neither, but Nature’s; who perceiveth our natural wits too dull to reason of such goddesses and hath sent this natural for our whetstone; for always the dulness of the fool is the whetstone of the wits. How now, wit! whither wander you?
19TouchstoneMistress, you must come away to your father.
20CeliaWere you made the messenger?
21TouchstoneNo, by mine honour, but I was bid to come for you.
22RosalindWhere learned you that oath, fool?
23TouchstoneOf a certain knight that swore by his honour they were good pancakes and swore by his honour the mustard was naught: now I’ll stand to it, the pancakes were naught and the mustard was good, and yet was not the knight forsworn.
24CeliaHow prove you that, in the great heap of your knowledge?
25RosalindAy, marry, now unmuzzle your wisdom.
26TouchstoneStand you both forth now: stroke your chins, and swear by your beards that I am a knave.
27CeliaBy our beards, if we had them, thou art.
28TouchstoneBy my knavery, if I had it, then I were; but if you swear by that that is not, you are not forsworn: no more was this knight swearing by his honour, for he never had any; or if he had, he had sworn it away before ever he saw those pancakes or that mustard.
29CeliaPrithee, who is’t that thou meanest?
30TouchstoneOne that old Frederick, your father, loves.
31CeliaMy father’s love is enough to honour him: enough! speak no more of him; you’ll be whipped for taxation one of these days.
32TouchstoneThe more pity, that fools may not speak wisely what wise men do foolishly.
33CeliaBy my troth, thou sayest true; for since the little wit that fools have was silenced, the little foolery that wise men have makes a great show. Here comes Monsieur Le Beau.
34RosalindWith his mouth full of news.
35CeliaWhich he will put on us, as pigeons feed their young.
36RosalindThen shall we be news-crammed.
37CeliaAll the better; we shall be the more marketable.
38Enter Le Beau.
39Bon jour, Monsieur Le Beau: what’s the news?
40Le BeauFair princess, you have lost much good sport.
41CeliaSport! of what colour?
42Le BeauWhat colour, madam! how shall I answer you?
43RosalindAs wit and fortune will.
44TouchstoneOr as the Destinies decree.
45CeliaWell said: that was laid on with a trowel.
46TouchstoneNay, if I keep not my rank—
47RosalindThou losest thy old smell.
48Le BeauYou amaze me, ladies: I would have told you of good wrestling, which you have lost the sight of.
49RosalindYou tell us the manner of the wrestling.
50Le BeauI will tell you the beginning; and, if it please your ladyships, you may see the end; for the best is yet to do; and here, where you are, they are coming to perform it.
51CeliaWell, the beginning, that is dead and buried.
52Le BeauThere comes an old man and his three sons—
53CeliaI could match this beginning with an old tale.
54Le BeauThree proper young men, of excellent growth and presence.
55RosalindWith bills on their necks, “Be it known unto all men by these presents.”
56Le BeauThe eldest of the three wrestled with Charles, the duke’s wrestler; which Charles in a moment threw him and broke three of his ribs, that there is little hope of life in him: so he served the second, and so the third. Yonder they lie; the poor old man, their father, making such pitiful dole over them that all the beholders take his part with weeping.
57RosalindAlas!
58TouchstoneBut what is the sport, monsieur, that the ladies have lost?
59Le BeauWhy, this that I speak of.
60TouchstoneThus men may grow wiser every day: it is the first time that ever I heard breaking of ribs was sport for ladies.
61CeliaOr I, I promise thee.
62RosalindBut is there any else longs to see this broken music in his sides? is there yet another dotes upon rib-breaking? Shall we see this wrestling, cousin?
63Le BeauYou must, if you stay here; for here is the place appointed for the wrestling, and they are ready to perform it.
64CeliaYonder, sure, they are coming: let us now stay and see it.
65Flourish. Enter Duke Frederick, Lords, Orlando, Charles, and Attendants.
66Duke FrederickCome on: since the youth will not be entreated, his own peril on his forwardness.
67RosalindIs yonder the man?
68Le BeauEven he, madam.
69CeliaAlas, he is too young! yet he looks successfully.
70Duke FrederickHow now, daughter and cousin! are you crept hither to see the wrestling?
71RosalindAy, my liege, so please you give us leave.
72Duke FrederickYou will take little delight in it, I can tell you; there is such odds in the man. In pity of the challenger’s youth I would fain dissuade him, but he will not be entreated. Speak to him, ladies; see if you can move him.
73CeliaCall him hither, good Monsieur Le Beau.
74Duke FrederickDo so: I’ll not be by.
75Le BeauMonsieur the challenger, the princesses call for you.
76OrlandoI attend them with all respect and duty.
77RosalindYoung man, have you challenged Charles the wrestler?
78OrlandoNo, fair princess; he is the general challenger: I come but in, as others do, to try with him the strength of my youth.
79CeliaYoung gentleman, your spirits are too bold for your years. You have seen cruel proof of this man’s strength: if you saw yourself with your eyes or knew yourself with your judgment, the fear of your adventure would counsel you to a more equal enterprise. We pray you, for your own sake, to embrace your own safety and give over this attempt.
80RosalindDo, young sir; your reputation shall not therefore be misprised: we will make it our suit to the duke that the wrestling might not go forward.
81OrlandoI beseech you, punish me not with your hard thoughts; wherein I confess me much guilty, to deny so fair and excellent ladies any thing. But let your fair eyes and gentle wishes go with me to my trial: wherein if I be foiled, there is but one shamed that was never gracious; if killed, but one dead that was willing to be so: I shall do my friends no wrong, for I have none to lament me, the world no injury, for in it I have nothing; only in the world I fill up a place, which may be better supplied when I have made it empty.
82RosalindThe little strength that I have, I would it were with you.
83CeliaAnd mine, to eke out hers.
84RosalindFare you well: pray heaven I be deceived in you!
85CeliaYour heart’s desires be with you!
86CharlesCome, where is this young gallant that is so desirous to lie with his mother earth?
87OrlandoReady, sir; but his will hath in it a more modest working.
88Duke FrederickYou shall try but one fall.
89CharlesNo, I warrant your grace, you shall not entreat him to a second, that have so mightily persuaded him from a first.
90OrlandoAn you mean to mock me after, you should not have mocked me before: but come your ways.
91RosalindNow Hercules be thy speed, young man!
92CeliaI would I were invisible, to catch the strong fellow by the leg. They wrestle.
93RosalindO excellent young man!
94CeliaIf I had a thunderbolt in mine eye, I can tell who should down. Shout. Charles is thrown.
95Duke FrederickNo more, no more.
96OrlandoYes, I beseech your grace: I am not yet well breathed.
97Duke FrederickHow dost thou, Charles?
98Le BeauHe cannot speak, my lord.
99Duke FrederickBear him away. What is thy name, young man?
100OrlandoOrlando, my liege; the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys.
101Duke FrederickI would thou hadst been son to some man else:
The world esteem’d thy father honourable,
But I did find him still mine enemy:
Thou shouldst have better pleased me with this deed,
Hadst thou descended from another house.
But fare thee well; thou art a gallant youth:
I would thou hadst told me of another father. Exeunt Duke Frederick, train, and Le Beau.
102CeliaWere I my father, coz, would I do this?
103OrlandoI am more proud to be Sir Rowland’s son,
His youngest son; and would not change that calling,
To be adopted heir to Frederick.
104RosalindMy father loved Sir Rowland as his soul,
And all the world was of my father’s mind:
Had I before known this young man his son,
I should have given him tears unto entreaties,
Ere he should thus have ventured.
105CeliaGentle cousin,
Let us go thank him and encourage him:
My father’s rough and envious disposition
Sticks me at heart. Sir, you have well deserved:
If you do keep your promises in love
But justly, as you have exceeded all promise,
Your mistress shall be happy.
106RosalindGentleman, Giving him a chain from her neck.
Wear this for me, one out of suits with fortune,
That could give more, but that her hand lacks means.
Shall we go, coz?
107CeliaAy. Fare you well, fair gentleman.
108OrlandoCan I not say, I thank you? My better parts
Are all thrown down, and that which here stands up
Is but a quintain, a mere lifeless block.
109RosalindHe calls us back: my pride fell with my fortunes;
I’ll ask him what he would. Did you call, sir?
Sir, you have wrestled well and overthrown
More than your enemies.
110CeliaWill you go, coz?
111RosalindHave with you. Fare you well. Exeunt Rosalind and Celia.
112OrlandoWhat passion hangs these weights upon my tongue?
I cannot speak to her, yet she urged conference.
O poor Orlando, thou art overthrown!
Or Charles or something weaker masters thee.
113Reenter Le Beau.
114Le BeauGood sir, I do in friendship counsel you
To leave this place. Albeit you have deserved
High commendation, true applause and love,
Yet such is now the duke’s condition
That he misconstrues all that you have done.
The duke is humorous; what he is indeed,
More suits you to conceive than I to speak of.
115OrlandoI thank you, sir: and, pray you, tell me this:
Which of the two was daughter of the duke
That here was at the wrestling?
116Le BeauNeither his daughter, if we judge by manners;
But yet indeed the lesser is his daughter
The other is daughter to the banish’d duke,
And here detain’d by her usurping uncle,
To keep his daughter company; whose loves
Are dearer than the natural bond of sisters.
But I can tell you that of late this duke
Hath ta’en displeasure ’gainst his gentle niece,
Grounded upon no other argument
But that the people praise her for her virtues
And pity her for her good father’s sake;
And, on my life, his malice ’gainst the lady
Will suddenly break forth. Sir, fare you well:
Hereafter, in a better world than this,
I shall desire more love and knowledge of you.
117OrlandoI rest much bounden to you: fare you well. Exit Le Beau.
Thus must I from the smoke into the smother;
From tyrant duke unto a tyrant brother:
But heavenly Rosalind! Exit.