Comedy plays; Florence (Italy) -- Drama; Married women -- Drama; Runaway husbands -- Drama
but that, my offences being many, I would repent out the
remainder of nature. Let me live, sir, in a dungeon, i' th'
stocks, or anywhere, so I may live.
FIRST SOLDIER. We'll see what may be done, so you confess
freely;
therefore, once more to this Captain Dumain: you have
answer'd to
his reputation with the Duke, and to his valour; what is his
honesty?
PAROLLES. He will steal, sir, an egg out of a cloister; for
rapes
and ravishments he parallels Nessus. He professes not keeping
of
oaths; in breaking 'em he is stronger than Hercules. He will
lie,
sir, with such volubility that you would think truth were a
fool.
Drunkenness is his best virtue, for he will be swine-drunk;
and
in his sleep he does little harm, save to his bedclothes
about
him; but they know his conditions and lay him in straw. I
have
but little more to say, sir, of his honesty. He has
everything
that an honest man should not have; what an honest man should
have he has nothing.
SECOND LORD. I begin to love him for this.
BERTRAM. For this description of thine honesty? A pox upon him!
For
me, he's more and more a cat.
FIRST SOLDIER. What say you to his expertness in war?
PAROLLES. Faith, sir, has led the drum before the English
tragedians-to belie him I will not-and more of his
soldier-ship
I know not, except in that country he had the honour to be
the
officer at a place there called Mile-end to instruct for the
doubling of files-I would do the man what honour I can-but of
this I am not certain.
SECOND LORD. He hath out-villain'd villainy so far that the
rarity
redeems him.
BERTRAM. A pox on him! he's a cat still.
FIRST SOLDIER. His qualities being at this poor price, I need
not
to ask you if gold will corrupt him to revolt.
PAROLLES. Sir, for a cardecue he will sell the fee-simple of
his
salvation, the inheritance of it; and cut th' entail from all
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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