Comedy plays; Exiles -- Drama; Fathers and daughters -- Drama; Pastoral drama
at the casement; shut that, and 'twill out at the key-hole;
stop
that, 'twill fly with the smoke out at the chimney.
ORLANDO. A man that had a wife with such a wit, he might say
'Wit,
whither wilt?' ROSALIND. Nay, you might keep that check for
it, till you met your
wife's wit going to your neighbour's bed.
ORLANDO. And what wit could wit have to excuse that?
ROSALIND. Marry, to say she came to seek you there. You shall
never
take her without her answer, unless you take her without her
tongue. O, that woman that cannot make her fault her
husband's
occasion, let her never nurse her child herself, for she will
breed it like a fool!
ORLANDO. For these two hours, Rosalind, I will leave thee.
ROSALIND. Alas, dear love, I cannot lack thee two hours!
ORLANDO. I must attend the Duke at dinner; by two o'clock I
will be
with thee again.
ROSALIND. Ay, go your ways, go your ways. I knew what you would
prove; my friends told me as much, and I thought no less.
That
flattering tongue of yours won me. 'Tis but one cast away,
and
so, come death! Two o'clock is your hour?
ORLANDO. Ay, sweet Rosalind.
ROSALIND. By my troth, and in good earnest, and so God mend me,
and
by all pretty oaths that are not dangerous, if you break one
jot
of your promise, or come one minute behind your hour, I will
think you the most pathetical break-promise, and the most
hollow
lover, and the most unworthy of her you call Rosalind, that
may
be chosen out of the gross band of the unfaithful. Therefore
beware my censure, and keep your promise.
ORLANDO. With no less religion than if thou wert indeed my
Rosalind; so, adieu.
ROSALIND. Well, Time is the old justice that examines all such
offenders, and let Time try. Adieu. Exit ORLANDO
CELIA. You have simply misus'd our sex in your love-prate. We
must
have your doublet and hose pluck'd over your head, and show
the
world what the bird hath done to her own nest.
ROSALIND. O coz, coz, coz, my pretty little coz, that thou
didst
know how many fathom deep I am in love! But it cannot be
sounded;
my affection hath an unknown bottom, like the Bay of
Portugal.
CELIA. Or rather, bottomless; that as fast as you pour
affection
in, it runs out.
ROSALIND. No; that same wicked bastard of Venus, that was begot
of
thought, conceiv'd of spleen, and born of madness; that blind
rascally boy, that abuses every one's eyes, because his own
are
out- let him be judge how deep I am in love. I'll tell thee,
Aliena, I cannot be out of the sight of Orlando. I'll go find
a
shadow, and sigh till he come.
CELIA. And I'll sleep. Exeunt
SCENE II.
The forest
Enter JAQUES and LORDS, in the habit of foresters
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