_Alb._ Had not you come, dear brother Andrea,[488]
I think not one would know me. Ulysses' dog
Had quicker sense than my dull countrymen; 260
Why, none had known me.
_Ran._ Doubt you of that? Would I might die,
Had I not known the guile, I would ha' sworn
Thou hadst been Albano, my nimble, coz'ning knave.
_Alb._ Whip, whip! Heaven preserve all! Saint
Mark, Saint Mark!
Brother Andrea,[488] be frantic, prithee be;
Say I am a perfumer--Francisco. Hay, hay!
Is't not some feast-day? You are all rank drunk!
Rats, ra-ra-ra-rats, knights of the be-be-be-bell! be-be-bell!
_And._[487] Go, go! proceed: thou dost it rare. Farewell.
[_Exeunt_ ANDREA[488] _and_ RANDOLFO.
_Alb._ Farewell? Ha! Is't even so? Boy, who am I?
_Slip._ My Lord Albano!
_Alb._ By this breast you lie. 272
The Samian[489] faith is true, true! I was drown'd;
And now my soul is skipp'd into a perfumer,
A gutter-master.
_Slip._ Believe me, sir----
_Alb._ No, no!
I'll believe nothing! no!
The disadvantage of all honest hearts
Is quick credulity. Perfect state-policy
Can cross-bite[490] even sense. The world's turn'd juggler!
Casts mists before our eyes. Hey-pass re-pass![491] 280
I'll credit nothing.
_Slip._ Good sir!
_Alb._ Hence, ass!
Doth not opinion stamp the current pass
Of each man's value, virtue, quality?
Had I engross'd the choice commodities
Of Heaven's traffic, yet reputed vile,
I am a rascal! O, dear unbelief!
How wealthy dost thou make thy owner's wit!
Thou train of knowledge! what a privilege
Thou givest to thy possessor! anchor'st him
From floating with the tide of vulgar faith; 290
From being damn'd with multitude's dear unbelief!
I am a perfumer: ay, think'st thou, my blood,
My brothers know not right Albano yet?
Away! 'tis faithless![492] If Albano's name
Were liable to sense, that I could taste, or touch,
Or see, or feel it, it might 'tice belief;
But since 'tis voice, and air--Come to the Muskcat, boy;
Francisco, that's my name; 'tis right: ay, ay,
What do you lack? what is't you lack? right; that's my cry.
[_Exeunt._
[471] _i.e._, as if I had been treated for the pox.
[472] Ed. 2. "cause's."
[473] Cf. Prologue to _Second Part of Antonio and Mellida_:--
"And _nuzzled 'twixt the breasts_ of happiness."
[474] Ed. 2. "our right."
[475] _i.e._, tatter'd.
[476] Old eds. "Adrian."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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