The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 2 of 9]Shakespeare, William
General
The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 2 of 9]
Shakespeare, William
English drama
_Duke F._ Send to his brother; fetch that gallant hither;
If he be absent, bring his brother to me;
I ’ll make him find him: do this suddenly,
And let not search and inquisition quail 20
To bring again these foolish runaways. [_Exeunt._
~~~~~
Linenotes: _As You Like It_, II, 2.
8: _roynish_] _roguish_ Staunton conj.
10: _Hisperia_] Ff. _Hesperia_ Warburton.
17: _brother_] _brother’s_ Mason conj.
20: _quail_] _fail_ Lloyd conj.
~~~~~
SCENE III. _Before_ OLIVER’S _house_.
_Enter_ ORLANDO _and_ ADAM, _meeting_.
_Orl._ Who’s there?
_Adam._ What, my young master? O my gentle master!
O my sweet master! O you memory
Of old Sir Rowland! why, what make you here?
Why are you virtuous? why do people love you? 5
And wherefore are you gentle, strong and valiant?
Why would you be so fond to overcome
The bonny priser of the humorous Duke?
Your praise is come too swiftly home before you
Know you not, master, to some kind of men 10
Their graces serve them but as enemies?
No more do yours: your virtues, gentle master,
Are sanctified and holy traitors to you.
O, what a world is this, when what is comely
Envenoms him that bears it! 15
_Orl._ Why, what’s the matter?
_Adam._ O unhappy youth!
Come not within these doors; within this roof
The enemy of all your graces lives:
Your brother—no, no brother; yet the son—
Yet not the son, I will not call him son, 20
Of him I was about to call his father,—
Hath heard your praises, and this night he means
To burn the lodging where you use to lie
And you within it: if he fail of that,
He will have other means to cut you off. 25
I overheard him and his practices.
This is no place; this house is but a butchery:
Abhor it, fear it, do not enter it.
_Orl._ Why, whither, Adam, wouldst thou have me go?
_Adam._ No matter whither, so you come not here. 30
_Orl._ What, wouldst thou have me go and beg my food?
Or with a base and boisterous sword enforce
A thievish living on the common road?
This I must do, or know not what to do:
Yet this I will not do, do how I can; 35
I rather will subject me to the malice
Of a diverted blood and bloody brother.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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