_Clo._ As fit as ten groats is for the hand of an attorney, as your French crown for your taffeta punk, as Tib's rush 20 for Tom's forefinger, as a pancake for Shrove Tuesday, a morris for May-day, as the nail to his hole, the cuckold to his horn, as a scolding quean to a wrangling knave, as the nun's lip to the friar's mouth, nay, as the pudding to his skin. _Count._ Have you, I say, an answer of such fitness for 25 all questions? _Clo._ From below your duke to beneath your constable, it will fit any question. _Count._ It must be an answer of most monstrous size that must fit all demands. 30 _Clo._ But a trifle neither, in good faith, if the learned should speak truth of it: here it is, and all that belongs to't. Ask me if I am a courtier: it shall do you no harm to learn. _Count._ To be young again, if we could: I will be a fool in question, hoping to be the wiser by your answer. 35 I pray you, sir, are you a courtier? _Clo._ O Lord, sir! There's a simple putting off. More, more, a hundred of them. _Count._ Sir, I am a poor friend of yours, that loves you. _Clo._ O Lord, sir! Thick, thick, spare not me. 40 _Count._ I think, sir, you can eat none of this homely meat. _Clo._ O Lord, sir! Nay, put me to't, I warrant you. _Count._ You were lately whipped, sir, as I think. _Clo._ O Lord, sir! spare not me. _Count._ Do you cry, 'O Lord, sir!' at your whipping, 45 and 'spare not me'? Indeed your 'O Lord, sir!' is very sequent to your whipping: you would answer very well to a whipping, if you were but bound to't. _Clo._ I ne'er had worse luck in my life in my 'O Lord, sir!' I see things may serve long, but not serve ever. 50 _Count._ I play the noble housewife with the time, To entertain 't so merrily with a fool. _Clo._ O Lord, sir! why, there't serves well again. _Count._ An end, sir; to your business. Give Helen this, And urge her to a present answer back: 55 Commend me to my kinsmen and my son: This is not much. _Clo._ Not much commendation to them. _Count._ Not much employment for you: you understand me? 60 _Clo._ Most fruitfully: I am there before my legs. _Count._ Haste you again. [_Exeunt severally._ LINENOTES: SCENE II.] SCENE IV. Pope. [1. Count.] Lady. Ff (and Lady. or La. throughout the scene). [5] _To the court_] _But to the court_ Theobald. [6] _contempt? ... court!_] Pope. _contempt, ... Court?_ Ff. [11] _court; but for me,_] Rowe. _court, but for me,_ Ff. _court, but for me:_ Pope. [18] _serve fit_] _sir, fit_ Anon. conj. _fit_ Anon. conj. [20, 21] _Tib's ... Tom's_] _Tom's ... Tib's_ Hawkins conj.