The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 3 of 9]Shakespeare, William
General
The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 3 of 9]
Shakespeare, William
English drama
_Mal._ At your request! yes; nightingales answer daws.
_Mar._ Why appear you with this ridiculous boldness 35
before my lady?
_Mal._'Be not afraid of greatness:' 'twas well writ.
_Oli._ What meanest thou by that, Malvolio?
_Mal._ 'Some are born great,'--
_Oli._ Ha! 40
_Mal._ 'Some achieve greatness,'--
_Oli._ What sayest thou?
_Mal._ 'And some have greatness thrust upon them.'
_Oli._ Heaven restore thee!
_Mal._ 'Remember who commended thy yellow stockings,'-- 45
_Oli._ Thy yellow stockings!
_Mal._ 'And wished to see thee cross-gartered.'
_Oli._ Cross-gartered!
_Mal._ 'Go to, thou art made, if thou desirest to be so;'-- 50
_Oli._ Am I made?
_Mal._ 'If not, let me see thee a servant still.'
_Oli._ Why, this is very midsummer madness.
_Enter_ Servant.
_Ser._ Madam, the young gentleman of the Count Orsino's
is returned: I could hardly entreat him back: he 55
attends your ladyship's pleasure.
_Oli._ I'll come to him. [_Exit Servant._] Good Maria,
let this fellow be looked to. Where's my cousin Toby?
Let some of my people have a special care of him: I would
not have him miscarry for the half of my dowry. 60
[_Exeunt Olivia and Maria._
_Mal._ O, ho! do you come near me now? no worse man
than Sir Toby to look to me! This concurs directly with
the letter: she sends him on purpose, that I may appear
stubborn to him; for she incites me to that in the letter.
'Cast thy humble slough,' says she; 'be opposite with a 65
kinsman, surly with servants; let thy tongue tang with arguments
of state; put thyself into the trick of singularity;'
and consequently sets down the manner how; as, a sad face,
a reverend carriage, a slow tongue, in the habit of some sir
of note, and so forth. I have limed her; but it is Jove's 70
doing, and Jove make me thankful! And when she went
away now, 'Let this fellow be looked to:' fellow! not Malvolio,
nor after my degree, but fellow. Why, every thing
adheres together, that no dram of a scruple, no scruple of a
scruple, no obstacle, no incredulous or unsafe circumstance--What 75
can be said? Nothing that can be can come between
me and the full prospect of my hopes. Well, Jove,
not I, is the doer of this, and he is to be thanked.
_Re-enter_ MARIA, _with_ SIR TOBY _and_ FABIAN.
_Sir To._ Which way is he, in the name of sanctity? If
all the devils of hell be drawn in little, and Legion himself 80
possessed him, yet I'll speak to him.
_Fab._ Here he is, here he is. How is't with you, sir?
how is't with you, man?
_Mal._ Go off; I discard you: let me enjoy my private:
go off. 85
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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