MALVOLIO.
‘M’—Malvolio; ‘M!’ Why, that begins my name!
FABIAN.
Did not I say he would work it out? The cur is excellent at faults.
MALVOLIO.
‘M’—But then there is no consonancy in the sequel; that suffers under
probation: ‘A’ should follow, but ‘O’ does.
FABIAN.
And ‘O’ shall end, I hope.
SIR TOBY.
Ay, or I’ll cudgel him, and make him cry ‘O!’
MALVOLIO.
And then ‘I’ comes behind.
FABIAN.
Ay, and you had any eye behind you, you might see more detraction at
your heels than fortunes before you.
MALVOLIO.
‘M.O.A.I.’ This simulation is not as the former: and yet, to crush this
a little, it would bow to me, for every one of these letters are in my
name. Soft, here follows prose.
[_Reads._] _If this fall into thy hand, revolve. In my stars I am above
thee, but be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve
greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ’em. Thy fates open
their hands, let thy blood and spirit embrace them. And, to inure
thyself to what thou art like to be, cast thy humble slough and appear
fresh. Be opposite with a kinsman, surly with servants. Let thy tongue
tang arguments of state; put thyself into the trick of singularity. She
thus advises thee that sighs for thee. Remember who commended thy
yellow stockings, and wished to see thee ever cross-gartered. I say,
remember. Go to, thou art made, if thou desir’st to be so. If not, let
me see thee a steward still, the fellow of servants, and not worthy to
touch Fortune’s fingers. Farewell. She that would alter services with
thee,
The Fortunate Unhappy._
Daylight and champian discovers not more! This is open. I will be
proud, I will read politic authors, I will baffle Sir Toby, I will wash
off gross acquaintance, I will be point-device, the very man. I do not
now fool myself, to let imagination jade me; for every reason excites
to this, that my lady loves me. She did commend my yellow stockings of
late, she did praise my leg being cross-gartered, and in this she
manifests herself to my love, and with a kind of injunction, drives me
to these habits of her liking. I thank my stars, I am happy. I will be
strange, stout, in yellow stockings, and cross-gartered, even with the
swiftness of putting on. Jove and my stars be praised!—Here is yet a
postscript. [_Reads._] _Thou canst not choose but know who I am. If
thou entertain’st my love, let it appear in thy smiling; thy smiles
become thee well. Therefore in my presence still smile, dear my sweet,
I prithee._ Jove, I thank thee. I will smile, I will do everything that
thou wilt have me.
[_Exit._]
FABIAN.
I will not give my part of this sport for a pension of thousands to be
paid from the Sophy.
SIR TOBY.
I could marry this wench for this device.
SIR ANDREW.
So could I too.
SIR TOBY.
And ask no other dowry with her but such another jest.
Enter Maria.
SIR ANDREW.
Nor I neither.
FABIAN.
Here comes my noble gull-catcher.
SIR TOBY.
Wilt thou set thy foot o’ my neck?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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