DUKE.
Give me thy hand;
And let me see thee in thy woman's weeds.
VIOLA.
The captain that did bring me first on shore
Hath my maid's garments; he, upon some action,
Is now in durance, at Malvolio's suit,
A gentleman and follower of my lady's.
OLIVIA.
He shall enlarge him. Fetch Malvolio hither;
And yet, alas, now I remember me,
They say, poor gentleman, he 's much distract.
[Re-enter CLOWN with a letter, and FABIAN.]
A most extracting frenzy of mine own
From my remembrance clearly banish'd his.
How does he, sirrah?
CLOWN.
Truly, madam, he holds Belzebub at the stave's end as well as a
man in his case may do. Has here writ a letter to you; I should
have given 't you to-day morning; but as a madman's
epistles are no gospels, so it skills not much when they are
deliver'd.
OLIVIA.
Open 't, and read it.
CLOWN.
Look then to be well edified when the fool delivers the madman.
[Reads] By the Lord, madam,--
OLIVIA.
How now! art thou mad?
CLOWN.
No, madam, I do but read madness: and your ladyship will have it
as it ought to be, you must allow Vox.
OLIVIA.
Prithee, read i' thy right wits.
CLOWN.
So I do, madonna; but to read his right wits is to read thus:
therefore perpend, my princess, and give ear.
OLIVIA.
[To FABIAN] Read it you, sirrah.
FABIAN.
[Reads] By the Lord, madam, you wrong me, and the world shall
know it; though you have put me into darkness and given your
drunken cousin rule over me, yet have I the benefit of my senses
as well as your ladyship. I have your own letter that induc'd me
to the semblance I put on; with the which I doubt not but to do
myself much right, or you much shame. Think of me as you please.
I leave my duty a little unthought of, and speak out of
my injury. THE MADLY-US'D MALVOLIO.
OLIVIA.
Did he write this?
CLOWN.
Ay, madam.
DUKE.
This savours not much of distraction.
OLIVIA.
See him deliver'd, Fabian; bring him hither.
[Exit FABIAN.]
My lord, so please you, these things further thought on,
To think me as well a sister as a wife,
One day shall crown th' alliance on 't, so please you,
Here at my house, and at my proper cost.
DUKE.
Madam, I am most apt t' embrace your offer.
[To VIOLA] Your master quits you; and, for your service done him,
So much against the mettle of your sex,
So far beneath your soft and tender breeding,
And since you call'd me master for so long,
Here is my hand; you shall from this time be
Your master's mistress.
OLIVIA.
A sister! you are she.
[Re-enter FABIAN, with MALVOLIO.]
DUKE.
Is this the madman?
OLIVIA.
Ay, my lord, this same.
How now, Malvolio!
MALVOLIO.
Madam, you have done me wrong,
Notorious wrong.
OLIVIA.
Have I, Malvolio? no.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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