_Oli._ Yet come again: for thou, perhaps, may'st move
That heart, which now abhors, to like his love.
[_Exeunt._
SCENE IV.
_A Room in_ OLIVIA'S _House_.
_Enter_ SIR ANDREW, FABIAN, _and_ SIR TOBY.
_Sir And._ No, faith, I'll not stay a jot longer.
_Sir To._ Thy reason, dear venom, give thy reason.
_Fab._ You must needs yield your reason, Sir Andrew.
_Sir And._ Marry, I saw your niece do more favours to the Count's
serving man, than ever she bestowed upon me; I saw't this moment in the
garden.
_Sir To._ Did she see thee the while, old boy? tell me that.
_Sir And._ As plain as I see you now.
_Fab._ This was a great argument of love in her toward you.
_Sir And._ 'Slight! will you make an ass o' me?
_Fab._ I will prove it legitimate, sir, upon the oaths of judgment
and reason.
_Sir To._ And they have been grand jury-men, since before Noah was a
sailor.
_Fab._ She did show favour to the youth in your sight, only to
exasperate you, to awake your dormouse valour, to put fire in your
heart, and brimstone in your liver: you should then have accosted her;
and with some excellent jests, fire-new from the mint, you should have
bang'd the youth into dumbness. This was look'd for at your hand, and
this was baulk'd: the double gilt of this opportunity you let time wash
off, and you are now sailed into the north of my lady's opinion: where
you will hang like an icicle on a Dutchman's beard, unless you do redeem
it by some laudable attempt, either of valour or policy.
_Sir And._ An it be any way, it must be with valour; for policy I
hate.
_Sir To._ Why, then, build me thy fortunes upon the basis of valour.
Challenge me the Count's youth to fight with him; hurt him in eleven
places; my niece shall take note of it: and assure thyself, there is no
love-broker in the world can more prevail in man's commendation with
woman, than report of valour.
_Fab._ There is no way but this, Sir Andrew.
_Sir And._ Will either of you bear me a challenge to him?
_Sir To._ Go write it in a martial hand; be curst and brief; it is
no matter how witty, so it be eloquent, and full of invention: taunt him
with the license of ink: if thou _thou'st_ him some thrice, it shall not
be amiss; and as many _lies_ as will lie in thy sheet of paper; although
the sheet were big enough for the bed of Ware in England, set 'em down;
go, about it. Let there be gall enough in thy ink; though thou write
with a goose-pen, no matter: About it.
_Sir And._ Where shall I find you?
_Sir To._ We'll call thee at the _cubiculo:_ Go.
[_Exit_ SIR ANDREW.
_Fab._ This is a dear manakin to you, Sir Toby.
_Sir To._ I have been dear to him, lad; some two thousand strong, or
so.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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