Enter Le Beau. Le Beau. Good sir, I do in friendship counsel you That he misconstrues all that you have done. Le Beau. Neither his daughter, if we judge by manners; But yet, indeed, the shorter is his daughter : But that the people praise her for her virtues, I shall desire more love and knowledge of you. But heavenly Rosalind! [Exit. SCENE IV. An Apartment in the Palace. Enter Rosalind, and Celia. Cel. Why, cousin; why, Rosalind ;—Cupid have Ros. Not one to throw at a dog. Cel. No, thy words are too precious to be cast away upon curs, throw some of them at me. But is all this for your father? Ros. No, some of it for my child's father: O, how full of briars is this working-day world! Cel. They are but burs, cousin, thrown upon thee in holiday foolery; if we walk not in the trodden paths, our very petticoats will catch them. Ros. I could shake them off my coat; these burs are in my heart. Cel. Hem them away. Ros. I would try; if I could cry hem, and have him. Cel. Come, come, wrestle with thy affections. Ros. O, they take the part of a better wrestler than myself. Cel. O, a good wish upon you!—But turning these jests out of service, let us talk in good earnest : Is it possible, on such a sudden, you should fall into so strong a liking with old sir Rowland's youngest son? Ros. The duke my father lov'd his father dearly. Cel. Doth it therefore ensue, that you should love his son dearly? By this kind of chase, I should hate him, for my father hated his father dearly; yet I hate not Orlando. Ros. No 'faith, hate him not, for my sake. Cel. Why should I? doth he not deserve well? Ros. Let me love him for that; and do you love him, because I do. Flourish of Drums and Trumpets. Enter Duke Frederick, Eustace, Louis, and So near our publick court'as twenty miles, Ros. [Kneels.] I do beseech your grace, Let me the knowledge of my fault bear with me: Or have acquaintance with mine own desires; Duke F. Thus do all traitors; If their purgation did consist in words, Ros. Yet your mistrust cannot make me a traitor : Tell me, whereon the likelihood depends. Duke F. Thou art thy father's daughter, there's enough. Ros. [Rises. So was I, when your highness took So was I, when your highness banish'd him : Or, if we did derive it from our friends, your sake, Cel. Dear sovereign, hear me speak. Why so am I; we still have slept together, Still we went coupled, and inseparable. Duke F. She is too subtle for thee; and her smoothness, Her very silence, and her patience, Thou art a fool: she robs thee of thy name; And thou wilt show more bright, and seem more virtuous, When she is gone: then open not thy lips; Which I have pass'd upon her; she is banish'd. I cannot live out of her company. Duke F. You are a fool :—You, niece, provide yourself; If you out-stay the time, upon mine honour, [Exeunt Duke Frederick, Eustace, Cel. O my poor Rosalind! whither wilt thou go Wilt thou change fathers? I will give thee mine. I charge thee, be not thou more griev'd than I am. Ros. I have more cause. Cel. Thou hast not, cousin; Pr'ythee, be cheerful: know'st thou not, the duke Hath banish'd me his daughter? Ros. That he hath not. ? Cel. No hath not? Rosalind lacks then the love Therefore devise with me, how we may fly, Ros. Alas, what danger will it be to us, Cel. I'll put myself in poor and mean attire, Ros. Were it not better, Because that I am more than common tall, A boar-spear in my hand?-and (in my heart That do outface it with their semblances. Cel. What shall I call thee, when thou art a man? Ros. I'll have no worse a name than Jove's own page, And therefore look you call me, Ganymede. But what will you be call'd? Cel. Something that hath a reference to my state: No longer Celia, but Aliena. Ros. But, cousin, what if we assay'd to steal The clownish fool out of your father's court? Would he not be a comfort to our travel? Cel. He'll go along o'er the wide world with me; Leave me alone to woo him: Let's away, And get our jewels and our wealth together; Devise the fittest time, and safest way to hide us from pursuit that will be made After my flight. Ros. Now go we in content, To liberty, and not to banishment. END OF ACT L [Exeunt. C |