The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Уильям Шекспир

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СКАЧАТЬ To Milan let me hear from thee by letters

       Of thy success in love, and what news else

       Betideth here in absence of thy friend;

       And I likewise will visit thee with mine.

       PROTEUS.

       All happiness bechance to thee in Milan!

       VALENTINE.

       As much to you at home! and so farewell!

       [Exit.]

       PROTEUS.

       He after honour hunts, I after love;

       He leaves his friends to dignify them more:

       I leave myself, my friends, and all for love.

       Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphos’d me;—

       Made me neglect my studies, lose my time,

       War with good counsel, set the world at nought;

       Made wit with musing weak, heart sick with thought.

       [Enter SPEED.]

       SPEED.

       Sir Proteus, save you! Saw you my master?

       PROTEUS.

       But now he parted hence to embark for Milan.

       SPEED.

       Twenty to one then he is shipp’d already,

       And I have play’d the sheep in losing him.

       PROTEUS.

       Indeed a sheep doth very often stray,

       An if the shepherd be a while away.

       SPEED.

       You conclude that my master is a shepherd then, and

       I a sheep?

       PROTEUS.

       I do.

       SPEED.

       Why then, my horns are his horns, whether I wake or sleep.

       PROTEUS.

       A silly answer, and fitting well a sheep.

       SPEED.

       This proves me still a sheep.

       PROTEUS.

       True; and thy master a shepherd.

       SPEED.

       Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance.

       PROTEUS.

       It shall go hard but I’ll prove it by another.

       SPEED. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me; therefore, I am no sheep.

       PROTEUS. The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd; the shepherd for food follows not the sheep: thou for wages followest thy master; thy master for wages follows not thee. Therefore, thou art a sheep.

       SPEED.

       Such another proof will make me cry ‘baa.’

       PROTEUS.

       But, dost thou hear? gavest thou my letter to Julia?

       SPEED. Ay, sir; I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a laced mutton; and she, a laced mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour.

       PROTEUS.

       Here’s too small a pasture for such store of muttons.

       SPEED.

       If the ground be overcharged, you were best stick her.

       PROTEUS.

       Nay, in that you are astray: ‘twere best pound you.

       SPEED. Nay, sir, less than a pound shall serve me for carrying your letter.

       PROTEUS.

       You mistake; I mean the pound,—a pinfold.

       SPEED.

       From a pound to a pin? fold it over and over,

       ‘Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover.

       PROTEUS.

       But what said she? [SPEED nods.] Did she nod?

       [SPEED] Ay.

       PROTEUS. Nod, ay? Why, that’s noddy.

       SPEED. You mistook, sir; I say she did nod; and you ask me if she did nod; and I say, Ay.

       PROTEUS.

       And that set together is—noddy.

       SPEED. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, take it for your pains.

       PROTEUS.

       No, no; you shall have it for bearing the letter.

       SPEED.

       Well, I perceive I must be fain to bear with you.

       PROTEUS.

       Why, sir, how do you bear with me?

       SPEED. Marry, sir, the letter, very orderly; having nothing but the word ‘noddy’ for my pains.

       PROTEUS.

       Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit.

       SPEED.

       And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse.

       PROTEUS.

       Come, come; open the matter; in brief: what said she?

       SPEED. Open your purse, that the money and the matter may be both at once delivered.

       PROTEUS. Well, sir, here is for your pains [giving him money]. What said she?

       SPEED.

       Truly, sir, I think you’ll hardly win her.

       PROTEUS.

       Why, couldst thou perceive so much from her?

       SPEED. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter; and being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she’ll prove as hard to you in telling your mind. Give her no token but stones, for she’s as hard as steel.

       PROTEUS.

       What! СКАЧАТЬ