The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Уильям Шекспир

Чтение книги онлайн.

       Sad sighs, deep groans, nor silver-shedding tears,

       Could penetrate her uncompassionate sire;

       But Valentine, if he be ta’en, must die.

       Besides, her intercession chaf’d him so,

       When she for thy repeal was suppliant,

       That to close prison he commanded her,

       With many bitter threats of biding there.

       VALENTINE.

       No more; unless the next word that thou speak’st

       Have some malignant power upon my life:

       If so, I pray thee breathe it in mine ear,

       As ending anthem of my endless dolour.

       PROTEUS.

       Cease to lament for that thou canst not help,

       And study help for that which thou lament’st.

       Time is the nurse and breeder of all good.

       Here if thou stay thou canst not see thy love;

       Besides, thy staying will abridge thy life.

       Hope is a lover’s staff; walk hence with that

       And manage it against despairing thoughts.

       Thy letters may be here, though thou art hence,

       Which, being writ to me, shall be deliver’d

       Even in the milk-white bosom of thy love.

       The time now serves not to expostulate:

       Come, I’ll convey thee through the city-gate;

       And, ere I part with thee, confer at large

       Of all that may concern thy love-affairs.

       As thou lov’st Silvia, though not for thyself,

       Regard thy danger, and along with me!

       VALENTINE.

       I pray thee, Launce, an if thou seest my boy,

       Bid him make haste and meet me at the North-gate.

       PROTEUS.

       Go, sirrah, find him out. Come, Valentine.

       VALENTINE.

       O my dear Silvia! Hapless Valentine!

       [Exeunt VALENTINE and PROTEUS.]

       LAUNCE. I am but a fool, look you, and yet I have the wit to think my master is a kind of a knave; but that’s all one if he be but one knave. He lives not now that knows me to be in love; yet I am in love; but a team of horse shall not pluck that from me; nor who ‘tis I love; and yet ‘tis a woman; but what woman I will not tell myself; and yet ‘tis a milkmaid; yet ‘tis not a maid, for she hath had gossips; yet ‘tis a maid, for she is her master’s maid and serves for wages. She hath more qualities than a water-spaniel—which is much in a bare Christian. [Pulling out a paper.] Here is the catelog of her condition. ‘Inprimis: She can fetch and carry.’ Why, a horse can do no more: nay, a horse cannot fetch, but only carry; therefore is she better than a jade. ‘Item: She can milk.’ Look you, a sweet virtue in a maid with clean hands.

       [Enter SPEED.]

       SPEED.

       How now, Signior Launce! What news with your mastership?

       LAUNCE.

       With my master’s ship? Why, it is at sea.

       SPEED. Well, your old vice still: mistake the word. What news, then, in your paper?

       LAUNCE.

       The blackest news that ever thou heardest.

       SPEED.

       Why, man? how black?

       LAUNCE.

       Why, as black as ink.

       SPEED.

       Let me read them.

       LAUNCE.

       Fie on thee, jolthead! thou canst not read.

       SPEED.

       Thou liest; I can.

       LAUNCE.

       I will try thee. Tell me this: who begot thee?

       SPEED.

       Marry, the son of my grandfather.

       LAUNCE.

       O, illiterate loiterer! It was the son of thy grandmother.

       This proves that thou canst not read.

       SPEED.

       Come, fool, come; try me in thy paper.

       LAUNCE.

       There; and Saint Nicholas be thy speed!

       SPEED.

       ‘Inprimis, She can milk.’

       LAUNCE.

       Ay, that she can.

       SPEED.

       ‘Item, She brews good ale.’

       LAUNCE. And thereof comes the proverb, ‘Blessing of your heart, you brew good ale.’

       SPEED.

       ‘Item, She can sew.’

       LAUNCE.

       That’s as much as to say ‘Can she so?’

       SPEED.

       ‘Item, She can knit.’

       LAUNCE. What need a man care for a stock with a wench, when she can knit him a stock?

       SPEED.

       ‘Item, She can wash and scour.’

       LAUNCE.

       A special virtue; for then she need not be washed and scoured.

       SPEED.

       ‘Item, She can spin.’

       LAUNCE. Then may I set the world on wheels, when she can spin for her living.

       SPEED.

       ‘Item, She hath many nameless virtues.’

       LAUNCE. That’s as much as to say, bastard virtues; that indeed know not their СКАЧАТЬ