Shakespeare Portal

Act 2, Scene 4

The same. Another room in the same.

  1. [Enter HELENA and CLOWN.]
  2. Helena
  3. 1102 My mother greets me kindly: is she well?
  4. Lavatch the Clown
  5. 1103 She is not well, but yet she has her health: she's very
  6. 1104 merry, but yet she is not well: but thanks be given, she's very
  7. 1105 well, and wants nothing i' the world; but yet she is not well.
  8. Helena
  9. 1106 If she be very well, what does she ail that she's not very well?
  10. Lavatch the Clown
  11. 1107 Truly, she's very well indeed, but for two things.
  12. Helena
  13. 1108 What two things?
  14. Lavatch the Clown
  15. 1109 One, that she's not in heaven, whither God send her quickly!
  16. 1110 The other, that she's in earth, from whence God send her quickly!
  17. [Enter PAROLLES.]
  18. Parolles
  19. 1111 Bless you, my fortunate lady!
  20. Helena
  21. 1112 I hope, sir, I have your good will to have mine own good
  22. 1113 fortunes.
  23. Parolles
  24. 1114 You had my prayers to lead them on; and to keep them on,
  25. 1115 have them still. O, my knave,—how does my old lady?
  26. Lavatch the Clown
  27. 1116 So that you had her wrinkles and I her money, I would she did as
  28. 1117 you say.
  29. Parolles
  30. 1118 Why, I say nothing.
  31. Lavatch the Clown
  32. 1119 Marry, you are the wiser man; for many a man's tongue shakes out
  33. 1120 his master's undoing: to say nothing, to do nothing, to know
  34. 1121 nothing, and to have nothing, is to be a great part of your
  35. 1122 title; which is within a very little of nothing.
  36. Parolles
  37. 1123 Away! thou art a knave.
  38. Lavatch the Clown
  39. 1124 You should have said, sir, before a knave thou art a knave;
  40. 1125 that is before me thou art a knave: this had been truth, sir.
  41. Parolles
  42. 1126 Go to, thou art a witty fool; I have found thee.
  43. Lavatch the Clown
  44. 1127 Did you find me in yourself, sir? or were you taught to find me?
  45. 1128 The search, sir, was profitable; and much fool may you find in
  46. 1129 you, even to the world's pleasure and the increase of laughter.
  47. Parolles
  48. 1130 A good knave, i' faith, and well fed.—
  49. 1131 Madam, my lord will go away to-night:
  50. 1132 A very serious business calls on him.
  51. 1133 The great prerogative and right of love,
  52. 1134 Which, as your due, time claims, he does acknowledge;
  53. 1135 But puts it off to a compell'd restraint;
  54. 1136 Whose want, and whose delay, is strew'd with sweets;
  55. 1137 Which they distil now in the curbed time,
  56. 1138 To make the coming hour o'erflow with joy
  57. 1139 And pleasure drown the brim.
  58. Helena
  59. 1140 What's his will else?
  60. Parolles
  61. 1141 That you will take your instant leave o' the king,
  62. 1142 And make this haste as your own good proceeding,
  63. 1143 Strengthen'd with what apology you think
  64. 1144 May make it probable need.
  65. Helena
  66. 1145 What more commands he?
  67. Parolles
  68. 1146 That, having this obtain'd, you presently
  69. 1147 Attend his further pleasure.
  70. Helena
  71. 1148 In everything I wait upon his will.
  72. Parolles
  73. 1149 I shall report it so.
  74. Helena
  75. 1150 I pray you.—Come, sirrah.
  76. [Exeunt.]