Shakespeare Portal

Act 5, Scene 2

Rousillon. The inner court of the COUNTESS'S palace.

  1. [Enter CLOWN and PAROLLES.]
  2. Parolles
  3. 2348 Good Monsieur Lavache, give my Lord Lafeu this letter: I have
  4. 2349 ere now, sir, been better known to you, when I have held
  5. 2350 familiarity with fresher clothes; but I am now, sir, muddied in
  6. 2351 fortune's mood, and smell somewhat strong of her strong
  7. 2352 displeasure.
  8. Lavatch the Clown
  9. 2353 Truly, Fortune's displeasure is but sluttish, if it smell
  10. 2354 so strongly as thou speak'st of: I will henceforth eat no fish
  11. 2355 of fortune's buttering. Pr'ythee, allow the wind.
  12. Parolles
  13. 2356 Nay, you need not to stop your nose, sir; I spake but by a
  14. 2357 metaphor.
  15. Lavatch the Clown
  16. 2358 Indeed, sir, if your metaphor stink, I will stop my nose; or
  17. 2359 against any man's metaphor. Pr'ythee, get thee further.
  18. Parolles
  19. 2360 Pray you, sir, deliver me this paper.
  20. Lavatch the Clown
  21. 2361 Foh, pr'ythee stand away. A paper from Fortune's close-stool
  22. 2362 to give to a nobleman! Look here he comes himself.
  23. [Enter LAFEU.]
  24. Lavatch the Clown
  25. 2363 Here is a pur of fortune's, sir, or of fortune's cat (but not
  26. 2364 a musk-cat), that has fallen into the unclean fishpond of her
  27. 2365 displeasure, and, as he says, is muddied withal: pray you, sir,
  28. 2366 use the carp as you may; for he looks like a poor, decayed,
  29. 2367 ingenious, foolish, rascally knave. I do pity his distress
  30. 2368 in my similes of comfort, and leave him to your lordship.
  31. [Exit.]
  32. Parolles
  33. 2369 My lord, I am a man whom fortune hath cruelly scratched.
  34. Lafew
  35. 2370 And what would you have me to do? 'tis too late to pare her
  36. 2371 nails now. Wherein have you played the knave with fortune, that
  37. 2372 she should scratch you, who of herself is a good lady, and would
  38. 2373 not have knaves thrive long under her? There's a quart d'ecu for
  39. 2374 you: let the justices make you and fortune friends; I am for
  40. 2375 other business.
  41. Parolles
  42. 2376 I beseech your honour to hear me one single word.
  43. Lafew
  44. 2377 You beg a single penny more: come, you shall ha't: save your
  45. 2378 word.
  46. Parolles
  47. 2379 My name, my good lord, is Parolles.
  48. Lafew
  49. 2380 You beg more than word then.—Cox' my passion! give me your
  50. 2381 hand:—how does your drum?
  51. Parolles
  52. 2382 O my good lord, you were the first that found me.
  53. Lafew
  54. 2383 Was I, in sooth? and I was the first that lost thee.
  55. Parolles
  56. 2384 It lies in you, my lord, to bring me in some grace, for
  57. 2385 you did bring me out.
  58. Lafew
  59. 2386 Out upon thee, knave! dost thou put upon me at once both the
  60. 2387 office of God and the devil? one brings the in grace, and the
  61. 2388 other brings thee out.
  62. [Trumpets sound.]
  63. Lafew
  64. 2389 The king's coming; I know by his trumpets.—Sirrah, inquire
  65. 2390 further after me; I had talk of you last night: though you are a
  66. 2391 fool and a knave, you shall eat: go to; follow.
  67. Parolles
  68. 2392 I praise God for you.
  69. [Exeunt.]