Shakespeare Portal

Act 1, Scene 2

The same. A public place.

  1. [Enter CLOTEN and two Lords]
  2. First Lord
  3. 219 Sir, I would advise you to shift a shirt; the
  4. 220 violence of action hath made you reek as a
  5. 221 sacrifice: where air comes out, air comes in:
  6. 222 there's none abroad so wholesome as that you vent.
  7. Cloten
  8. 223 If my shirt were bloody, then to shift it. Have I hurt him?
  9. [Aside]
  10. Second Lord
  11. 224 No, 'faith; not so much as his patience.
  12. First Lord
  13. 225 Hurt him! his body's a passable carcass, if he be
  14. 226 not hurt: it is a thoroughfare for steel, if it be not hurt.
  15. [Aside]
  16. Second Lord
  17. 227 His steel was in debt; it went o' the
  18. 228 backside the town.
  19. Cloten
  20. 229 The villain would not stand me.
  21. [Aside]
  22. Second Lord
  23. 230 No; but he fled forward still, toward your face.
  24. First Lord
  25. 231 Stand you! You have land enough of your own: but
  26. 232 he added to your having; gave you some ground.
  27. [Aside]
  28. Second Lord
  29. 233 As many inches as you have oceans. Puppies!
  30. Cloten
  31. 234 I would they had not come between us.
  32. [Aside]
  33. Second Lord
  34. 235 So would I, till you had measured how long
  35. 236 a fool you were upon the ground.
  36. Cloten
  37. 237 And that she should love this fellow and refuse me!
  38. [Aside]
  39. Second Lord
  40. 238 If it be a sin to make a true election, she
  41. 239 is damned.
  42. First Lord
  43. 240 Sir, as I told you always, her beauty and her brain
  44. 241 go not together: she's a good sign, but I have seen
  45. 242 small reflection of her wit.
  46. [Aside]
  47. Second Lord
  48. 243 She shines not upon fools, lest the
  49. 244 reflection should hurt her.
  50. Cloten
  51. 245 Come, I'll to my chamber. Would there had been some
  52. 246 hurt done!
  53. [Aside]
  54. Second Lord
  55. 247 I wish not so; unless it had been the fall
  56. 248 of an ass, which is no great hurt.
  57. Cloten
  58. 249 You'll go with us?
  59. First Lord
  60. 250 I'll attend your lordship.
  61. Cloten
  62. 251 Nay, come, let's go together.
  63. Second Lord
  64. 252 Well, my lord.
  65. [Exeunt]