Shakespeare Portal

Act 2, Scene 7

Verona. A room in JULIA'S house.

  1. [Enter JULIA and LUCETTA.]
  2. Julia
  3. 920 Counsel, Lucetta; gentle girl, assist me:
  4. 921 And, ev'n in kind love, I do conjure thee,
  5. 922 Who art the table wherein all my thoughts
  6. 923 Are visibly character'd and engrav'd,
  7. 924 To lesson me and tell me some good mean
  8. 925 How, with my honour, I may undertake
  9. 926 A journey to my loving Proteus.
  10. Lucetta
  11. 927 Alas, the way is wearisome and long.
  12. Julia
  13. 928 A true-devoted pilgrim is not weary
  14. 929 To measure kingdoms with his feeble steps;
  15. 930 Much less shall she that hath Love's wings to fly,
  16. 931 And when the flight is made to one so dear,
  17. 932 Of such divine perfection, as Sir Proteus.
  18. Lucetta
  19. 933 Better forbear till Proteus make return.
  20. Julia
  21. 934 O! know'st thou not his looks are my soul's food?
  22. 935 Pity the dearth that I have pined in
  23. 936 By longing for that food so long a time.
  24. 937 Didst thou but know the inly touch of love.
  25. 938 Thou wouldst as soon go kindle fire with snow
  26. 939 As seek to quench the fire of love with words.
  27. Lucetta
  28. 940 I do not seek to quench your love's hot fire,
  29. 941 But qualify the fire's extreme rage,
  30. 942 Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason.
  31. Julia
  32. 943 The more thou damm'st it up, the more it burns.
  33. 944 The current that with gentle murmur glides,
  34. 945 Thou know'st, being stopp'd, impatiently doth rage;
  35. 946 But when his fair course is not hindered,
  36. 947 He makes sweet music with th' enamell'd stones,
  37. 948 Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge
  38. 949 He overtaketh in his pilgrimage;
  39. 950 And so by many winding nooks he strays,
  40. 951 With willing sport, to the wild ocean.
  41. 952 Then let me go, and hinder not my course.
  42. 953 I'll be as patient as a gentle stream,
  43. 954 And make a pastime of each weary step,
  44. 955 Till the last step have brought me to my love;
  45. 956 And there I'll rest as, after much turmoil,
  46. 957 A blessed soul doth in Elysium.
  47. Lucetta
  48. 958 But in what habit will you go along?
  49. Julia
  50. 959 Not like a woman, for I would prevent
  51. 960 The loose encounters of lascivious men.
  52. 961 Gentle Lucetta, fit me with such weeds
  53. 962 As may beseem some well-reputed page.
  54. Lucetta
  55. 963 Why then, your ladyship must cut your hair.
  56. Julia
  57. 964 No, girl; I'll knit it up in silken strings
  58. 965 With twenty odd-conceited true-love knots:
  59. 966 To be fantastic may become a youth
  60. 967 Of greater time than I shall show to be.
  61. Lucetta
  62. 968 What fashion, madam, shall I make your breeches?
  63. Julia
  64. 969 That fits as well as 'Tell me, good my lord,
  65. 970 What compass will you wear your farthingale?'
  66. 971 Why even what fashion thou best likes, Lucetta.
  67. Lucetta
  68. 972 You must needs have them with a codpiece, madam.
  69. Julia
  70. 973 Out, out, Lucetta, that will be ill-favour'd.
  71. Lucetta
  72. 974 A round hose, madam, now's not worth a pin,
  73. 975 Unless you have a codpiece to stick pins on.
  74. Julia
  75. 976 Lucetta, as thou lov'st me, let me have
  76. 977 What thou think'st meet, and is most mannerly.
  77. 978 But tell me, wench, how will the world repute me
  78. 979 For undertaking so unstaid a journey?
  79. 980 I fear me it will make me scandaliz'd.
  80. Lucetta
  81. 981 If you think so, then stay at home and go not.
  82. Julia
  83. 982 Nay, that I will not.
  84. Lucetta
  85. 983 Then never dream on infamy, but go.
  86. 984 If Proteus like your journey when you come,
  87. 985 No matter who's displeas'd when you are gone.
  88. 986 I fear me he will scarce be pleas'd withal.
  89. Julia
  90. 987 That is the least, Lucetta, of my fear:
  91. 988 A thousand oaths, an ocean of his tears,
  92. 989 And instances of infinite of love,
  93. 990 Warrant me welcome to my Proteus.
  94. Lucetta
  95. 991 All these are servants to deceitful men.
  96. Julia
  97. 992 Base men that use them to so base effect!
  98. 993 But truer stars did govern Proteus' birth;
  99. 994 His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles,
  100. 995 His love sincere, his thoughts immaculate,
  101. 996 His tears pure messengers sent from his heart,
  102. 997 His heart as far from fraud as heaven from earth.
  103. Lucetta
  104. 998 Pray heav'n he prove so when you come to him.
  105. Julia
  106. 999 Now, as thou lov'st me, do him not that wrong
  107. 1000 To bear a hard opinion of his truth;
  108. 1001 Only deserve my love by loving him.
  109. 1002 And presently go with me to my chamber,
  110. 1003 To take a note of what I stand in need of
  111. 1004 To furnish me upon my longing journey.
  112. 1005 All that is mine I leave at thy dispose,
  113. 1006 My goods, my lands, my reputation;
  114. 1007 Only, in lieu thereof, dispatch me hence.
  115. 1008 Come, answer not, but to it presently!
  116. 1009 I am impatient of my tarriance.
  117. [Exeunt.]