Swoons PROTEUS Look to the boy. VALENTINE Why, boy! why, wag! how now! what's the matter?
Look up; speak. JULIA O good sir, my master charged me to deliver a ring to Madam Silvia, which, out of my neglect, was never done. PROTEUS Where is that ring, boy? JULIA Here 'tis; this is it. PROTEUS How! let me see:
Why, this is the ring I gave to Julia. JULIA O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook:
This is the ring you sent to Silvia. PROTEUS But how camest thou by this ring? At my depart I gave this unto Julia. JULIA And Julia herself did give it me;
And Julia herself hath brought it hither. PROTEUS How! Julia! JULIA Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths, And entertain'd 'em deeply in her heart.
How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root!
O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush!
Be thou ashamed that I have took upon me Such an immodest raiment, if shame live In a disguise of love:
It is the lesser blot, modesty finds, Women to change their shapes than men their minds. PROTEUS Than men their minds! 'tis true.
O heaven! were man But constant, he were perfect. That one error Fills him with faults; makes him run through all the sins:
Inconstancy falls off ere it begins.
What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye? VALENTINE Come, come, a hand from either:
Let me be blest to make this happy close;
'Twere pity two such friends should be long foes. PROTEUS Bear witness, Heaven, I have my wish for ever. JULIA And I mine.
Enter Outlaws, with DUKE and THURIO Outlaws A prize, a prize, a prize! VALENTINE Forbear, forbear, I say! it is my lord the duke.
Your grace is welcome to a man disgraced, Banished Valentine. DUKE Sir Valentine! THURIO Yonder is Silvia; and Silvia's mine. VALENTINE Thurio, give back, or else embrace thy death;
Come not within the measure of my wrath;
Do not name Silvia thine; if once again, Verona shall not hold thee. Here she stands;
Take but possession of her with a touch:
I dare thee but to breathe upon my love. THURIO Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I;
I hold him but a fool that will endanger His body for a girl that loves him not:
I claim her not, and therefore she is thine. DUKE The more degenerate and base art thou, To make such means for her as thou hast done And leave her on such slight conditions.
Now, by the honour of my ancestry, I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine, And think thee worthy of an empress' love:
Know then, I here forget all former griefs, Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again, Plead a new state in thy unrivall'd merit, To which I thus subscribe: Sir Valentine, Thou art a gentleman and well derived;
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserved her. VALENTINE I thank your grace; the gift hath made me happy.
I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake, To grant one boom that I shall ask of you. DUKE I grant it, for thine own, whate'er it be. VALENTINE These banish'd men that I have kept withal Are men endued with worthy qualities:
Forgive them what they have committed here And let them be recall'd from their exile:
They are reformed, civil, full of good And fit for great employment, worthy lord. DUKE Thou hast prevail'd; I pardon them and thee:
Dispose of them as thou know'st their deserts.
Come, let us go: we will include all jars With triumphs, mirth and rare solemnity. VALENTINE And, as we walk along, I dare be bold With our discourse to make your grace to smile.
What think you of this page, my lord? DUKE I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes. VALENTINE I warrant you, my lord, more grace than boy. DUKE What mean you by that saying? VALENTINE Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along, That you will wonder what hath fortuned.
Come, Proteus; 'tis your penance but to hear The story of your loves discovered:
That done, our day of marriage shall be yours;
One feast, one house, one mutual happiness.