READ STUDY GUIDE: Act II, Scenes iv-v; Act III, Scenes i-iv |
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Act II, Scene iv:
The same. Another room in the same.
The same. Another room in the same.
| [Enter HELENA and CLOWN.] |
| HELENA: |
| My mother greets me kindly: is she well? |
| CLOWN: |
| She is not well, but yet she has her health: she's very |
| merry, but yet she is not well: but thanks be given, she's very |
| well, and wants nothing i' the world; but yet she is not well. |
| HELENA: |
| If she be very well, what does she ail that she's not very well? |
| CLOWN: |
| Truly, she's very well indeed, but for two things. |
| HELENA: |
| What two things? |
| CLOWN: |
| One, that she's not in heaven, whither God send her quickly! |
| The other, that she's in earth, from whence God send her quickly! |
| [Enter PAROLLES.] |
| PAROLLES: |
| Bless you, my fortunate lady! |
| HELENA: |
| I hope, sir, I have your good will to have mine own good |
| fortunes. |
| PAROLLES: |
| You had my prayers to lead them on; and to keep them on, |
| have them still. O, my knave,—how does my old lady? |
| CLOWN: |
| So that you had her wrinkles and I her money, I would she did as |
| you say. |
| PAROLLES: |
| Why, I say nothing. |
| CLOWN: |
| Marry, you are the wiser man; for many a man's tongue shakes out |
| his master's undoing: to say nothing, to do nothing, to know |
| nothing, and to have nothing, is to be a great part of your |
| title; which is within a very little of nothing. |
| PAROLLES: |
| Away! thou art a knave. |
| CLOWN: |
| You should have said, sir, before a knave thou art a knave; |
| that is before me thou art a knave: this had been truth, sir. |
| PAROLLES: |
| Go to, thou art a witty fool; I have found thee. |
| CLOWN: |
| Did you find me in yourself, sir? or were you taught to find me? |
| The search, sir, was profitable; and much fool may you find in |
| you, even to the world's pleasure and the increase of laughter. |
| PAROLLES: |
| A good knave, i' faith, and well fed.— |
| Madam, my lord will go away to-night: |
| A very serious business calls on him. |
| The great prerogative and right of love, |
| Which, as your due, time claims, he does acknowledge; |
| But puts it off to a compell'd restraint; |
| Whose want, and whose delay, is strew'd with sweets; |
| Which they distil now in the curbed time, |
| To make the coming hour o'erflow with joy |
| And pleasure drown the brim. |
| HELENA: |
| What's his will else? |
| PAROLLES: |
| That you will take your instant leave o' the king, |
| And make this haste as your own good proceeding, |
| Strengthen'd with what apology you think |
| May make it probable need. |
| HELENA: |
| What more commands he? |
| PAROLLES: |
| That, having this obtain'd, you presently |
| Attend his further pleasure. |
| HELENA: |
| In everything I wait upon his will. |
| PAROLLES: |
| I shall report it so. |
| HELENA: |
| I pray you.—Come, sirrah. |
| [Exeunt.] |
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