All's Well That Ends Well/Act 5

==ACT V.==
=== SCENE 1. Marseilles. A street. ===
[Enter HELENA, Widow, and DIANA, with two Attendants.]
HELENA.
:But this exceeding posting day and night
:Must wear your spirits low: we cannot help it.
:But since you have made the days and nights as one,
:To wear your gentle limbs in my affairs,
:Be bold you do so grow in my requital
:As nothing can unroot you. In happy time;—
[Enter a GENTLEMAN.]
:This man may help me to his majesty's ear,
:If he would spend his power.—God save you, sir.
GENTLEMAN.
:And you.
HELENA.
:Sir, I have seen you in the court of France.
GENTLEMAN.
:I have been sometimes there.
HELENA.
:I do presume, sir, that you are not fallen
:From the report that goes upon your goodness;
:And therefore, goaded with most sharp occasions,
:Which lay nice manners by, I put you to
:The use of your own virtues, for the which
:I shall continue thankful.
GENTLEMAN.
:What's your will?
HELENA.
:That it will please you
:To give this poor petition to the king;
:And aid me with that store of power you have
:To come into his presence.
GENTLEMAN.
:The king's not here.
HELENA.
:Not here, sir?
GENTLEMAN.
:Not indeed.
:He hence remov'd last night, and with more haste
:Than is his use.
WIDOW.
:Lord, how we lose our pains!
HELENA.
:All's well that ends well yet,
:Though time seem so adverse and means unfit.
:I do beseech you, whither is he gone?
GENTLEMAN.
:Marry, as I take it, to Rousillon;
:Whither I am going.
HELENA.
:I do beseech you, sir,
:Since you are like to see the king before me,
:Commend the paper to his gracious hand;
:Which I presume shall render you no blame,
:But rather make you thank your pains for it:
:I will come after you with what good speed
:Our means will make us means.
GENTLEMAN.
:This I'll do for you.
HELENA.
:And you shall find yourself to be well thank'd,
:Whate'er falls more.—We must to horse again;—
:Go, go, provide.
[Exeunt.]
===SCENE 2. Rousillon. The inner court of the COUNTESS'S palace.===
[Enter CLOWN and PAROLLES.]
PAROLLES.
:Good Monsieur Lavache, give my Lord Lafeu this letter: I have
:ere now, sir, been better known to you, when I have held
:familiarity with fresher clothes; but I am now, sir, muddied in
:fortune's mood, and smell somewhat strong of her strong
:displeasure.
CLOWN.
:Truly, Fortune's displeasure is but sluttish, if it smell
:so strongly as thou speak'st of: I will henceforth eat no fish
:of fortune's buttering. Pr'ythee, allow the wind.
PAROLLES.
:Nay, you need not to stop your nose, sir; I spake but by a
:metaphor.
CLOWN.
:Indeed, sir, if your metaphor stink, I will stop my nose; or
:against any man's metaphor. Pr'ythee, get thee further.
PAROLLES.
:Pray you, sir, deliver me this paper.
CLOWN.
:Foh, pr'ythee stand away. A paper from Fortune's close-stool
:to give to a nobleman! Look here he comes himself.
[Enter LAFEU.]
:Here is a pur of fortune's, sir, or of fortune's cat (but not
:a musk-cat), that has fallen into the unclean fishpond of her
:displeasure, and, as he says, is muddied withal: pray you, sir,
:use the carp as you may; for he looks like a poor, decayed,
:ingenious, foolish, rascally knave. I do pity his distress
:in my similes of comfort, and leave him to your lordship.
[Exit.]
PAROLLES.
:My lord, I am a man whom fortune hath cruelly scratched.
LAFEU.
:And what would you have me to do? 'tis too late to pare her
:nails now. Wherein have you played the knave with fortune, that
:she should scratch you, who of herself is a good lady, and would
:not have knaves thrive long under her? There's a quart d'ecu for
:you: let the justices make you and fortune friends; I am for
:other business.
PAROLLES.
:I beseech your honour to hear me one single word.
LAFEU.
:You beg a single penny more: come, you shall ha't: save your
:word.
PAROLLES.
:My name, my good lord, is Parolles.
LAFEU.
:You beg more than word then.—Cox' my passion! give me your
:hand:—how does your drum?
PAROLLES.
:O my good lord, you were the first that found me.
LAFEU.
:Was I, in sooth? and I was the first that lost thee.
PAROLLES.
:It lies in you, my lord, to bring me in some grace, for
:you did bring me out.
LAFEU.
:Out upon thee, knave! dost thou put upon me at once both the
:office of God and the devil? one brings the in grace, and the
:other brings thee out.
[Trumpets sound.]
:The king's coming; I know by his trumpets.—Sirrah, inquire
:further after me; I had talk of you last night: though you are a
:fool and a knave, you shall eat: go to; follow.
PAROLLES.
:I praise God for you.
[Exeunt.]
===SCENE 3. The same. A room in the COUNTESS'S palace.===
[Flourish. Enter KING, COUNTESS, LAFEU, Lords, Gentlemen, Guards, &c.]
KING.
:We lost a jewel of her; and our esteem
:Was made much poorer by it: but your son,
:As mad in folly, lack'd the sense to know
:Her estimation home.
COUNTESS.
:'Tis past, my liege:
:And I beseech your majesty to make it
:Natural rebellion, done i' the blaze of youth,
:When oil and fire, too strong for reason's force,
:O'erbears it and burns on.
KING.
:My honour'd lady,
:I have forgiven and forgotten all;
:Though my revenges were high bent upon him,
:And watch'd the time to shoot.
LAFEU.
:This I must say,—
:But first, I beg my pardon,—the young lord
:Did to his majesty, his mother, and his lady,
:Offence of mighty note; but to himself
:The greatest wrong of all: he lost a wife
:Whose beauty did astonish the survey
:Of richest eyes; whose words all ears took captive;
:Whose dear perfection hearts that scorn'd to serve
:Humbly call'd mistress.
KING.
:Praising what is lost
:Makes the remembrance dear.—Well, call him hither;—
:We are reconcil'd, and the first view shall kill
:All repetition:—let him not ask our pardon;
:The nature of his great offence is dead,
:And deeper than oblivion do we bury
:Th' incensing relics of it; let him approach,
:A stranger, no offender; and inform him,
:So 'tis our will he should.
GENTLEMAN.
:I shall, my liege.
[Exit Gentleman.]
KING.
:What says he to your daughter? have you spoke?
LAFEU.
:All that he is hath reference to your highness.
KING.
:Then shall we have a match. I have letters sent me
:That sets him high in fame.
[Enter BERTRAM.]
LAFEU.
:He looks well on 't.
KING.
:I am not a day of season,
:For thou mayst see a sunshine and a hail
:In me at once: but to the brightest beams
:Distracted clouds give way; so stand thou forth;
:The time is fair again.
BERTRAM.
:My high-repented blames,
:Dear sovereign, pardon to me.
KING.
:All is whole;
:Not one word more of the consumed time.
:Let's take the instant by the forward top;
:For we are old, and on our quick'st decrees
:The inaudible and noiseless foot of time
:Steals ere we can effect them. You remember
:The daughter of this lord?
BERTRAM.
:Admiringly, my liege: at first
:I stuck my choice upon her, ere my heart
:Durst make too bold herald of my tongue:
:Where the impression of mine eye infixing,
:Contempt his scornful perspective did lend me,
:Which warp'd the line of every other favour;
:Scorned a fair colour, or express'd it stolen;
:Extended or contracted all proportions
:To a most hideous object: thence it came
:That she whom all men prais'd, and whom myself,
:Since I have lost, have lov'd, was in mine eye
:The dust that did offend it.
KING.
:Well excus'd:
:That thou didst love her, strikes some scores away
:From the great compt: but love that comes too late,
:Like a remorseful pardon slowly carried,
:To the great sender turns a sour offence,
:Crying, That's good that's gone. Our rash faults
:Make trivial price of serious things we have,
:Not knowing them until we know their grave:
:Oft our displeasures, to ourselves unjust,
:Destroy our friends, and after weep their dust:
:Our own love waking cries to see what's done,
:While shameful hate sleeps out the afternoon.
:Be this sweet Helen's knell, and now forget her.
:Send forth your amorous token for fair Maudlin:
:The main consents are had; and here we'll stay
:To see our widower's second marriage-day.
COUNTESS.
:Which better than the first, O dear heaven, bless!
:Or, ere they meet, in me, O nature, cesse!
LAFEU.
:Come on, my son, in whom my house's name
:Must be digested, give a favour from you,
:To sparkle in the spirits of my daughter,
:That she may quickly come.—
[BERTRAM gives a ring to Lafeu.]
:By my old beard,
:And every hair that's on 't, Helen, that's dead,
:Was a sweet creature: such a ring as this,
:The last that e'er I took her leave at court,
:I saw upon her finger.
BERTRAM.
:Hers it was not.
KING.
:Now, pray you, let me see it; for mine eye,
:While I was speaking, oft was fasten'd to it.—
:This ring was mine; and when I gave it Helen
:I bade her, if her fortunes ever stood
:Necessitied to help, that by this token
:I would relieve her. Had you that craft to 'reave her
:Of what should stead her most?
BERTRAM.
:My gracious sovereign,
:Howe'er it pleases you to take it so,
:The ring was never hers.
COUNTESS.
:Son, on my life,
:I have seen her wear it; and she reckon'd it
:At her life's rate.
LAFEU.
:I am sure I saw her wear it.
BERTRAM.
:You are deceiv'd, my lord; she never saw it:
:In Florence was it from a casement thrown me,
:Wrapp'd in a paper, which contain'd the name
:Of her that threw it: noble she was, and thought
:I stood engag'd: but when I had subscrib'd
:To mine own fortune, and inform'd her fully
:I could not answer in that course of honour
:As she had made the overture, she ceas'd,
:In heavy satisfaction, and would never
:Receive the ring again.
KING.
:Plutus himself,
:That knows the tinct and multiplying medicine,
:Hath not in nature's mystery more science
:Than I have in this ring: 'twas mine, 'twas Helen's,
:Whoever gave it you. Then, if you know
:That you are well acquainted with yourself,
:Confess 'twas hers, and by what rough enforcement
:You got it from her: she call'd the saints to surety
:That she would never put it from her finger
:Unless she gave it to yourself in bed,—
:Where you have never come,—or sent it us
:Upon her great disaster.
BERTRAM.
:She never saw it.
KING.
:Thou speak'st it falsely, as I love mine honour;
:And mak'st conjectural fears to come into me
:Which I would fain shut out. If it should prove
:That thou art so inhuman,—'twill not prove so:—
:And yet I know not:—thou didst hate her deadly.
:And she is dead; which nothing, but to close
:Her eyes myself, could win me to believe
:More than to see this ring.—Take him away.
[Guards seize BERTRAM.]
:My fore-past proofs, howe'er the matter fall,
:Shall tax my fears of little vanity,
:Having vainly fear'd too little.—Away with him;—
:We'll sift this matter further.
BERTRAM.
:If you shall prove
:This ring was ever hers, you shall as easy
:Prove that I husbanded her bed in Florence,
:Where she yet never was.
[Exit, guarded.]
KING.
:I am wrapp'd in dismal thinkings.
[Enter a Gentleman.]
GENTLEMAN.
:Gracious sovereign,
:Whether I have been to blame or no, I know not:
:Here's a petition from a Florentine,
:Who hath, for four or five removes, come short
:To tender it herself. I undertook it,
:Vanquish'd thereto by the fair grace and speech
:Of the poor suppliant, who by this, I know,
:Is here attending: her business looks in her
:With an importing visage; and she told me
:In a sweet verbal brief, it did concern
:Your highness with herself.
KING.
:[Reads.] 'Upon his many protestations to marry me, when his wife
:was dead, I blush to say it, he won me. Now is the count
:Rousillon a widower; his vows are forfeited to me, and my
:honour's paid to him. He stole from Florence, taking no leave,
:and I follow him to his country for justice: grant it me, O king;
:in you it best lies; otherwise a seducer flourishes, and a poor
:maid is undone.
: DIANA CAPULET.'
LAFEU.
:I will buy me a son-in-law in a fair, and toll this: I'll none of
:him.
KING.
:The heavens have thought well on thee, Lafeu,
:To bring forth this discovery.—Seek these suitors:—
:Go speedily, and bring again the count.
[Exeunt Gentleman, and some Attendants.]
:I am afeard the life of Helen, lady,
:Was foully snatch'd.
COUNTESS.
:Now, justice on the doers!
[Enter BERTRAM, guarded.]
KING.
:I wonder, sir, since wives are monsters to you.
:And that you fly them as you swear them lordship,
:Yet you desire to marry.—What woman's that?
[Re-enter Widow and DIANA.]
DIANA.
:I am, my lord, a wretched Florentine,
:Derived from the ancient Capulet;
:My suit, as I do understand, you know,
:And therefore know how far I may be pitied.
WIDOW.
:I am her mother, sir, whose age and honour
:Both suffer under this complaint we bring,
:And both shall cease, without your remedy.
KING.
:Come hither, count; do you know these women?
BERTRAM.
:My lord, I neither can nor will deny
:But that I know them: do they charge me further?
DIANA.
:Why do you look so strange upon your wife?
BERTRAM.
:She's none of mine, my lord.
DIANA.
:If you shall marry,
:You give away this hand, and that is mine;
:You give away heaven's vows, and those are mine;
:You give away myself, which is known mine;
:For I by vow am so embodied yours
:That she which marries you must marry me,
:Either both or none.
LAFEU.
:[To BERTRAM] Your reputation comes too short for
:my daughter; you are no husband for her.
BERTRAM.
:My lord, this is a fond and desperate creature
:Whom sometime I have laugh'd with: let your highness
:Lay a more noble thought upon mine honour
:Than for to think that I would sink it here.
KING.
:Sir, for my thoughts, you have them ill to friend
:Till your deeds gain them: fairer prove your honour
:Than in my thought it lies!
DIANA.
:Good my lord,
:Ask him upon his oath, if he does think
:He had not my virginity.
KING.
:What say'st thou to her?
BERTRAM.
:She's impudent, my lord;
:And was a common gamester to the camp.
DIANA.
:He does me wrong, my lord; if I were so
:He might have bought me at a common price:
:Do not believe him. O, behold this ring,
:Whose high respect and rich validity
:Did lack a parallel; yet, for all that,
:He gave it to a commoner o' the camp,
:If I be one.
COUNTESS.
:He blushes, and 'tis it:
:Of six preceding ancestors, that gem,
:Conferr'd by testament to the sequent issue,
:Hath it been ow'd and worn. This is his wife;
:That ring's a thousand proofs.
KING.
:Methought you said
:You saw one here in court could witness it.
DIANA.
:I did, my lord, but loath am to produce
:So bad an instrument; his name's Parolles.
LAFEU.
:I saw the man to-day, if man he be.
KING.
:Find him, and bring him hither.
[Exit an Attendant.]
BERTRAM.
:What of him?
:He's quoted for a most perfidious slave,
:With all the spots o' the world tax'd and debauch'd:
:Whose nature sickens but to speak a truth:
:Am I or that or this for what he'll utter,
:That will speak anything?
KING.
:She hath that ring of yours.
BERTRAM.
:I think she has: certain it is I lik'd her,
:And boarded her i' the wanton way of youth:
:She knew her distance, and did angle for me,
:Madding my eagerness with her restraint,
:As all impediments in fancy's course
:Are motives of more fancy; and, in fine,
:Her infinite cunning with her modern grace,
:Subdu'd me to her rate: she got the ring;
:And I had that which any inferior might
:At market-price have bought.
DIANA.
:I must be patient:
:You that have turn'd off a first so noble wife
:May justly diet me. I pray you yet,—
:Since you lack virtue, I will lose a husband,—
:Send for your ring, I will return it home,
:And give me mine again.
BERTRAM.
:I have it not.
KING.
:What ring was yours, I pray you?
DIANA.
:Sir, much like
:The same upon your finger.
KING.
:Know you this ring? this ring was his of late.
DIANA.
:And this was it I gave him, being a-bed.
KING.
:The story, then, goes false you threw it him
:Out of a casement.
DIANA.
:I have spoke the truth.
BERTRAM.
:My lord, I do confess the ring was hers.
KING.
:You boggle shrewdly; every feather starts you.—
[Re-enter Attendant, with PAROLLES.]
:Is this the man you speak of?
DIANA.
:Ay, my lord.
KING.
:Tell me, sirrah, but tell me true I charge you,
:Not fearing the displeasure of your master,—
:Which, on your just proceeding, I'll keep off,—
:By him and by this woman here what know you?
PAROLLES.
:So please your majesty, my master hath been an honourable
:gentleman; tricks he hath had in him, which gentlemen have.
KING.
:Come, come, to the purpose: did he love this woman?
PAROLLES.
:Faith, sir, he did love her; but how?
KING.
:How, I pray you?
PAROLLES.
:He did love her, sir, as a gentleman loves a woman.
KING.
:How is that?
PAROLLES.
:He loved her, sir, and loved her not.
KING.
:As thou art a knave and no knave.—
:What an equivocal companion is this!
PAROLLES.
:I am a poor man, and at your majesty's command.
LAFEU.
:He's a good drum, my lord, but a naughty orator.
DIANA.
:Do you know he promised me marriage?
PAROLLES.
:Faith, I know more than I'll speak.
KING.
:But wilt thou not speak all thou know'st?
PAROLLES.
:Yes, so please your majesty; I did go between them, as I
:said; but more than that, he loved her,—for indeed he was mad
:for her, and talked of Satan, and of limbo, and of furies, and I
:know not what: yet I was in that credit with them at that time
:that I knew of their going to bed; and of other motions, as
:promising her marriage, and things which would derive me ill-will
:to speak of; therefore I will not speak what I know.
KING.
:Thou hast spoken all already, unless thou canst say they are
:married: but thou art too fine in thy evidence; therefore stand
:aside.—This ring, you say, was yours?
DIANA.
:Ay, my good lord.
KING.
:Where did you buy it? or who gave it you?
DIANA.
:It was not given me, nor I did not buy it.
KING.
:Who lent it you?
DIANA.
:It was not lent me neither.
KING.
:Where did you find it then?
DIANA.
:I found it not.
KING.
:If it were yours by none of all these ways,
:How could you give it him?
DIANA.
:I never gave it him.
LAFEU.
:This woman's an easy glove, my lord; she goes off and on at
:pleasure.
KING.
:This ring was mine, I gave it his first wife.
DIANA.
:It might be yours or hers, for aught I know.
KING.
:Take her away, I do not like her now;
:To prison with her: and away with him.—
:Unless thou tell'st me where thou hadst this ring,
:Thou diest within this hour.
DIANA.
:I'll never tell you.
KING.
:Take her away.
DIANA.
:I'll put in bail, my liege.
KING.
:I think thee now some common customer.
DIANA.
:By Jove, if ever I knew man, 'twas you.
KING.
:Wherefore hast thou accus'd him all this while?
DIANA.
:Because he's guilty, and he is not guilty:
:He knows I am no maid, and he'll swear to't:
:I'll swear I am a maid, and he knows not.
:Great King, I am no strumpet, by my life;
:I am either maid, or else this old man's wife.
[Pointing to LAFEU.]
KING.
:She does abuse our ears; to prison with her.
DIANA.
:Good mother, fetch my bail.—Stay, royal sir;
[Exit WIDOW.]
:The jeweller that owes the ring is sent for,
:And he shall surety me. But for this lord
:Who hath abus'd me as he knows himself,
:Though yet he never harm'd me, here I quit him:
:He knows himself my bed he hath defil'd;
:And at that time he got his wife with child.
:Dead though she be, she feels her young one kick;
:So there's my riddle:—One that's dead is quick;
:And now behold the meaning.
[Re-enter Widow with HELENA.]
KING.
:Is there no exorcist
:Beguiles the truer office of mine eyes?
:Is't real that I see?
HELENA.
:No, my good lord;
:'Tis but the shadow of a wife you see—
:The name, and not the thing.
BERTRAM.
:Both, both; O, pardon!
HELENA.
:O, my good lord, when I was like this maid;
:I found you wondrous kind. There is your ring,
:And, look you, here's your letter. This it says,
:'When from my finger you can get this ring,
:And are by me with child, &c.'— This is done:
:Will you be mine now you are doubly won?
BERTRAM.
:If she, my liege, can make me know this clearly,
:I'll love her dearly, ever, ever dearly.
HELENA.
:If it appear not plain, and prove untrue,
:Deadly divorce step between me and you!—
:O my dear mother, do I see you living?
LAFEU.
:Mine eyes smell onions; I shall weep anon:—
:Good Tom Drum [to PAROLLES], lend me a handkercher: so, I
:thank thee; wait on me home, I'll make sport with thee:
:let thy courtesies alone, they are scurvy ones.
KING.
:Let us from point to point this story know,
:To make the even truth in pleasure flow:—
:If thou beest yet a fresh uncropped flower,
[To DIANA.]
:Choose thou thy husband, and I'll pay thy dower;
:For I can guess that, by thy honest aid,
:Thou kept'st a wife herself, thyself a maid.
:Of that and all the progress, more and less,
:Resolvedly more leisure shall express:
:All yet seems well; and if it end so meet,
:The bitter past, more welcome is the sweet.
[Flourish.]
:The king's a beggar, now the play is done;
:All is well-ended if this suit be won,
:That you express content; which we will pay
:With strife to please you, day exceeding day:
:Ours be your patience then, and yours our parts;
:Your gentle hands lend us, and take our hearts.
[Exeunt.]
THE END
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