The Two Gentlemen of Verona

resolved that thou shalt spend some time
With Valentinus in the emperor’s court:
What maintenance he from his friends receives,
Like exhibition thou shalt have from me.
To-morrow be in readiness to go:
Excuse it not, for I am peremptory. Proteus

My lord, I cannot be so soon provided:
Please you, deliberate a day or two.

Antonio

Look, what thou want’st shall be sent after thee:
No more of stay! to-morrow thou must go.
Come on, Panthino: you shall be employ’d
To hasten on his expedition. Exeunt Antonio and Panthino.

Proteus

Thus have I shunn’d the fire for fear of burning,
And drench’d me in the sea, where I am drown’d.
I fear’d to show my father Julia’s letter,
Lest he should take exceptions to my love;
And with the vantage of mine own excuse
Hath he excepted most against my love.
O, how this spring of love resembleth
The uncertain glory of an April day,
Which now shows all the beauty of the sun,
And by and by a cloud takes all away!

Re-enter Panthino. Panthino

Sir Proteus, your father calls for you:
He is in haste; therefore, I pray you to go.

Proteus

Why, this it is: my heart accords thereto,
And yet a thousand times it answers “no.” Exeunt.

Act II

Scene I

Milan. The Duke’s palace.

	Enter Valentine and Speed.
Speed	Sir, your glove.
Valentine	Not mine; my gloves are on.
Speed	Why, then, this may be yours, for this is but one.
Valentine	Ha! let me see: ay, give it me, it’s mine: Sweet ornament that decks a thing divine! Ah, Silvia, Silvia!
Speed	Madam Silvia! Madam Silvia!
Valentine	How now, sirrah?
Speed	She is not within hearing, sir.
Valentine	Why, sir, who bade you call her?
Speed	Your worship, sir; or else I mistook.
Valentine	Well, you’ll still be too forward.
Speed	And yet I was last chidden for being too slow.
Valentine	Go to, sir: tell me, do you know Madam Silvia?
Speed	She that your worship loves?
Valentine	Why, how know you that I am in love?
Speed	Marry, by these special marks: first, you have learned, like Sir Proteus, to wreathe your arms, like a malecontent; to relish a love-song, like a robin-redbreast; to walk alone, like one that had the pestilence; to sigh, like a school-boy that had lost his A.B.C.; to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam; to fast, like one that takes diet; to watch, like one that fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beggar at Hallowmas. You were wont, when you laughed, to crow like a cock; when you walked, to walk like one of the lions; when you fasted, it was presently after dinner; when you looked sadly, it was for want of money: and now you are metamorphosed with a mistress, that, when I look on you, I can hardly think you my master.
Valentine	Are all these things perceived in me?
Speed	They are all perceived without ye.
Valentine	Without me? they cannot.
Speed	Without you? nay, that’s certain, for, without you were so simple, none else would: but you are so without these follies, that these follies are within you and shine through you like the water in an urinal, that not an eye that sees you but is a physician to comment on your malady.
Valentine	But tell me, dost thou know my lady Silvia?
Speed	She that you gaze on so as she sits at supper?
Valentine	Hast thou observed that? even she, I mean.
Speed	Why, sir, I know her not.
Valentine	Dost thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet knowest her not?
Speed	Is she not hard-favoured, sir?
Valentine	Not so fair, boy, as well-favoured.
Speed	Sir, I know that well enough.
Valentine	What dost thou know?
Speed	That she is not so fair as, of you, well favoured.
Valentine	I mean that her beauty is exquisite, but her favour infinite.
Speed	That’s because the one is painted and the other out of all count.
Valentine	How painted? and how out of count?
Speed	Marry, sir, so painted, to make her fair, that no man counts of her beauty.
Valentine	How esteemest thou me? I account of her beauty.
Speed	You never saw her since she was deformed.
Valentine	How long hath she been deformed?
Speed	Ever since you loved her.
Valentine	I have loved her ever since I saw her; and still I see her beautiful.
Speed	If you love her, you cannot see her.
Valentine	Why?
Speed	Because Love is blind. O, that you had mine eyes; or your own eyes had the lights they were wont to have when you chid at Sir Proteus for going ungartered!
Valentine	What should I see then?
Speed	Your own present folly and her passing deformity: for he, being in love, could not see to garter his hose, and you, being in love, cannot see to put on your hose.
Valentine	Belike, boy, then, you are in love; for last morning you could not see to wipe my shoes.
Speed	True, sir; I was in love with my bed: I thank you, you swinged me for my love, which makes me the bolder to chide you for yours.
Valentine	In conclusion, I stand affected to her.
Speed	I would you were set, so your affection would cease.
Valentine	Last night she enjoined me to write some lines to one she loves.
Speed	And have you?
Valentine	I have.
Speed	Are they not lamely writ?
Valentine	No, boy, but as well as I can do them. Peace! here she comes.
Speed	Aside. O excellent motion! O exceeding puppet! Now will he interpret to her.
	Enter Silvia.
Valentine	Madam and mistress, a thousand good-morrows.
Speed	Aside. O, give ye good even! here’s a million of manners.
Silvia	Sir Valentine and servant, to you two thousand.
Speed	Aside. He should give her interest, and she gives it him.
Valentine	As you enjoin’d me, I have writ your letter Unto the secret nameless friend of yours; Which I was much unwilling to proceed in But for my duty to your ladyship.
Silvia	I thank you gentle servant: ’tis very clerkly done.
Valentine	Now trust me, madam, it came hardly off; For being ignorant to whom it goes I writ at random, very doubtfully.
Silvia	Perchance you think too much