Act I, Scene II: A Lawn Before the Duke's Palace

by William Shakespeare

　　[Enter ROSALIND and CELIA.]CELIAI pray thee, Rosalind, sweet my coz, be merry.

　　ROSALINDDear Celia, I show more mirth than I am mistress of; and would you yet I were merrier? Unless you could teach me to forget a banished father, you must not learn me how to remember any extraordinary pleasure.

　　CELIAHerein I see thou lov'st me not with the full weight that I love thee; if my uncle, thy banished father, had banished thy uncle, the duke my father, so thou hadst been still with me, I could have taught my love to take thy father for mine; so wouldst thou, if the truth of thy love to me were so righteously tempered as mine is to thee.

　　ROSALINDWell, I will forget the condition of my estate, to rejoice in yours.

　　CELIAYou know my father hath no child but I, nor none is like to have; and, truly, when he dies thou shalt be his heir: for what he hath taken away from thy father perforce, I will render thee again in affection: by mine honour, I will; and when I break that oath, let me turn monster; therefore, my sweet Rose, my dear Rose, be merry.

　　ROSALINDFrom henceforth I will, coz, and devise sports: let me see; what think you of falling in love?

　　CELIAMarry, I pr'ythee, do, to make sport withal: but love no man in good earnest, nor no further in sport neither than with safety of a pure blush thou mayst in honour come off again.

　　ROSALINDWhat shall be our sport, then?

　　CELIALet us sit and mock the good housewife Fortune from her wheel, that her gifts may henceforth be bestowed equally.

　　ROSALINDI would we could do so; for her benefits are mightily misplaced: and the bountiful blind woman doth most mistake in her gifts to women.

　　CELIA'Tis true; for those that she makes fair she scarce makes honest; and those that she makes honest she makes very ill-favouredly.

　　ROSALINDNay; now thou goest from Fortune's office to Nature's: Fortune reigns in gifts of the world, not in the lineaments of Nature.

　　CELIANo; when Nature hath made a fair creature, may she not by Fortune fall into the fire?—Though Nature hath given us wit to flout at Fortune, hath not Fortune sent in this fool to cut off the argument?[Enter TOUCHSTONE.]ROSALINDIndeed, there is Fortune too hard for Nature, when Fortune makes Nature's natural the cutter-off of Nature's wit.

　　CELIAPeradventure this is not Fortune's work neither, but Nature's, who perceiveth our natural wits too dull to reason of such goddesses, and hath sent this natural for our whetstone: for always the dullness of the fool is the whetstone of the wits.— How now, wit? whither wander you?

　　TOUCHSTONEMistress, you must come away to your father.

　　CELIAWere you made the messenger?

　　TOUCHSTONENo, by mine honour; but I was bid to come for you.

　　ROSALINDWhere learned you that oath, fool?

　　TOUCHSTONEOf a certain knight that swore by his honour they were good pancakes, and swore by his honour the mustard was naught: now, I'll stand to it, the pancakes were naught and the mustard was good: and yet was not the knight forsworn.

　　CELIAHow prove you that, in the great heap of your knowledge?

　　ROSALINDAy, marry; now unmuzzle your wisdom.

　　TOUCHSTONEStand you both forth now: stroke your chins, and swear by your beards that I am a knave.

　　CELIABy our beards, if we had them, thou art.

　　TOUCHSTONEBy my knavery, if I had it, then I were: but if you swear by that that is not, you are not forsworn: no more was this knight, swearing by his honour, for he never had any; or if he had, he had sworn it away before ever he saw those pancackes or that mustard.

　　CELIAPr'ythee, who is't that thou mean'st?

　　TOUCHSTONEOne that old Frederick, your father, loves.

　　CELIAMy father's love is enough to honour him enough: speak no more of him: you'll be whipp'd for taxation one of these days.

　　TOUCHSTONEThe more pity that fools may not speak wisely what wise men do foolishly.

　　CELIABy my troth, thou sayest true: for since the little wit that fools have was silenced, the little foolery that wise men have makes a great show. Here comes Monsieur Le Beau.

　　ROSALINDWith his mouth full of news.

　　CELIAWhich he will put on us as pigeons feed their young.

　　ROSALINDThen shall we be news-crammed.

　　CELIAAll the better; we shall be the more marketable.[Enter LE BEAU.]Bon jour, Monsieur Le Beau. What's the news?

　　LE BEAUFair princess, you have lost much good sport.

　　CELIASport! of what colour?

　　LE BEAUWhat colour, madam? How shall I answer you?

　　ROSALINDAs wit and fortune will.

　　TOUCHSTONEOr as the destinies decrees.

　　CELIA Well said: that was laid on with a trowel.

　　TOUCHSTONENay, if I keep not my rank,—

　　ROSALINDThou losest thy old smell.

　　LE BEAUYou amaze me, ladies; I would have told you of good wrestling, which you have lost the sight of.

　　ROSALINDYet tell us the manner of the wrestling.

　　LE BEAUI will tell you the beginning, and, if it please your ladyships, you may see the end; for the best is yet to do; and here, where you are, they are coming to perform it.

　　CELIAWell,—the beginning, that is dead and buried.

　　LE BEAUThere comes an old man and his three sons,—

　　CELIAI could match this beginning with an old tale.

　　LE BEAUThree proper young men, of excellent growth and presence, with bills on their necks,—

　　ROSALIND"Be it known unto all men by these presents,"—

　　LE BEAUThe eldest of the three wrestled with Charles, the duke's wrestler; which Charles in a moment threw him, and broke three of his ribs, that there is little hope of life in him: so he served the second, and so the third. Yonder they lie; the poor old man, their father, making such pitiful dole over them that all the beholders take his part with weeping.

　　ROSALINDAlas!

　　TOUCHSTONEBut what is the sport, monsieur, that the ladies have lost?

　　LE BEAUWhy, this that I speak of.

　　TOUCHSTONEThus men may grow wiser every day! It is the first time that ever I heard breaking of ribs was sport for ladies.

　　CELIAOr I, I promise thee.

　　ROSALINDBut is there any else longs to see this broken music in his sides? is there yet another dotes upon rib-breaking?— Shall we see this wrestling, cousin?

　　LE BEAUYou must, if you stay here: for here is the place appointed for the wrestling, and they are ready to perform it.

　　CELIAYonder, sure, they are coming: let us now stay and see it.[Flourish. Enter DUKE FREDERICK, Lords, ORLANDO, CHARLES, and Attendants.]DUKE FREDERICKCome on; since the youth will not be entreated, his own peril on his forwardness.

　　ROSALINDIs yonder the man?

　　LE BEAUEven he, madam.

　　CELIAAlas, he is too young: yet he looks successfully.

　　DUKE FREDERICKHow now, daughter and cousin? are you crept hither to see the wrestling?

　　ROSALINDAy, my liege; so please you give us leave.

　　DUKE FREDERICKYou will take little delight in it, I can tell you, there is such odds in the men. In pity of the challenger's youth I would fain dissuade him, but he will not be entreated. Speak to him, ladies; see if you can move him.

　　CELIACall him hither, good Monsieur Le Beau.

　　DUKE FREDERICKDo so; I'll not be by.[DUKE FREDERICK goes apart.]LE BEAUMonsieur the challenger, the princesses call for you.

　　ORLANDOI attend them with all respect and duty.

　　ROSALINDYoung man, have you challenged Charles the wrestler?

　　ORLANDONo, fair princess; he is the general challenger: I come but in, as others do, to try with him the strength of my youth.

　　CELIAYoung gentleman, your spirits are too bold for your years. You have seen cruel proof of this man's strength: if you saw yourself with your eyes, or knew yourself with your judgment, the fear of your adventure would counsel you to a more equal enterprise. We pray you, for your own sake, to embrace your own safety and give over this attempt.

　　ROSALINDDo, young sir; your reputation shall not therefore be misprised: we will make it our suit to the duke that the wrestling might not go forward.

　　ORLANDOI beseech you, punish me not with your hard thoughts: wherein I confess me much guilty to deny so fair and excellent ladies anything. But let your fair eyes and gentle wishes go with me to my trial: wherein if I be foiled there is but one shamed that was never gracious; if killed, but one dead that is willing to be so: I shall do my friends no wrong, for I have none to lament me: the world no injury, for in it I have nothing; only in the world I fill up a place, which may be better supplied when I have made it empty.

　　ROSALINDThe little strength that I have, I would it were with you.

　　CELIAAnd mine to eke out hers.

　　ROSALINDFare you well. Pray heaven, I be deceived in you!

　　CELIAYour heart's desires be with you.

　　CHARLESCome, where is this young gallant that is so desirous to lie with his mother earth?

　　ORLANDOReady, sir; but his will hath in it a more modest working.

　　DUKE FREDERICKYou shall try but one fall.

　　CHARLESNo; I warrant your grace, you shall not entreat him to a second, that have so mightily persuaded him from a first.

　　ORLANDOYou mean to mock me after; you should not have mocked me before; but come your ways.

　　ROSALINDNow, Hercules be thy speed, young man!

　　CELIAI would I were invisible, to catch the strong fellow by the leg.[CHARLES and ORLANDO wrestle.]ROSALINDO excellent young man!

　　CELIAIf I had a thunderbolt in mine eye, I can tell who should down.[CHARLES is thrown. Shout.]DUKE FREDERICKNo more, no more.

　　ORLANDOYes, I beseech your grace; I am not yet well breathed.

　　DUKE FREDERICKHow dost thou, Charles?

　　LE BEAUHe cannot speak, my lord.

　　DUKE FREDERICKBear him away.[CHARLES is borne out.]What is thy name, young man?

　　ORLANDOOrlando, my liege; the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Bois.

　　DUKE FREDERICKI would thou hadst been son to some man else.The world esteem'd thy father honourable,But I did find him still mine enemy:Thou shouldst have better pleas'd me with this deedHadst thou descended from another house.But fare thee well; thou art a gallant youth;I would thou hadst told me of another father.[Exeunt DUKE FREDERICK, Train, and LE BEAU.]CELIAWere I my father, coz, would I do this?

　　ORLANDOI am more proud to be Sir Rowland's son,His youngest son;—and would not change that callingTo be adopted heir to Frederick.

　　ROSALINDMy father loved Sir Rowland as his soul,And all the world was of my father's mind:Had I before known this young man his son,I should have given him tears unto entreatiesEre he should thus have ventur'd.

　　CELIAGentle cousin,Let us go thank him, and encourage him:My father's rough and envious dispositionSticks me at heart.—Sir, you have well deserv'd:If you do keep your promises in loveBut justly, as you have exceeded promise,Your mistress shall be happy.

　　ROSALINDGentleman,[Giving him a chain from her neck.]Wear this for me; one out of suits with fortune,That could give more, but that her hand lacks means.—Shall we go, coz?

　　CELIAAy.—Fare you well, fair gentleman.

　　ORLANDOCan I not say, I thank you? My better partsAre all thrown down; and that which here stands upIs but a quintain, a mere lifeless block.

　　ROSALINDHe calls us back: my pride fell with my fortunes:I'll ask him what he would.—Did you call, sir?—Sir, you have wrestled well, and overthrownMore than your enemies.

　　CELIAWill you go, coz?

　　ROSALINDHave with you.—Fare you well.[Exeunt ROSALIND and CELIA.]ORLANDOWhat passion hangs these weights upon my tongue?I cannot speak to her, yet she urg'd conference.O poor Orlando! thou art overthrown:Or Charles, or something weaker, masters thee.[Re-enter LE BEAU.]LE BEAUGood sir, I do in friendship counsel youTo leave this place. Albeit you have deserv'dHigh commendation, true applause, and love,Yet such is now the duke's condition,That he miscónstrues all that you have done.The Duke is humorous; what he is, indeed,More suits you to conceive than I to speak of.

　　ORLANDOI thank you, sir: and pray you tell me this;Which of the two was daughter of the dukeThat here was at the wrestling?

　　LE BEAUNeither his daughter, if we judge by manners;But yet, indeed, the smaller is his daughter:The other is daughter to the banish'd duke,And here detain'd by her usurping uncle,To keep his daughter company; whose lovesAre dearer than the natural bond of sisters.But I can tell you that of late this dukeHath ta'en displeasure 'gainst his gentle niece,Grounded upon no other argumentBut that the people praise her for her virtuesAnd pity her for her good father's sake;And, on my life, his malice 'gainst the ladyWill suddenly break forth.—Sir, fare you well!Hereafter, in a better world than this,I shall desire more love and knowledge of you.

　　ORLANDOI rest much bounden to you: fare you well![Exit LE BEAU.]Thus must I from the smoke into the smother;From tyrant duke unto a tyrant brother:—But heavenly Rosalind![Exit.]