SCENE 1.

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.

Enter a GENTLEMAN

In happy time!

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 fall'n

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.

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 butt'ring. Prithee, 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. Prithee, get thee further.

PAROLLES. Pray you, sir, deliver me this paper.

CLOWN. Foh! prithee 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 fall'n 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 scratch'd.

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 cardecue 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.

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' th' 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

Th' 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,

Scorn'd a fair colour or express'd it stol'n,

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]

By my old beard,

And ev'ry 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't.

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 med'cine,

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 the letter] '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 CAPILET.'

LAFEU. I will buy me a son-in-law in a fair, and toll for this.

I'll none of him.

KING. The heavens have thought well on thee, Lafeu,

To bring forth this discov'ry. Seek these suitors. 

Go speedily, and bring again the Count.

Exeunt 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, sith wives are monsters to you.

And that you fly them as you swear them lordship,

Yet you desire to marry.

Enter WIDOW and DIANA

What woman's that?

DIANA. I am, my lord, a wretched Florentine,

Derived from the ancient Capilet.

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 desp'rate 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' th' camp,

If I be one.

COUNTESS. He blushes, and 'tis it.

Of six preceding ancestors, that gem

Conferr'd by testament to th' 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' th' 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' th' 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 abed.

KING. The story, then, goes false you threw it him

Out of a casement.

DIANA. I have spoke the truth.

Enter PAROLLES

BERTRAM. My lord, I do confess the ring was hers.

KING. You boggle shrewdly; every feather starts you.

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 th' 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 lov'd her, sir, and lov'd 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 promis'd 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 talk'd 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?