SCENE I
Without the Florentine camp.
[Enter Second French Lord, with five or six other Soldiers in ambush]
Second Lord
He can come no other way but by this hedge-corner. When you sally upon him, speak what terrible language you will: though you understand it not yourselves, no matter; for we must not seem to understand him, unless some one among us whom we must produce for an interpreter.
He can come no other way but by this hedge-corner. When you sally upon him, speak what terrible language you will: though you understand it not yourselves, no matter; for we must not seem to understand him, unless some one among us whom we must produce for an interpreter.
First Soldier
Good captain, let me be the interpreter.
Good captain, let me be the interpreter.
Second Lord
Art not acquainted with him? knows he not thy voice?
Art not acquainted with him? knows he not thy voice?
First Soldier
No, sir, I warrant you.
No, sir, I warrant you.
Second Lord
But what linsey-woolsey hast thou to speak to us again?
But what linsey-woolsey hast thou to speak to us again?
First Soldier
E’en such as you speak to me.
E’en such as you speak to me.
Second Lord
He must think us some band of strangers i’ the adversary’s entertainment. Now he hath a smack of all neighbouring languages; therefore we must every one be a man of his own fancy, not to know what we speak one to another; so we seem to know, is to know straight our purpose: choughs’ language, gabble enough, and good enough. As for you, interpreter, you must seem very politic. But couch, ho! here he comes, to beguile two hours in a sleep, and then to return and swear the lies he forges.
He must think us some band of strangers i’ the adversary’s entertainment. Now he hath a smack of all neighbouring languages; therefore we must every one be a man of his own fancy, not to know what we speak one to another; so we seem to know, is to know straight our purpose: choughs’ language, gabble enough, and good enough. As for you, interpreter, you must seem very politic. But couch, ho! here he comes, to beguile two hours in a sleep, and then to return and swear the lies he forges.
[Enter PAROLLES]
PAROLLES
Ten o’clock: within these three hours ’twill be time enough to go home. What shall I say I have done? It must be a very plausive invention that carries it: they begin to smoke me; and disgraces have of late knocked too often at my door. I find my tongue is too foolhardy; but my heart hath the fear of Mars before it and of his creatures, not daring the reports of my tongue.
Ten o’clock: within these three hours ’twill be time enough to go home. What shall I say I have done? It must be a very plausive invention that carries it: they begin to smoke me; and disgraces have of late knocked too often at my door. I find my tongue is too foolhardy; but my heart hath the fear of Mars before it and of his creatures, not daring the reports of my tongue.
Second Lord
This is the first truth that e’er thine own tongue was guilty of.
This is the first truth that e’er thine own tongue was guilty of.
PAROLLES
What the devil should move me to undertake the recovery of this drum, being not ignorant of the impossibility, and knowing I had no such purpose? I must give myself some hurts, and say I got them in exploit: yet slight ones will not carry it; they will say, ’Came you off with so little?’ and great ones I dare not give. Wherefore, what’s the instance? Tongue, I must put you into a butter-woman’s mouth and buy myself another of Bajazet’s mule, if you prattle me into these perils.
What the devil should move me to undertake the recovery of this drum, being not ignorant of the impossibility, and knowing I had no such purpose? I must give myself some hurts, and say I got them in exploit: yet slight ones will not carry it; they will say, ’Came you off with so little?’ and great ones I dare not give. Wherefore, what’s the instance? Tongue, I must put you into a butter-woman’s mouth and buy myself another of Bajazet’s mule, if you prattle me into these perils.
Second Lord
Is it possible he should know what he is, and be that he is?
Is it possible he should know what he is, and be that he is?
PAROLLES
I would the cutting of my garments would serve the turn, or the breaking of my Spanish sword.
I would the cutting of my garments would serve the turn, or the breaking of my Spanish sword.
Second Lord
We cannot afford you so.
We cannot afford you so.
PAROLLES
Or the baring of my beard; and to say it was in stratagem.
Or the baring of my beard; and to say it was in stratagem.
Second Lord
’Twould not do.
’Twould not do.
PAROLLES
Or to drown my clothes, and say I was stripped.
Or to drown my clothes, and say I was stripped.
Second Lord
Hardly serve.
Hardly serve.
PAROLLES
Though I swore I leaped from the window of the citadel.
Though I swore I leaped from the window of the citadel.
Second Lord
How deep?
How deep?
PAROLLES
Thirty fathom.
Thirty fathom.
Second Lord
Three great oaths would scarce make that be believed.
Three great oaths would scarce make that be believed.
PAROLLES
I would I had any drum of the enemy’s: I would swear
I recovered it.
I would I had any drum of the enemy’s: I would swear
I recovered it.
Second Lord
You shall hear one anon.
You shall hear one anon.
PAROLLES
A drum now of the enemy’s, –
A drum now of the enemy’s, –
[Alarum within]
Second Lord
Throca movousus, cargo, cargo, cargo.
Throca movousus, cargo, cargo, cargo.
All
Cargo, cargo, cargo, villiando par corbo, cargo.
Cargo, cargo, cargo, villiando par corbo, cargo.
PAROLLES
O, ransom, ransom! do not hide mine eyes.
O, ransom, ransom! do not hide mine eyes.
[They seize and blindfold him]
First Soldier
Boskos thromuldo boskos.
Boskos thromuldo boskos.
PAROLLES
I know you are the Muskos’ regiment:
And I shall lose my life for want of language;
If there be here German, or Dane, low Dutch,
Italian, or French, let him speak to me; I’ll
Discover that which shall undo the Florentine.
I know you are the Muskos’ regiment:
And I shall lose my life for want of language;
If there be here German, or Dane, low Dutch,
Italian, or French, let him speak to me; I’ll
Discover that which shall undo the Florentine.
First Soldier
Boskos vauvado: I understand thee, and can speakthy tongue. Kerely bonto, sir, betake thee to thy faith, for seventeen poniards are at thy bosom.
Boskos vauvado: I understand thee, and can speakthy tongue. Kerely bonto, sir, betake thee to thy faith, for seventeen poniards are at thy bosom.
PAROLLES
O!
O!
First Soldier
O, pray, pray, pray! Manka revania dulche.
O, pray, pray, pray! Manka revania dulche.
Second Lord
Oscorbidulchos volivorco.
Oscorbidulchos volivorco.
First Soldier
The general is content to spare thee yet;
And, hoodwink’d as thou art, will lead thee on
To gather from thee: haply thou mayst inform
Something to save thy life.
The general is content to spare thee yet;
And, hoodwink’d as thou art, will lead thee on
To gather from thee: haply thou mayst inform
Something to save thy life.
PAROLLES
O, let me live!
And all the secrets of our camp I’ll show,
Their force, their purposes; nay, I’ll speak that
Which you will wonder at.
O, let me live!
And all the secrets of our camp I’ll show,
Their force, their purposes; nay, I’ll speak that
Which you will wonder at.
First Soldier
But wilt thou faithfully?
But wilt thou faithfully?
PAROLLES
If I do not, damn me.
If I do not, damn me.
First Soldier
Acordo linta.
Come on; thou art granted space.
Acordo linta.
Come on; thou art granted space.
[Exit, with PAROLLES guarded. A short alarum within]
Second Lord
Go, tell the Count Rousillon, and my brother,
We have caught the woodcock, and will keep him muffled
Till we do hear from them.
Go, tell the Count Rousillon, and my brother,
We have caught the woodcock, and will keep him muffled
Till we do hear from them.
Second Soldier
Captain, I will.
Captain, I will.
Second Lord
A’ will betray us all unto ourselves:
Inform on that.
A’ will betray us all unto ourselves:
Inform on that.
Second Soldier
| So I will, sir. |
Second Lord
Till then I’ll keep him dark and safely lock’d.
Till then I’ll keep him dark and safely lock’d.
[Exeunt]
