AS YOU LIKE IT
Page: 11

Yet such is now the duke's condition,
That he misconstrues all that you have done.
The Duke is humorous; what he is, indeed,
More suits you to conceive than I to speak of.

ORLANDO.
I thank you, sir: and pray you tell me this;
Which of the two was daughter of the duke
That here was at the wrestling?

LE BEAU.
Neither 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 loves
Are dearer than the natural bond of sisters.
But I can tell you that of late this duke
Hath ta'en displeasure 'gainst his gentle niece,
Grounded upon no other argument
But that the people praise her for her virtues
And pity her for her good father's sake;
And, on my life, his malice 'gainst the lady
Will suddenly break forth.--Sir, fare you well!
Hereafter, in a better world than this,
I shall desire more love and knowledge of you.

ORLANDO.
I 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.]



SCENE III. A Room in the Palace.

[Enter CELIA and ROSALIND.]

CELIA.
Why, cousin; why, Rosalind;--Cupid have mercy!--Not a word?

ROSALIND.
Not one to throw at a dog.

CELIA.
No, thy words are too precious to be cast away upon curs, throw
some of them at me; come, lame me with reasons.

ROSALIND.
Then there were two cousins laid up; when the one should
be lamed with reasons and the other mad without any.

CELIA.
But is all this for your father?

ROSALIND.
No, some of it is for my child's father. O, how full
of briers is this working-day world!

CELIA.
They are but burs, cousin, thrown upon thee in holiday
foolery; if we walk not in the trodden paths, our very
petticoats will catch them.

ROSALIND.
I could shake them off my coat: these burs are in my heart.

CELIA.
Hem them away.

ROSALIND.
I would try, if I could cry hem and have him.

CELIA.
Come, come, wrestle with thy affections.