more properly, stays me here at home, unkept. For, call you that keeping, for a gentleman of my birth, that differs not from the stalling of an ox? His horses are bred better, for, besides that they are fair with their feeding they are taught their manage; and to that end, riders dearly hired: but I, his brother, gain nothing under him but growth; for the which, his animals are as much bound to him as I. Besides, this nothing, that he so plentifully gives me, the something that nature gave me his countenance seems to take from me he lets me feed with his hinds bars me the place of a brother, and, as much as in him lies, mines my gentility with my education. This it is. Adam, that grieves me; and the spirit of my father, which I think is within me, begins to mutiny against this servitude: I will no longer endure it, though yet I know no wise remedy how to avoid it. [Enter Oliver.] Adam. Yonder comes my master, your brother. Orla. Go apart, Adam, and thou shalt hear how he will shake me up Oliver. Now, sir, what make you here? Orla. Nothing: I am not taught to make anything. Orla. Marry, sir, I am helping you to mar that which God made, a poor, unworthy brother of yours, with idle ness. Oli. Marry, sir, be better employed, and be naught a while. Orla. Shall I keep your hogs, and eat husks with them? What prodigal portion have I spent, that I should come to penury? Oli. Know you where you are, sir? orchard. I Orla. Ay, better than he I am before knows me. know you are my eldest brother; and, in the gentle condition of blood, you should so know me. The courtesy of nations allows you my better, in that you are the first-born; but the same tradition takes away not my blood, were there twenty brothers betwixt us: I have as much of my father in me as you; albeit, I confess, your coming before me is nearer to his reverence. Oli. What, boy! Orla. Come, come, elder brother, you are too young in Oli. Wilt thou lay hands on me, villain? Orla. I am no viliain: I am the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Bois; he was my father and he is thrice a villain that says such a father begot villains. Wert thou not my brother, I would not take this hand from thy throat till this other had pulled out thy tongue for saying so; thou hast railed on thyself. Adam. Sweet masters, be patient; for membrance, be at accord! Oli. Let me go. I say. My Orla. I will not. till I please: you shall hear me. father charged you in his will. to give me good education : you have trained me like a peasant obscuring and hiding from me all gentleman-like qualities: the spirit of my father grows strong in me. and I will no longer endure it: therefore allow me such exercises as may become a gentleman, or give me the poor allottery my father left me by testament; with that. I will go buy my fortunes. Oli. And what wilt thou do? beg. when that is spent? Well, sir, get you in. I will not long be troubled with you : you shall have some part of your will. I pray you, leave me. Orla. I will no further offend you than becomes me for my good. Oli. Get you with him, you old dog. Adam. Is old dog my reward? Most true, I have lost my teeth in your service-God be with my old master! he would not have spoken such a word. [Exeunt Orlando and Adam.] Oli. Is it even so? Begin you to grow upon me. I will physic your rankness, and yet give no thousand crowns, neither-Holla, Dennis! [Enter Dennis.] Dennis. Calls your worship? Oli. Was not Charles, the duke's wrestler, here to speak with me? Den. So please tunes access to you. Oli. Call him in. you, he is here at the door and impor [Exit Dennis.] 'Twill be a good way; [Enter Charles.] Charles. Good morrow to your lordship. Oli. Good monsieur Charles! what's the new news at the new court? Cha. There's no news at the court, sir, but the old news; that is, the old duke is banished by his younger brother the new duke; and three or four loving lords have put theinselves into voluntary exile with him, whose lands and revenues enrich the new duke; therefore, he gives them good leave to wander. Oli. Can you tell, if Rosalind, the duke's daughter, be banished with her father? Cha. O, no; for the duke's daughter, her cousin, so loves her-being ever from their cradles bred together—that she would have followed her exile, or have died to stay behind her. She is at the court, and no less beloved of her uncle than his own daughter; and never two ladies loved as they do. Oli.. What, you wrestle to-morrow before the new duke? Cha. Marry, do I, sir; and I came to acquaint you with the matter. I am given. sir. secretly to understand, that your younger brother. Orlando, hath a disposition to come in disguised against me, to try a fall. To-morrow, sir, I wrestle for my credit; and he that escapes me without some broken limb, shall acquit him well Your brother is but young and tender; and, for your love. I would be loath to foil him, as I must. for my own honor. if he come in: therefore, out of my love to you, I came hither to acquaint you withal; that either you might stay him from his intendment, or brook such disgrace well, as he shall run into: in that it is a thing of his own search, and altogether against my will. Oli. Charles, I thank thee for thy love to me, which thon shalt find I will most kindly requite. I had myself notice of my brother's purpose herein. and have by underhand means, labored to dissuade him from it; but he is resolute I'll tell thee, Charles. it is the stubbornest young fellow in France; full of ambition; an envious emulator of every man's good parts; a secret and villainous contriver against me, his natural brother; therefore use thy discretion; I had as lief thou didst break his neck as his finger And thou wert best look to't; for if thou dost him any slight disgrace. or if he do not mightily grace himself on thee, he will practice against thee by poison, entrap thee by some treacherous device, and never leave thee till he hath taken thy life by soine indirect means, or other for. I assure thee, and almost with tears I speak it, there is not one so young and so villainous. this day living. I speak but brotherly of him; but should I anatomize him to thee as he is, I must blush and weep and thou must look pale and wonder. Cha. I am heartily glad I came hither to you. If he come to-morrow, I'll give him his payment. If ever he go alone again, I'll never wrestle for prize more. And so, God keep your worship. [Exit.] gen Oli. Farewel', good Charles.-Now will I stir this gamester. I hope I shall see an end of him; for my soul, yet I know not why, hates nothing more than he. Yet. he's tle; never schooled. and yet learned; full of noble device; of all sorts, enchantingly beloved; and, indeed, so much in the heart of the world. and especially of my own people, who best know him, that I am altogether misprized but it shall not be so long; this wrestler shall clear all: nothing remains but that I kindle the boy thither, which now I'll go about. [Exit.] Celia Scene 2.-A Lawn before the Duke's Palace. [Enter Rosalind and Celia.] Here comes monsieur Le Beau. [Enter Le Beau and Touchstone.] Cel. Bonjour, monsieur Le Beau: what's the news? Le Beau. you? Rosalind. What color, madam? How shall I answer As wit and fortune will. Touchstone. Or as the destinies decree. Cel. Well said; that was laid on with a trowel. Le Beau. You amaze me, ladies; I would have told you of good wrestling, which you have lost the sight of. Ros. Yet, tell us the manner of the wrestling. Le Beau. I 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. Cel. Well the beginning, that is dead and buried. sons There comes an old man and his three Cel. I could match this beginning, with an old tale. Le Beau. Three proper young men of excellent growth and presence Ros. With bills on their necks,-Be it known unto all men by these presents— Le Beau. The eldest of the three wrestled with Charles, the duke's wrestler; which Charles, in a moment, threw him, and broke three of his ribs. and 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. Ros. Alas! Touch. But what is the sport, monsieur, that the ladies have lost? Le Beau. Why, this that I speak of. Touch. Thus men grow wiser every day! It is the first time that ever I heard breaking of ribs was sport for ladies. Cel. Or I, I promise thee. Ros. But is there any else longs to see this broken music in his sides? Is there yet another dotes upon ribbreaking? Shall we see this wrestling, cousin? Le Beau. You must, if you stay here; for here is the place appointed for the wrestling. and they are ready to perform it. Let us now stay Cel. Yonder, sure, they are coming. and see it. [Flourish.-Enter Duke Frederick, Lords, Orlando, Charles, and attendants.] Duke Frederick. Come on; since the youth will not be entreated, his own peril on his forwardness. Ros. Is yonder the man? |