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Another Part of the Forest. | |
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Enter ROSALIND and CELIA. | |
| Ros. Never talk to me: I will weep. | |
| Cel. Do, I prithee; but yet have the grace to consider that tears do not become a man. | |
| Ros. But have I not cause to weep? | 5 |
| Cel. As good cause as one would desire; therefore weep. | |
| Ros. His very hair is of the dissembling colour. | |
| Cel. Something browner than Judas’s; marry, his kisses are Judas’s own children. | |
| Ros. I’ faith, his hair is of a good colour. | |
| Cel. An excellent colour: your chesnut was ever the only colour. | 10 |
| Ros. And his kissing is as full of sanctity as the touch of holy bread. | |
| Cel. He hath bought a pair of cast lips of Diana: a nun of winter’s sisterhood kisses not more religiously; the very ice of chastity is in them. | |
| Ros. But why did he swear he would come this morning, and comes not? | |
| Cel. Nay, certainly, there is no truth in him. | |
| Ros. Do you think so? | 15 |
| Cel. Yes: I think he is not a pick-purse nor a horse-stealer; but for his verity in love, I do think him as concave as a covered goblet or a worm-eaten nut. | |
| Ros. Not true in love? | |
| Cel. Yes, when he is in; but I think he is not in. | |
| Ros. You have heard him swear downright he was. | |
| Cel. ‘Was’ is not ‘is:’ besides, the oath of a lover is no stronger than the word of a tapster; they are both the confirmers of false reckonings. He attends here in the forest on the duke your father. | 20 |
| Ros. I met the duke yesterday and had much question with him. He asked me of what parentage I was; I told him, of as good as he; so he laughed, and let me go. But what talk we of fathers, when there is such a man as Orlando? | |
| Cel. O, that’s a brave man! he writes brave verses, speaks brave words, swears brave oaths, and breaks them bravely, quite traverse, athwart the heart of his lover; as a puisny tilter, that spurs his horse but on one side, breaks his staff like a noble goose. But all’s brave that youth mounts and folly guides. Who comes here? | |
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Enter CORIN. | |
| Cor. Mistress and master, you have oft inquir’d | |
| After the shepherd that complain’d of love, | 25 |
| Who you saw sitting by me on the turf, | |
| Praising the proud disdainful shepherdess | |
| That was his mistress. | |
| Cel. Well, and what of him? | |
| Cor. If you will see a pageant truly play’d, | 30 |
| Between the pale complexion of true love | |
| And the red glow of scorn and proud disdain, | |
| Go hence a little, and I shall conduct you, | |
| If you will mark it. | |
| Ros. O! come, let us remove: | 35 |
| The sight of lovers feedeth those in love. | |
| Bring us to this sight, and you shall say | |
| I’ll prove a busy actor in their play. [Exeunt. | |
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