Page 2431 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

HOLOFERNES

And, certes, the text most infallibly [160] concludes it. (To Dull ) Sir, I do
invite you too; you shall not say me nay. Pauca verba. Away! The gentles
are at their game, and we will to our recreation.

Exeunt.

Scene III IT

Enter Berowne with a paper in his hand, alone.

BEROWNE

(reading)
The King he is hunting the deer;
I am coursing myself -

They have pitched a toil; I am toiling in a pitch - pitch that defiles. ‘Defile’
- a foul word! Well, set thee down, sorrow, for so they say the fool said,
and so say I - and I [5] the fool. Well proved, wit! By the Lord, this love is
as mad as Ajax: it kills sheep, it kills me - I a sheep. Well proved again
o’my side! I will not love; if I do, hang me! I’faith, I will not. O, but her eye!
By this light, but for her eye I would not love her - yes, for her two eyes.
[10] Well, I do nothing in the world but lie, and lie in my throat. By
heaven, I do love, and it hath taught me to rhyme, and to be melancholy;
and here is part of my rhyme, and here my melancholy. Well, she hath one
o’my sonnets already. The clown bore it, the fool sent it, [15] and the lady
hath it - sweet clown, sweeter fool, sweetest lady! By the world, I would
not care a pin if the other three were in. Here comes one with a paper.
God give him grace to groan!

He stands aside.

Enter the King with a paper.

KING

Ay me! [20]

BEROWNE

Shot, by heaven! Proceed, sweet Cupid. Thou hast thumped him with thy
bird-bolt under the left pap. In faith, secrets!

KING

(reading)