Page 1959 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

Would you not have me honest? [25]

TOUCHSTONE
No truly, unless thou wert hard-favoured; for honesty coupled to beauty is to
have honey a sauce to sugar.

JAQUES
(aside)
A material fool!

AUDREY
Well, I am not fair, and therefore I pray the gods [30] make me honest.

TOUCHSTONE
Truly, and to cast away honesty upon a foul slut were to put good meat into
an unclean dish.

AUDREY
I am not a slut, though I thank the gods I am foul. [35]

TOUCHSTONE
Well, praised be the gods for thy foulness; sluttishness may come hereafter.
But be it as it may be, I will marry thee; and to that end I have been with Sir

Oliver Martext, the vicar of the next village, who hath promised to meet me
in this place of the forest and to [40] couple us.

JAQUES
(aside)
I would fain see this meeting.

AUDREY
Well, the gods give us joy!

TOUCHSTONE
Amen. A man may, if he were of a fearful heart, stagger in this attempt; for

here we have no temple [45] but the wood, no assembly but horn-beasts. But
what though? Courage! As horns are odious, they are necessary. It is said,