Page 1980 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

ROSALIND

How say you now, is it not past two o’clock? And here much Orlando!

CELIA
I warrant you, with pure love and troubled brain, he hath ta’en his bow and
arrows, and is gone forth to sleep. Look who comes here. [5]

Enter Silvius.

SILVIUS
My errand is to you, fair youth.

My gentle Phebe did bid me give you this.
I know not the contents, bus as I guess
By the stern brow and waspish action
Which she did use as she was writing of it, [10]

It bears an angry tenour. Pardon me.
I am but as a guiltless messenger.

ROSALIND
Patience herself would startle at this letter,
And play the swaggerer. Bear this, bear all.
She says I am not fair, that I lack manners. [15]

She calls me proud, and that she could not love me,
Were man as rare as phoenix. ’Od’s my will,
Her love is not the hare that I do hunt;

Why writes she so to me? Well shepherd, well,
This is a letter of your own device. [20]

SILVIUS
No, I protest, I know not the contents,
Phebe did write it.

ROSALIND
Come, come, you are a fool,
And turn’d into the extremity of love.

I saw her hand. She has a leathern hand,
A freestone-colour’d hand. I verily did think [25]
That her old gloves were on, but ’twas her hands.