Love's Labour's Lost (version 2) - Free Audiobook

000 Scene IV. The Forest of Arden.

AYLI II. 4 Enter Rosalind for Ganymede, Celia for Aliena, and Touchstone.

001 Ros. O Jupiter, how weary are my spirits!

Touch. I care not for my spirits, if my legs were not weary.

Ros. I could find in my heart to disgrace my man’s 005 apparel and to cry like a woman; but I must comfort the weaker vessel, as doublet and hose ought to show itself courageous to petticoat: therefore, courage, good Aliena.

008 Cel. I pray you, bear with me; I cannot go no further.

Touch. For my part, I had rather bear with you than 010 bear you: yet I should bear no cross, if I did bear you; for I think you have no money in your purse.

Ros. Well, this is the forest of Arden.

013 Touch. Ay, now am I in Arden; the more fool I; when I was at home, I was in a better place: but travellers must 015 be content.

016 Ros. Ay, be so, good Touchstone.

Enter Corin and Silvius.

Look you, who comes here; a young man and an old in solemn talk.

Cor. That is the way to make her scorn you still.

020 Sil. O Corin, that thou knew’st how I do love her!

Cor. I partly guess; for I have loved ere now.

Sil. No, Corin, being old, thou canst not guess,

Though in thy youth thou wast as true a lover

024 As ever sigh’d upon a midnight pillow:

025 But if thy love were ever like to mine,—

As sure I think did never man love so,—

How many actions most ridiculous

Hast thou been drawn to by thy fantasy?

Cor. Into a thousand that I have forgotten.

030 Sil. O, thou didst then ne’er love so heartily!

If thou remember’st not the slightest folly

That ever love did make thee run into,

Thou hast not loved:

034 Or if thou hast not sat as I do now,

035 Wearing thy hearer in thy mistress’ praise,

Thou hast not loved:

Or if thou hast not broke from company

Abruptly, as my passion now makes me,

Thou hast not loved.

040 O Phebe, Phebe, Phebe! [Exit.

041 Ros. Alas, poor shepherd! searching of thy wound,

I have by hard adventure found mine own.

Touch. And I mine. I remember, when I was in love I broke my sword upon a stone and bid him take that for 045 coming a-night to Jane Smile: and I remember the kissing 046 of her batlet and the cow’s dugs that her pretty chopt hands had milked: and I remember the wooing of a peascod 048 instead of her; from whom I took two cods and, giving her them again, said with weeping tears ‘Wear these for my 050 sake.’ We that are true lovers run into strange capers; but as all is mortal in nature, so is all nature in love mortal in folly.

Ros. Thou speakest wiser than thou art ware of.

Touch. Nay, I shall ne’er be ware of mine own wit till

055 I break my shins against it.

056 Ros. Jove, Jove! this shepherd’s passion

057 Is much upon my fashion.

058 Touch. And mine; but it grows something stale with me.

059 Cel. I pray you, one of you question yond man

060 If he for gold will give us any food:

I faint almost to death.

Touch.

Holla, you clown!

Ros. Peace, fool: he’s not thy kinsman.

Cor.

Who calls?

Touch. Your betters, sir.

Cor.

063 Else are they very wretched.

064 Ros. Peace, I say. Good even to you, friend.

065 Cor. And to you, gentle sir, and to you all.

Ros. I prithee, shepherd, if that love or gold

Can in this desert place buy entertainment,

Bring us where we may rest ourselves and feed:

Here’s a young maid with travel much oppress’d

And faints for succour.

Cor.

070 Fair sir, I pity her

And wish, for her sake more than for mine own,

My fortunes were more able to relieve her;

073 But I am shepherd to another man

And do not shear the fleeces that I graze:

075 My master is of churlish disposition

076 And little recks to find the way to heaven

By doing deeds of hospitality:

078 Besides, his cote, his flocks and bounds of feed

Are now on sale, and at our sheepcote now,

080 By reason of his absence, there is nothing

That you will feed on; but what is, come see,

And in my voice most welcome shall you be.

Ros. What is he that shall buy his flock and pasture?

Cor. That young swain that you saw here but erewhile,

085 That little cares for buying any thing.

Ros. I pray thee, if it stand with honesty,

Buy thou the cottage, pasture and the flock,

And thou shalt have to pay for it of us.

089 Cel. And we will mend thy wages. I like this place,

090 And willingly could waste my time in it.

Cor. Assuredly the thing is to be sold:

Go with me: if you like upon report

The soil, the profit and this kind of life,

094 I will your very faithful feeder be

095 And buy it with your gold right suddenly. [Exeunt.