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As You Like It (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: David Bevington
Peer Reviewed
Scœna Secunda.
Enter Orlando & Oliuer.
Orl. Is't possible, that on so little acquaintance you
2410should like her? that, but seeing, you should loue her?
And louing woo? and wooing, she should graunt? And
will you perseuer to enioy her?
Ol. Neither call the giddinesse of it in question; the
pouertie of her, the small acquaintance, my sodaine wo-
2415ing, nor sodaine consenting: but say with mee, I loue
Aliena: say with her, that she loues mee; consent with
both, that we may enioy each other: it shall be to your
good: for my fathers house, and all the reuennew, that
was old Sir Rowlands will I estate vpon you, and heere
2420liue and die a Shepherd.
Enter Rosalind.
Orl. You haue my consent.
Let your Wedding be to morrow: thither will I
Inuite the Duke, and all's contented followers:
2425Go you, and prepare Aliena; for looke you,
Heere comes my Rosalinde.
Ros. God saue you brother.
Ol. And you faire sister.
Ros. Oh my deere Orlando, how it greeues me to see
2430thee weare thy heart in a scarfe.
Orl. It is my arme.
Ros. I thought thy heart had beene wounded with
the clawes of a Lion.
Orl. Wounded it is, but with the eyes of a Lady.
2435Ros. Did your brother tell you how I counterfeyted
to sound, when he shew'd me your handkercher?
Orl. I, and greater wonders then that.
Ros. O, I know where you are: nay, tis true: there
was neuer any thing so sodaine, but the sight of two
2440Rammes, and Cesars Thrasonicall bragge of I came, saw,
and ouercome. For your brother, and my sister, no soo-
ner met, but they look'd: no sooner look'd, but they
lou'd; no sooner lou'd, but they sigh'd: no sooner sigh'd
but they ask'd one another the reason: no sooner knew
2445the reason, but they sought the remedie: and in these
degrees, haue they made a paire of staires to marriage,
which they will climbe incontinent, or else bee inconti-
nent before marriage; they are in the verie wrath of
loue, and they will together. Clubbes cannot part
2450them.
Orl. They shall be married to morrow : and I will
bid the Duke to the Nuptiall. But O, how bitter a thing
it is, to looke into happines through another mans eies:
by so much the more shall I to morrow be at the height
2455of heart heauinesse. by how much I shal thinke my bro-
ther happie, in hauing what he wishes for.
Ros. Why then to morrow, I cannot serue your turne
for Rosalind?
Orl. I can liue no longer by thinking.
2460Ros. I will wearie you then no longer with idle tal-
king. Know of me then (for now I speake to some pur-
pose) that I know you are a Gentleman of good conceit:
I speake not this, that you should beare a good opinion
of my knowledge: insomuch (I say) I know you are: nei-
2465ther do I labor for a greater esteeme then may in some
little measure draw a beleefe from you, to do your selfe
good, and not to grace me. Beleeue then, if you please,
that I can do strange things: I haue since I was three
yeare old conuerst with a Magitian, most profound in
2470his Art, and yet not damnable. If you do loue Rosalinde
so neere the hart, as your gesture cries it out: when your
brother marries Aliena, shall you marrie her. I know in-
to what straights of Fortune she is driuen, and it is not
impossible to me, if it appeare not inconuenient to you,
2475to set her before your eyes to morrow, humane as she is,
and without any danger.
Orl. Speak'st thou in sober meanings?
Ros. By my life I do, which I tender deerly, though
I say I am a Magitian: Therefore put you in your best a-
2480ray, bid your friends: for if you will be married to mor-
row, you shall: and to Rosalind if you will.
Enter Siluius & Phebe.
Looke, here comes a Louer of mine, and a louer of hers.
Phe. Youth, you haue done me much vngentlenesse,
2485To shew the letter that I writ to you.
Ros. I care not if I haue: it is my studie
To seeme despightfull and vngentle to you:
you are there followed by a faithful shepheard,
Looke vpon him, loue him: he worships you.
2490Phe. Good shepheard, tell this youth what 'tis to loue
Sil. It is to be all made of sighes and teares,
And so am I for Phebe.
Phe. And I for Ganimed.
Orl. And I for Rosalind.
2495Ros. And I for no woman.
Sil. It is to be all made of faith and seruice,
And so am I for Phebe.
Phe. And I for Ganimed.
Orl. And I for Rosalind.
2500Ros. And I for no woman.
Sil. It is to be all made of fantasie,
All made of passion, and all made of wishes,
All adoration, dutie, and obseruance,
All humblenesse, all patience, and impatience,
2505All puritie, all triall, all obseruance:
And so am I for Phebe.
Phe. And so am I for Ganimed.
Orl. And so am I for Rosalind.
Ros. And so am I for no woman.
2510Phe. If this be so, why blame you me to loue you?
Sil. If this be so, why blame you me to loue you?
Orl. If this be so, why blame you me to loue you?
Ros. Why do you speake too, Why blame you mee
to loue you.
2515Orl. To her, that is not heere, nor doth not heare.
Ros. Pray you no more of this, 'tis like the howling
of Irish Wolues against the Moone : I will helpe you
if I can : I would loue you if I could : To morrow meet
me altogether : I wil marrie you, if euer I marrie Wo-
2520man, and Ile be married to morrow : I will satisfie you,
if euer I satisfi'd man, and you shall bee married to mor-
row. I wil content you, if what pleases you contents
you, and you shal be married to morrow : As you loue
Rosalind meet, as you loue Phebe meet, and as I loue no
2525woman, Ile meet : so fare you wel: I haue left you com-
mands.
Sil. Ile not faile, if I liue.
Phe. Nor I.
Orl. Nor I.
Exeunt.