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- Edition: All's Well That Ends Well
All's Well That Ends Well (Modern)
- Introduction
- Texts of this edition
- Facsimiles
19104[.1]
He can come no other way but by this 1914hedge-corner. When you sally upon him, speak what terrible 1915language you will; though you understand it not your 1916selves, no matter, for we must not seem to understand 1917him, unless someone among us, whom we must 1918produce for an interpreter.
Good captain, let me be th'interpreter.
Art not acquainted with him? Knows he not 1921thy voice?
No sir, I warrant you.
But what linsey-woolsey hast thou to speak to us 1924again?
E'en such as you speak to me.
He must think us some band of strangers, 1927i'th'adversary's entertainment. Now, he hath a smack of all 1928neighboring languages; therefore, we must every one 1929be a man of his own fancy, not to know what we speak 1930one to another; so we seem to know is to know straight 1931our purpose: choughs' language. Gabble enough and 1932good enough. -- [To Soldier 1] As for you, interpreter, you must seem 1933very politic. -- [To all] But couch, ho! Here he comes, to 1934beguile two hours in a sleep, and then to return and swear 1935the lies he forges.
[Call or horn marking the hour] Ten o'clock: within these three hours 'twill 1938be time enough to go home. What shall I say I have 1939done? It must be a very plausive invention that carries 1940it: they begin to smoke me, and disgraces have of 1941late knocked too often at my door. I find my tongue 1942is too foolhardy, but my heart hath the fear of Mars 1943before it, and of his creatures, not daring the reports of 1944my tongue.
[Aside] This is the first truth that e'er thine own tongue 1946was guilty of.
What the devil should move me to undertake 1948the recovery of this drum, being not ignorant of the 1949impossibility, and knowing I had no such purpose? I 1950must give myself some hurts, and say I got them in 1951exploit. Yet slight ones will not carry it: they will say, 1952"Came you off with so little?" And great ones I dare not 1953give. Wherefore what's the instance? Tongue, I must put 1954you into a butter-woman's mouth and buy myself 1955another of Bajazeth's mule if you prattle me into these 1956perils.
[Aside] Is it possible he should know what he is, and 1958be that he is?
I would the cutting of my garments would serve 1960the turn, or the breaking of my Spanish sword.
[Aside] We cannot afford you so.
Or the baring of my beard, and to say it was in 1963stratagem.
[Aside] 'Twould not do.
Or to drown my clothes, and say I was stripped.
[Aside] Hardly serve.
Though I swore I leapt from the window of the 1968citadel --
[Aside] How deep?
Thirty fathom.
[Aside] Three great oaths would scarce make that 1972be believed.
I would I had any drum of the enemy's; I 1974would swear I recovered it.
[Aside] You shall hear one anon.
A drum now of the enemy's --
Throca movousus, cargo, cargo, cargo.
Cargo, cargo, cargo, villianda par corbo, cargo.
Oh, ransom, ransom!
[They blindfold him with his own scarf.]
1981Do not hide mine eyes.
I know you are the Musco's regiment,
Boskos vauvado. I understand thee, and can speak 1989thy tongue. Kerelybonto. Sir, betake thee to thy faith, for 1990seventeen poniards are at thy bosom.
Oh!
Oh, pray, pray, pray! 1993Manka reuania dulche.
Oscorbidulchos voliuorco.
The general is content to spare thee yet,
1999Paroles
Oh, let me live,
20031 Soldier as "Interpreter"
But wilt thou faithfully?
If I do not, damn me.
Acordo linta.
2006Come on; thou are granted space.
4.1.46.1Exeunt [with Paroles].
Go tell the Count Roussillon and my brother
20112 Soldier
Captain I will.
A will betray us all unto ourselves.
20142 SOLDIER
So I will sir.
Till then I'll keep him dark and safely locked.