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As You Like It - Act 2, scene 7
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As You Like It - Act 2, scene 7Act 2, scene 7
Scene 7
Synopsis:
As Duke Senior and his companions sit down to eat, Orlando enters, demanding food. Welcomed by the duke, he brings Adam to join them.
Enter Duke Senior and ⌜Lords,⌝ like outlaws.DUKE SENIOR
0959 I think he be transformed into a beast,
0960 For I can nowhere find him like a man.
FIRST LORD
0961 My lord, he is but even now gone hence.
0962 Here was he merry, hearing of a song.
DUKE SENIOR
0963 5 If he, compact of jars, grow musical,
0964 We shall have shortly discord in the spheres.
0965 Go seek him. Tell him I would speak with him.
Enter Jaques.
FIRST LORD
0966 He saves my labor by his own approach.
DUKE SENIOR, ⌜to Jaques⌝
0967 Why, how now, monsieur? What a life is this
0968 10 That your poor friends must woo your company?
0969 What, you look merrily.
JAQUES
0970 A fool, a fool, I met a fool i’ th’ forest,
0971 A motley fool. A miserable world!
0972 As I do live by food, I met a fool,
0973 15 Who laid him down and basked him in the sun
0974 And railed on Lady Fortune in good terms,
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0975
In good set terms, and yet a motley fool.0976 “Good morrow, fool,” quoth I. “No, sir,” quoth he,
0977 “Call me not ‘fool’ till heaven hath sent me
0978 20 fortune.”
0979 And then he drew a dial from his poke
0980 And, looking on it with lack-luster eye,
0981 Says very wisely “It is ten o’clock.
0982 Thus we may see,” quoth he, “how the world wags.
0983 25 ’Tis but an hour ago since it was nine,
0984 And after one hour more ’twill be eleven.
0985 And so from hour to hour we ripe and ripe,
0986 And then from hour to hour we rot and rot,
0987 And thereby hangs a tale.” When I did hear
0988 30 The motley fool thus moral on the time,
0989 My lungs began to crow like chanticleer
0990 That fools should be so deep-contemplative,
0991 And I did laugh sans intermission
0992 An hour by his dial. O noble fool!
0993 35 A worthy fool! Motley’s the only wear.
DUKE SENIOR 0994 What fool is this?
JAQUES
0995 O worthy fool!—One that hath been a courtier,
0996 And says “If ladies be but young and fair,
0997 They have the gift to know it.” And in his brain,
0998 40 Which is as dry as the remainder biscuit
0999 After a voyage, he hath strange places crammed
1000 With observation, the which he vents
1001 In mangled forms. O, that I were a fool!
1002 I am ambitious for a motley coat.
DUKE SENIOR
1003 45 Thou shalt have one.
JAQUES 1004 It is my only suit,
1005 Provided that you weed your better judgments
1006 Of all opinion that grows rank in them
1007 That I am wise. I must have liberty
1008 50 Withal, as large a charter as the wind,
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1009
To blow on whom I please, for so fools have.1010 And they that are most gallèd with my folly,
1011 They most must laugh. And why, sir, must they so?
1012 The “why” is plain as way to parish church:
1013 55 He that a fool doth very wisely hit
1014 Doth very foolishly, although he smart,
1015 ⌜Not to⌝ seem senseless of the bob. If not,
1016 The wise man’s folly is anatomized
1017 Even by the squand’ring glances of the fool.
1018 60 Invest me in my motley. Give me leave
1019 To speak my mind, and I will through and through
1020 Cleanse the foul body of th’ infected world,
1021 If they will patiently receive my medicine.
DUKE SENIOR
1022 Fie on thee! I can tell what thou wouldst do.
JAQUES
1023 65 What, for a counter, would I do but good?
DUKE SENIOR
1024 Most mischievous foul sin in chiding ⌜sin;⌝
1025 For thou thyself hast been a libertine,
1026 As sensual as the brutish sting itself,
1027 And all th’ embossèd sores and headed evils
1028 70 That thou with license of free foot hast caught
1029 Wouldst thou disgorge into the general world.
JAQUES 1030 Why, who cries out on pride
1031 That can therein tax any private party?
1032 Doth it not flow as hugely as the sea
1033 75 Till that the weary very means do ebb?
1034 What woman in the city do I name
1035 When that I say the city-woman bears
1036 The cost of princes on unworthy shoulders?
1037 Who can come in and say that I mean her,
1038 80 When such a one as she such is her neighbor?
1039 Or what is he of basest function
1040 That says his bravery is not on my cost,
1041 Thinking that I mean him, but therein suits
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1042
His folly to the mettle of my speech?1043 85 There then. How then, what then? Let me see
1044 wherein
1045 My tongue hath wronged him. If it do him right,
1046 Then he hath wronged himself. If he be free,
1047 Why then my taxing like a wild goose flies
1048 90 Unclaimed of any man.
Enter Orlando, ⌜brandishing a sword.⌝
1049 But who ⌜comes⌝ here?
ORLANDO 1050 Forbear, and eat no more.
JAQUES 1051 Why, I have eat none yet.
ORLANDO
1052 Nor shalt not till necessity be served.
JAQUES 1053 95Of what kind should this cock come of?
DUKE SENIOR, ⌜to Orlando⌝
1054 Art thou thus boldened, man, by thy distress,
1055 Or else a rude despiser of good manners,
1056 That in civility thou seem’st so empty?
ORLANDO
1057 You touched my vein at first. The thorny point
1058 100 Of bare distress hath ta’en from me the show
1059 Of smooth civility, yet am I inland bred
1060 And know some nurture. But forbear, I say.
1061 He dies that touches any of this fruit
1062 Till I and my affairs are answerèd.
JAQUES 1063 105An you will not be answered with reason, I
1064 must die.
DUKE SENIOR, ⌜to Orlando⌝
1065 What would you have? Your gentleness shall force
1066 More than your force move us to gentleness.
ORLANDO
1067 I almost die for food, and let me have it.
DUKE SENIOR
1068 110 Sit down and feed, and welcome to our table.
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ORLANDO 1069 Speak you so gently? Pardon me, I pray you.
1070 I thought that all things had been savage here,
1071 And therefore put I on the countenance
1072 Of stern commandment. But whate’er you are
1073 115 That in this desert inaccessible,
1074 Under the shade of melancholy boughs,
1075 Lose and neglect the creeping hours of time,
1076 If ever you have looked on better days,
1077 If ever been where bells have knolled to church,
1078 120 If ever sat at any good man’s feast,
1079 If ever from your eyelids wiped a tear
1080 And know what ’tis to pity and be pitied,
1081 Let gentleness my strong enforcement be,
1082 In the which hope I blush and hide my sword.
⌜He sheathes his sword.⌝
DUKE SENIOR
1083 125 True is it that we have seen better days,
1084 And have with holy bell been knolled to church,
1085 And sat at good men’s feasts and wiped our eyes
1086 Of drops that sacred pity hath engendered.
1087 And therefore sit you down in gentleness,
1088 130 And take upon command what help we have
1089 That to your wanting may be ministered.
ORLANDO
1090 Then but forbear your food a little while
1091 Whiles, like a doe, I go to find my fawn
1092 And give it food. There is an old poor man
1093 135 Who after me hath many a weary step
1094 Limped in pure love. Till he be first sufficed,
1095 Oppressed with two weak evils, age and hunger,
1096 I will not touch a bit.
DUKE SENIOR 1097 Go find him out,
1098 140 And we will nothing waste till you return.
ORLANDO
1099 I thank you; and be blessed for your good comfort.
⌜He exits.⌝
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DUKE SENIOR 1100 Thou seest we are not all alone unhappy.
1101 This wide and universal theater
1102 Presents more woeful pageants than the scene
1103 145 Wherein we play in.
JAQUES 1104 All the world’s a stage,
1105 And all the men and women merely players.
1106 They have their exits and their entrances,
1107 And one man in his time plays many parts,
1108 150 His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
1109 Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.
1110 Then the whining schoolboy with his satchel
1111 And shining morning face, creeping like snail
1112 Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
1113 155 Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
1114 Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier,
1115 Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
1116 Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel,
1117 Seeking the bubble reputation
1118 160 Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,
1119 In fair round belly with good capon lined,
1120 With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
1121 Full of wise saws and modern instances;
1122 And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
1123 165 Into the lean and slippered pantaloon
1124 With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
1125 His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
1126 For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,
1127 Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
1128 170 And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
1129 That ends this strange eventful history,
1130 Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
1131 Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
Enter Orlando, ⌜carrying⌝ Adam.
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DUKE SENIOR 1132 Welcome. Set down your venerable burden,
1133 175 And let him feed.
ORLANDO 1134 I thank you most for him.
ADAM 1135 So had you need.—
1136 I scarce can speak to thank you for myself.
DUKE SENIOR
1137 Welcome. Fall to. I will not trouble you
1138 180 As yet to question you about your fortunes.—
1139 Give us some music, and, good cousin, sing.
⌜The Duke and Orlando continue their conversation,
apart.⌝
Song.
⌜AMIENS sings⌝
1140 Blow, blow, thou winter wind.
1141 Thou art not so unkind
1142 As man’s ingratitude.
1143 185 Thy tooth is not so keen,
1144 Because thou art not seen,
1145 Although thy breath be rude.
1146 Heigh-ho, sing heigh-ho, unto the green holly.
1147 Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly.
1148 190 ⌜Then⌝ heigh-ho, the holly.
1149 This life is most jolly.
1150 Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,
1151 That dost not bite so nigh
1152 As benefits forgot.
1153 195 Though thou the waters warp,
1154 Thy sting is not so sharp
1155 As friend remembered not.
1156 Heigh-ho, sing heigh-ho, unto the green holly.
1157 Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly.
1158 200 ⌜Then⌝ heigh-ho, the holly.
1159 This life is most jolly.
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DUKE SENIOR, ⌜to Orlando⌝ 1160 If that you were the good Sir Rowland’s son,
1161 As you have whispered faithfully you were,
1162 And as mine eye doth his effigies witness
1163 205 Most truly limned and living in your face,
1164 Be truly welcome hither. I am the duke
1165 That loved your father. The residue of your fortune
1166 Go to my cave and tell me.—Good old man,
1167 Thou art right welcome as thy ⌜master⌝ is.
1168 210 ⌜To Lords.⌝ Support him by the arm. ⌜To Orlando.⌝
1169 Give me your hand,
1170 And let me all your fortunes understand.
They exit.