William Shakespeare — Two Gentlemen of Verona Act 4 Scene 2

   SCENE II. Milan. Outside the DUKE's palace, under SILVIA's chamber.       Enter PROTEUS PROTEUS       Already have I been false to Valentine       And now I must be as unjust to Thurio.       Under the colour of commending him,       I have access my own love to prefer:       But Silvia is too fair, too true, too holy,       To be corrupted with my worthless gifts.       When I protest true loyalty to her,       She twits me with my falsehood to my friend;       When to her beauty I commend my vows,       She bids me think how I have been forsworn       In breaking faith with Julia whom I loved:       And notwithstanding all her sudden quips,       The least whereof would quell a lover's hope,       Yet, spaniel-like, the more she spurns my love,       The more it grows and fawneth on her still.       But here comes Thurio: now must we to her window,       And give some evening music to her ear.       Enter THURIO and Musicians THURIO       How now, Sir Proteus, are you crept before us? PROTEUS       Ay, gentle Thurio: for you know that love       Will creep in service where it cannot go. THURIO       Ay, but I hope, sir, that you love not here. PROTEUS       Sir, but I do; or else I would be hence. THURIO       Who? Silvia? PROTEUS       Ay, Silvia; for your sake. THURIO       I thank you for your own. Now, gentlemen,       Let's tune, and to it lustily awhile.       Enter, at a distance, Host, and JULIA in boy's clothes Host       Now, my young guest, methinks you're allycholly: I       pray you, why is it? JULIA       Marry, mine host, because I cannot be merry. Host       Come, we'll have you merry: I'll bring you where       you shall hear music and see the gentleman that you asked for. JULIA       But shall I hear him speak? Host       Ay, that you shall. JULIA       That will be music.       Music plays Host       Hark, hark! JULIA       Is he among these? Host       Ay: but, peace! let's hear 'em.       SONG.       Who is Silvia? what is she,       That all our swains commend her?       Holy, fair and wise is she;       The heaven such grace did lend her,       That she might admired be.       Is she kind as she is fair?       For beauty lives with kindness.       Love doth to her eyes repair,       To help him of his blindness,       And, being help'd, inhabits there.       Then to Silvia let us sing,       That Silvia is excelling;       She excels each mortal thing       Upon the dull earth dwelling:       To her let us garlands bring. Host       How now! are you sadder than you were before? How       do you, man? the music likes you not. JULIA       You mistake; the musician likes me not. Host       Why, my pretty youth? JULIA       He plays false, father. Host       How? out of tune on the strings? JULIA       Not so; but yet so false that he grieves my very       heart-strings. Host       You have a quick ear. JULIA       Ay, I would I were deaf; it makes me have a slow heart. Host       I perceive you delight not in music. JULIA       Not a whit, when it jars so. Host       Hark, what fine change is in the music! JULIA       Ay, that change is the spite. Host       You would have them always play but one thing? JULIA       I would always have one play but one thing.       But, host, doth this Sir Proteus that we talk on       Often resort unto this gentlewoman? Host       I tell you what Launce, his man, told me: he loved       her out of all nick. JULIA       Where is Launce? Host       Gone to seek his dog; which tomorrow, by his       master's command, he must carry for a present to his lady. JULIA       Peace! stand aside: the company parts. PROTEUS       Sir Thurio, fear not you: I will so plead       That you shall say my cunning drift excels. THURIO       Where meet we? PROTEUS       At Saint Gregory's well. THURIO       Farewell.       Exeunt THURIO and Musicians       Enter SILVIA above PROTEUS       Madam, good even to your ladyship. SILVIA       I thank you for your music, gentlemen.       Who is that that spake? PROTEUS       One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's truth,       You would quickly learn to know him by his voice. SILVIA       Sir Proteus, as I take it. PROTEUS       Sir Proteus, gentle lady, and your servant. SILVIA       What's your will? PROTEUS       That I may compass yours. SILVIA       You have your wish; my will is even this:       That presently you hie you home to bed.       Thou subtle, perjured, false, disloyal man!       Think'st thou I am so shallow, so conceitless,       To be seduced by thy flattery,       That hast deceived so many with thy vows?       Return, return, and make thy love amends.       For me, by this pale queen of night I swear,       I am so far from granting thy request       That I despise thee for thy wrongful suit,       And by and by intend to chide myself       Even for this time I spend in talking to thee. PROTEUS       I grant, sweet love, that I did love a lady;       But she is dead. JULIA       [Aside] 'Twere false, if I should speak it;       For I am sure she is not buried. SILVIA       Say that she be; yet Valentine thy friend       Survives; to whom, thyself art witness,       I am betroth'd: and art thou not ashamed       To wrong him with thy importunacy? PROTEUS       I likewise hear that Valentine is dead. SILVIA       And so suppose am I; for in his grave       Assure thyself my love is buried. PROTEUS       Sweet lady, let me rake it from the earth. SILVIA       Go to thy lady's grave and call hers thence,       Or, at the least, in hers sepulchre thine. JULIA       [Aside] He heard not that. PROTEUS       Madam, if your heart be so obdurate,       Vouchsafe me yet your picture for my love,       The picture that is hanging in your chamber;       To that I'll speak, to that I'll sigh and weep:       For since the substance of your perfect self       Is else devoted, I am but a shadow;       And to your shadow will I make true love. JULIA       [Aside] If 'twere a substance, you would, sure,       deceive it,       And make it but a shadow, as I am. SILVIA       I am very loath to be your idol, sir;       But since your falsehood shall become you well       To worship shadows and adore false shapes,       Send to me in the morning and I'll send it:       And so, good rest. PROTEUS       As wretches have o'ernight       That wait for execution in the morn.       Exeunt PROTEUS and SILVIA severally JULIA       Host, will you go? Host       By my halidom, I was fast asleep. JULIA       Pray you, where lies Sir Proteus? Host       Marry, at my house. Trust me, I think 'tis almost       day. JULIA       Not so; but it hath been the longest night       That e'er I watch'd and the most heaviest.       Exeunt