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All’s Well That Ends Well: Act III, Scene 2

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All’s Well That Ends Well
Act III, Scene 2

Rossillon . The Count’s palace .

This is not well, rash and unbridled boy, to fly the favors of so good a king,

John Thurston, 1825

  1. Enter Countess and Clown .

Countess

1 - 2
  1. It hath happen’d all as I would have had it , save that he
  2. comes not along with her .

Lavatch

3 - 4
  1. By my troth , I take my young lord to be a very melancholy
  2. man .

Countess

5
  1. By what observance , I pray you ?

Lavatch

6 - 9
  1. Why , he will look upon his boot and sing , mend the ruff and
  2. sing , ask questions and sing , pick his teeth and sing . I
  3. know a man that had this trick of melancholy sold a goodly
  4. manor for a song .

Countess

10
  1. Let me see what he writes , and when he means to come .
  1. Opening a letter .

Lavatch

11 - 15
  1. I have no mind to Isbel since I was at court . Our old ling
  2. and our Isbels a’ th’ country are nothing like your old ling
  3. and your Isbels a’ th’ court . The brains of my Cupid’s
  4. knock’d out , and I begin to love , as an old man loves money ,
  5. with no stomach .

Countess

16
  1. What have we here ?

Lavatch

17
  1. E’en that you have there .
  1. Exit .

Countess

18 - 29
  1. Reads a letter .
  2. “ I have sent you a daughter - in - law ; she hath recover’d the
  3. King , and undone me . I have wedded her , not bedded her , and
  4. sworn to make the “ not ” eternal . You shall hear I am run
  5. away ; know it before the report come . If there be breadth
  6. enough in the world , I will hold a long distance . My duty to
  7. you .
  8. Your unfortunate son , Bertram .”
  9. This is not well , rash and unbridled boy ,
  10. To fly the favors of so good a king ,
  11. To pluck his indignation on thy head
  12. By the misprising of a maid too virtuous
  13. For the contempt of empire .
  1. Enter Clown .

Lavatch

30 - 31
  1. O madam , yonder is heavy news within between two soldiers
  2. and my young lady !

Countess

32
  1. What is the matter ?

Lavatch

33 - 34
  1. Nay , there is some comfort in the news , some comfort . Your
  2. son will not be kill’d so soon as I thought he would .

Countess

35
  1. Why should he be kill’d ?

Lavatch

36 - 39
  1. So say I , madam , if he run away , as I hear he does . The
  2. danger is in standing to’t ; that’s the loss of men , though
  3. it be the getting of children . Here they come will tell you
  4. more ; for my part , I only hear your son was run away .
  1. Exit .
  1. Enter Helen and two French Lords .

Second French Lord Dumaine

40
  1. ’Save you , good madam .

Helena

41
  1. Madam , my lord is gone , forever gone .

First French Lord Dumaine

42
  1. Do not say so .

Countess

43 - 46
  1. Think upon patience . Pray you , gentlemen ,
  2. I have felt so many quirks of joy and grief
  3. That the first face of neither on the start
  4. Can woman me unto’t . Where is my son , I pray you ?

First French Lord Dumaine

47 - 50
  1. Madam , he’s gone to serve the Duke of Florence .
  2. We met him thitherward , for thence we came ;
  3. And after some dispatch in hand at court ,
  4. Thither we bend again .

Helena

51 - 52
  1. Look on his letter , madam , here’s my passport .
  2. Reads .
  3. “ When thou canst get the ring upon my finger , which never shall come off , and show me a child begotten of thy body that I am father to , then call me husband ; but in such a ‘ then’ I write a ‘ never . ’ ” This is a dreadful sentence .

Countess

53
  1. Brought you this letter , gentlemen ?

First French Lord Dumaine

54 - 55
  1.                                     Ay , madam ,
  2. And for the contents’ sake are sorry for our pains .

Countess

56 - 60
  1. I prithee , lady , have a better cheer ;
  2. If thou engrossest all the griefs are thine ,
  3. Thou robb’st me of a moi’ty . He was my son ,
  4. But I do wash his name out of my blood ,
  5. And thou art all my child . Towards Florence is he ?

First French Lord Dumaine

61
  1. Ay , madam .

Countess

62
  1.            And to be a soldier ?

First French Lord Dumaine

63 - 65
  1. Such is his noble purpose , and believe’t ,
  2. The Duke will lay upon him all the honor
  3. That good convenience claims .

Countess

66
  1.                               Return you thither ?

Second French Lord Dumaine

67
  1. Ay , madam , with the swiftest wing of speed .

Helena

68 - 69
  1. Reads .
  2. “ Till I have no wife , I have nothing in France .”
  3. ’Tis bitter .
Cassell's Illustrated Shakespeare

Countess: What have we here?
Lavatch: E’en that you have there.

From: Cassell's Illustrated Shakespeare

Mary Cowden Clarke, Charles Cowden Clarke, 1870

Countess

70
  1.              Find you that there ?

Helena

71
  1.                      Ay , madam .

Second French Lord Dumaine

72 - 73
  1. ’Tis but the boldness of his hand haply ,
  2. Which his heart was not consenting to .

Countess

74 - 78
  1. Nothing in France , until he have no wife !
  2. There’s nothing here that is too good for him
  3. But only she , and she deserves a lord
  4. That twenty such rude boys might tend upon ,
  5. And call her hourly mistress . Who was with him ?

Second French Lord Dumaine

79 - 80
  1. A servant only , and a gentleman
  2. Which I have sometime known .

Countess

81
  1.                              Parolles , was it not ?

Second French Lord Dumaine

82
  1. Ay , my good lady , he .

Countess

83 - 85
  1. A very tainted fellow , and full of wickedness .
  2. My son corrupts a well - derived nature
  3. With his inducement .

Second French Lord Dumaine

86 - 88
  1.                      Indeed , good lady ,
  2. The fellow has a deal of that too much ,
  3. Which holds him much to have .

Countess

89 - 93
  1. Y’ are welcome , gentlemen .
  2. I will entreat you , when you see my son ,
  3. To tell him that his sword can never win
  4. The honor that he loses . More I’ll entreat you
  5. Written to bear along .

First French Lord Dumaine

94 - 95
  1.                        We serve you , madam ,
  2. In that and all your worthiest affairs .

Countess

96 - 97
  1. Not so , but as we change our courtesies .
  2. Will you draw near ?
  1. Exit with Lords .

Helena

98 - 128
  1. “ Till I have no wife , I have nothing in France .”
  2. Nothing in France , until he has no wife !
  3. Thou shalt have none , Roussillon , none in France ;
  4. Then hast thou all again . Poor lord , is’t I
  5. That chase thee from thy country , and expose
  6. Those tender limbs of thine to the event
  7. Of the none - sparing war ? And is it I
  8. That drive thee from the sportive court , where thou
  9. Wast shot at with fair eyes , to be the mark
  10. Of smoky muskets ? O you leaden messengers ,
  11. That ride upon the violent speed of fire ,
  12. Fly with false aim , move the still - peering air
  13. That sings with piercing , do not touch my lord .
  14. Whoever shoots at him , I set him there ;
  15. Whoever charges on his forward breast ,
  16. I am the caitiff that do hold him to’t ;
  17. And though I kill him not , I am the cause
  18. His death was so effected . Better ’twere
  19. I met the ravin lion when he roar’d
  20. With sharp constraint of hunger ; better ’twere
  21. That all the miseries which nature owes
  22. Were mine at once . No , come thou home , Roussillon ,
  23. Whence honor but of danger wins a scar ,
  24. As oft it loses all . I will be gone .
  25. My being here it is that holds thee hence .
  26. Shall I stay here to do’t ? No , no , although
  27. The air of paradise did fan the house ,
  28. And angels offic’d all . I will be gone ,
  29. That pitiful rumor may report my flight
  30. To consolate thine ear . Come night , end day !
  31. For with the dark , poor thief , I’ll steal away .
  1. Exit .
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