While Proteus at Milan was thus injuring Valentine, Julia at Verona was regretting the absence of Proteus ; and her regard for him at last so far overcame her sense of propriety that she resolved to leave Verona and seek her lover at Milan; and, to secure herself from danger 305 on the road, she dressed her maid Lucetta and herself in men's clothes, and they set out in this disguise, and arrived at Milan soon after Valentine was banished from that city through the treachery of Proteus.

Julia entered Milan about noon, and she took up her 310 abode at an inn; and, her thoughts being all on her dear Proteus, she entered into conversation with the innkeeper, or host, as he was called, thinking by that means to learn some news of Proteus.

The host was greatly pleased that this handsome 315 young gentleman (as he took her to be), who from his appearance he concluded was of high rank, spoke so familiarly to him; and, being a good-natured man, he was sorry to see him look so melancholy; and, to amuse his young guest, he offered to take him to hear some 320 fine music, with which, he said, a gentleman that evening was going to serenade his mistress.

The reason Julia looked so very melancholy was that she did not well know what Proteus would think of the imprudent step she had taken; for she knew he had 325 loved her for her noble maiden pride and dignity of character, and she feared she should lower herself in his esteem; and this it was that made her wear a sad and thoughtful countenance.

She gladly accepted the offer of the host to go with 330 him and hear the music, for she secretly hoped she might meet Proteus by the way.

But when she came to the palace whither the host

conducted her, a very different effect was produced from what the kind host intended; for there, to her heart's 335 sorrow, she beheld her lover, the inconstant' Proteus, serenading the lady Silvia with music, and addressing discourse of love and admiration to her. And Julia overheard Silvia from a window talk with Proteus, and reproach him for forsaking his own true lady, and for 340 his ingratitude to his friend Valentine; and then Silvia left the window, not choosing to listen to his music and his fine speeches; for she was a faithful lady to her banished Valentine, and abhorred the ungenerous conduct of his false friend Proteus.

345

Though Julia was in despair at what she had just witnessed, yet did she still love the truant Proteus; and hearing that he had lately parted with a servant, she contrived, with the assistance of her host, the friendly innkeeper, to hire herself to Proteus as a page; and Pro- 350 teus knew not she was Julia, and he sent her with letters and presents to her rival Silvia, and he even sent by her the very ring she gave him as a parting gift at Verona.

2

When she went to that lady with the ring, she was most glad to find that Silvia utterly rejected the suit of 355 Proteus; and Julia, or the page Sebastian, as she was called, entered into conversation with Silvia about Proteus's first love, the forsaken lady Julia. She, putting in (as one may say) a good word for herself, said she knew Julia, as well she might, being herself the Julia 360 of whom she spoke; telling how fondly Julia loved her master Proteus, and how his unkind neglect would grieve her; and then she with a pretty equivocation went on "Julia is about my height, and of my complexion, the color of her eyes and hair the same as 365 1 False, faithless. 2 Se-bas'-tian.

mine;" and indeed Julia looked a most beautiful youth in her boy's attire. Silvia was moved to pity this lovely lady, who was so sadly forsaken by the man she loved, and, when Julia offered the ring which Proteus had sent, refused it, saying: "The more shame for him that he 370 sends me that ring! I will not take it, for I have often heard him say his Julia gave it to him. I love thee, gentle youth, for pitying her, poor lady! Here is a purse; I give it you for Julia's sake." These comfortable words, coming from her kind rival's tongue, 375 cheered the drooping heart of the disguised lady.

But to return to the banished Valentine, who scarce knew which way to bend his course, being unwilling to return home to his father a disgraced and banished man. As he was wandering over a lonely forest, not far dis- 380 tant from Milan, where he had left his heart's dear treasure, the lady Silvia, he was set upon by robbers, who demanded his money.

Valentine told them that he was a man crossed by adversity, that he was going into banishment, and that 385 he had no money, the clothes he had on being all his riches.

The robbers, hearing that he was a distressed man, and being struck with his noble air and manly behavior, told him if he would live with them, and be their chief, 390 or captain, they would put themselves under his command; but that, if he refused to accept their offer, they I would kill him.

Valentine, who cared little what became of himself, said he would consent to live with them and be their 395 captain, provided they did no outrage on women or poor

passengers.

2

1 Comforting.

2 Passers-by, travellers.

Thus the noble Valentine became, like Robin Hood, of whom we read in ballads, a captain of robbers and outlawed banditti;' and in this situation he was found 400 by Silvia, and in this manner it came to pass :

Silvia, to avoid a marriage with Thurio, whom her father insisted upon her no longer refusing, came at last 1 Bandits (an Italian plural).

to the resolution of following Valentine to Mantua, at which place she had heard her lover had taken refuge; 405 but in this account she was misinformed, for he still lived in the forest among the robbers, bearing the name of their captain but taking no part in their depredations, and using the authority which they had imposed upon him in no other way than to compel them to show 410 compassion to the travellers they robbed.

Silvia contrived to effect her escape from her father's palace in company with a worthy old gentleman whose name was Eglamour,' whom she took along with her for protection on the road. She had to pass through the 415 forest where Valentine and the banditti dwelt; and one of these robbers seized on Silvia, and would also have taken Eglamour, but he escaped.

The robber who had taken Silvia, seeing the terror she was in, bid her not be alarmed, for that he was only 420 going to carry her to a cave where his captain lived, and that she need not be afraid, for their captain had an honorable mind and always showed humanity to women. Silvia found little comfort in hearing she was going to be carried as a prisoner before the captain of a law-425 less banditti. "O Valentine," she cried, "this I endure for thee !"

But as the robber was conveying her to the cave of his captain, he was stopped by Proteus, who, still attended by Julia in the disguise of a page, having heard 430 of the flight of Silvia, had traced her steps to this forest. Proteus now rescued her from the hands of the robber; but scarce had she time to thank him for the service he had done her before he began to distress her afresh with his love-suit; and while he was rudely pressing her 435 1 Eg'-la-mour (moor). * See Notes.