ページの画像
PDF
ePub

letter.

Speed. Nay, Sir, less than a pound shall serve me for carrying your

Pro. You mistake: I mean the pound, the pinfold.
Speed. From a pound to a pin? fold it over and over,
'Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover.
Pro. But what said she? [SPEED nods.] Did she nod? 29
Speed. I.

Pro. Nod, I? why that 's noddy.

Speed. You mistook, Sir: I say she did nod, and you ask me, if she did nod? and I say, I.

Pro. And that set together, is noddy.

Speed. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, take it for your pains.

Pro. No, no; you shall have it for bearing the letter.

Speed. Well, I perceive I must be fain to bear with you.

Pro. Why, Sir, how do you bear with me?

Speed. Marry, Sir, the letter very orderly; having nothing but the word

noddy for my pains.

Pro. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit.

Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse.

Pro. Come, come; open the matter in brief: what said she?

Speed. Open your purse, that the money, and the matter, may be both

at once deliver'd.

Pro. Well, Sir, here is for your pains. What said she?
Speed. Truly, Sir, I think you'll hardly win her.

Pro. Why? Couldst thou perceive so much from her?

Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter. And being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she 'll prove as hard to you in telling your mind. 30 Give her no token but stones, for she 's as hard as steel.

Pro. What! said she nothing?

Speed. No, not so much as

"take this for thy pains." To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testern'd 31 me; in requital whereof,

29) Die Worte Did she nod?, die sich in der Fol. nicht finden, sind von Theobald, der zweitfolgenden Rede Speeds gemäss, ergänzt. Auch die Bühnenweisung Speed nods ist modern. Das folgende Wortspiel beruht auf I = ich, und I für ay ja, sowie auf der Zusammensetzung von nod und I zu noddy Tropf, Pinsel, das Kartenblatt mit dem Bilde des Buben. Diesen Namen eines Pinsels soll Proteus hinnehmen.

=

SO

30 Da sie so hartherzig gegen mich war, der Eure Gesinnung brieflich überbrachte, wird sie eben so hartherzig gegen Euch sein, wenn Ihr Eure Gesinnung ihr mündlich mittheilt.

31) to testern, als Wortspiel mit to testify, scherzhaft gebildet aus dem substantivischen teston oder testern eine kleine Münze aus der Zeit Heinrichs VIII., im Werthe von 12, später

[merged small][ocr errors]

Den Druckfehler der Fol. cesterned verbessert die zweite Folioausg.

henceforth carry your letters yourself. And so, Sir, I'll commend you to my

master.

Pro. Go, go, be gone, to save your ship from wrack, Which cannot perish, having thee aboard,

Being destin'd to a drier death on shore. 32

I must go send some better messenger:
I fear my Julia would not deign 33 my lines,
Receiving them from such a worthless post.

SCENE II.

The Same. Julia's Garden.

Enter JULIA and LUCETTA.

Jul. But say, Lucetta, now we are alone,
Wouldst thou then counsel me to fall in love?

Luc. Ay, Madam; so you stumble not unheedfully.
Jul. Of all the fair resort of gentlemen,

That every day with parle 1 encounter me,

In thy opinion, which is worthiest love?

Luc. Please you, repeat their names, I'll show my mind
According to my shallow simple skill.

Jul. What think'st thou of the fair Sir Eglamour?
Luc. As of a knight well-spoken, neat and fine;

But, were I you, he never should be mine.

Jul. What think'st thou of the rich Mercatio?
Luc. Well of his wealth; but of himself, so, so.
Jul. What think'st thou of the gentle Proteus ?
Luc. Lord, lord! to see what folly reigns in us!
Jul. How now! what means this passion 2 at his name?
Luc. Pardon, dear Madam: 't is a passing shame,

That I, unworthy body as I am,

Should censure 3 thus on lovely gentlemen.

Jul. Why not on Proteus, as of all the rest?

[Exeunt.

Luc. Then thus,

of many good I think him best.

Jul. Your reason?

Luc. I have no other but a woman's reason:

I think him so, because I think him so.

32) Eine Anspielung auf das Sprichwort: he that is born to be hanged is not drowned. So in Tempest (A. 1, Sc. 1) If he be not born to be hanged, our case is miserable. 33) to deign, als Gegensatz zu to disdain, des Empfanges oder der Notiznahme würdigen.

=

1) parle Unterredung, Unterhaltung. Die Fol. schreibt par'le.

2) this passion dieser Affekt, ist die plötzliche Beschämung, welche Lucetta wegen ihrer Thorheit affectirt, über solche Herren urtheilen zu wollen. passion bildet eine Art Wortspiel mit dem folgenden passing = weitgehend.

3) to censure on oder of über Etwas urtheilen, sein Urtheil abgeben.

-

Jul.

Luc.

And wouldst thou have me cast my love on him?
Ay, if you thought your love not cast away.
Jul. Why, he of all the rest hath never mov'd me.
Luc. Yet he of all the rest, I think, best loves ye.
His little speaking shows his love but small.
Fire 5 that's closest kept burns most of all.
They do not love that do not show their love.

Jul.

Luc.

Jul.

Luc.

Jul.

Luc.

O! they love least, that let men know their love.
I would I knew his mind.

Peruse this paper, Madam.

[blocks in formation]

Say, say, who gave it thee?

That the contents will show.

Luc. Sir Valentine's page; and sent, I think, from Proteus.
He would have given it you, but I, being in the way,
Did in your name receive it: pardon the fault, I pray.
Jul. Now, by my modesty, a goodly broker!

Dare you presume to harbour wanton lines?

To whisper and conspire against my youth?
Now, trust me, 't is an office of great worth,

And you an officer fit for the place.

There, take the paper: see it be return'd,

Or else return no more into my sight.

Luc. To plead for love deserves more fee than hate.
Jul. Will ye be gone?

Luc.

That you may ruminate. 7

Jul. And yet, I would I had o'erlook'd the letter.

It were a shame to call her back again,

And pray her to a fault for which I chid her.

What fool is she, 8 that knows I am a maid,

"Ay."

And would not force the letter to my view!
Since maids, in modesty, say "No," to that
Which they would have the profferer construe, "
Fie, fie! how wayward is this foolish love,
That, like a testy babe, will scratch the nurse,
And presently, all humbled, kiss the rod.

How churlishly I chid Lucetta hence,

[Exit.

4) Er allein unter all' den Andern hat sich nie an mich um Liebe gewandt.

5) fire ist hier, wie oft bei Sh., zweisylbig zu lesen.

6) broker = Kuppler, Kupplerin. So in K. Henry VI. Third Part (A. 4, So. 1) you

shall give me leave || To play the broker in mine own behalf.

Ich soll fortgehen, damit Ihr ungestört über Proteus' Liebe grübeln könnt.

8) What fool is she etc.

welche Närrin ist Lucetta u. s. w., ist nicht als Frage, sondern als Ausruf zu fassen. Manche Hgg. setzen hinter to my view ein Fragezeichen.

[blocks in formation]

And not upon your maid.

Jul. What is 't that you took up so gingerly?

[blocks in formation]

Luc. Nothing concerning me.

Jul. Then let it lie for those that it concerns.
Luc. Madam, it will not lie 11 where it concerns,
Unless it have a false interpreter.

Jul. Some love of yours hath writ to you in rhyme.
Luc. That I might sing it, Madam, to a tune:

Give me a note: your ladyship can set. 12

Jul. As little by such toys as may be possible:
Best sing it to the tune of Light o' love." 13
Luc. It is too heavy for so light a tune.
Jul. Heavy? belike, it hath some burden 14 then.
Luc. Ay; and melodious were it, would you sing it.
Jul. And why not you?

Luc.

I cannot reach so high. 15

9) angerly, adjectivisch und adverbial, kommt auch sonst bei Sh. vor. setzen angrily dafür.

10) stomach = Trotz, Eifer, und Esslust.

11) to lie = liegen, und

= lügen.

Manche Hgg.

soll ihr die Tonweise angeben, nach der

12) Julia, welche zu componiren (set) versteht, Lucetta das fragliche Gedicht singen kann. Julia in ihrer Antwort nimmt das set. wieder auf und fasst to set by = Werth auf etwas setzen: I set as little by such toys etc.

13) the tune of light o' love, eine zu Sh.'s Zeit bekannte Tanzmelodie, wird auch erwähnt in Much Ado about Nothing (A. 3, Sc. 4) clap us into light o' love, that goes without a burden.

[blocks in formation]

15) Lucetta's Stimme geht nicht hoch genug hinauf, um das Lied zu singen, und, doppelsinnig, Proteus steht für sie zu hoch.

Jul. Let's see your song.

[ocr errors][merged small]

Luc. Keep tune there still, so you will sing it out:

And yet, methinks, I do not like this tune.

Jul. You do not?
Luc.

No, Madam; it is too sharp.

Nay, now you are too flat, 17

Jul. You, minion, are too saucy.
Luc.

18

And mar the concord with too harsh a descant:
There wanteth but a mean to fill your song.
Jul. The mean is drown'd with
your unruly base.
Luc. Indeed, I bid the base for Proteus. 19
Jul. This babble shall not henceforth trouble me.

Here is a coil with protestation! 20

[Tears the letter.

Go, get you gone, and let the papers lie:

You would be fingering them to anger me.

Luc. She makes it strange, 21 but she would be best pleas'd

To be so anger'd with another letter.

Jul. Nay, would I were so anger'd with the same!

O hateful hands! to tear such loving words:

Injurious wasps, to feed on such sweet honey,
And kill the bees that yield it with your stings!
I'll kiss each several paper for amends.
Look, here is writ ,,kind Julia;"

As in revenge of thy ingratitude,

unkind Julia!

I throw thy name against the bruising stones,

Trampling contemptuously on thy disdain.

And here is writ-love-wounded Proteus".

Poor wounded name! my bosom, as a bed,

[Exit.

[ocr errors]

16) Die letzten Worte sind begleitet von einer zornigen Geberde oder Pantomime der Julia, nachdem sie den Brief des Proteus aus Lucetta's Hand empfangen hat. Auf eine solche Pantomime bezieht sich das folgende I do not like this tune. 17) sharp and flat sind doppelsinnig, als musikalische Kunstausdrücke und im gewöhnlichen Sinne, gebraucht. Ein ähnlicher Doppelsinn liegt auch den folgenden Worten concord, descant, mean = Tenor und base zu Grunde. 18) Die Fol. hat you für your. Wortspiel zwischen base Bafsstimme, und ein mit Wettlauf verbundenes, ländliches Spiel, prison base oder prison bars genannt, das auch in Cymbeline (A. 5, Sc. 3) erwähnt wird: Lads more like to run the country-base. to bid the base = zu solchem Spiel einladen, es darin mit Jemandem aufnehmen, wurde sprichwörtlich in weiterem und übertragenem Sinne gebraucht, und kommt in Sh.'s Venus and Adonis vor: To bid the wind a base he now prepares, || And whe'r he run or fly, they know not whether.

19)

[ocr errors]

20) protestation sind die Liebesbetheurungen in Proteus' Briefe, welche der Julia lästig werden. Ebenso bezieht sich this babble auf den Brief, nicht etwa auf Lucetta's Geschwätz. 21) to make it strange spröde thun, sich fremd anstellen.

« 前へ次へ »