6

sigh, like a school-boy that had lost his A B C; 5 to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam; to fast, like one that takes diet; to watch, like one that fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beggar at Hallowmas. 7 You were wont, when you laugh'd, to crow like a cock; when you walk'd, to walk like one of the lions; when you fasted, it was presently after dinner; when you look'd sadly, it was for want of money; and now you are metamorphosed 9 with a mistress, that, when I look on you, I can hardly think you my master.

Val. Are all these things perceived in me?

Speed. They are all perceived without 10 ye.

Val. Without me? they cannot.

12

Speed. Without you? nay, that 's certain; for, without you were so simple, none else would: 11 but you are so without these follies, that these follies are within you, and shine through you like the water in an urinal, that not an eye that sees you, but is a physician to comment on your malady. Val. But, tell me, dost thou know my lady Silvia?

Speed. She, that you gaze on so, as she sits at supper?

Val. Hast thou observed that? even she I mean.

Speed. Why, Sir, I know her not.

Val. Dost thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet know'st her not?
Speed. Is she not hard-favour'd, Sir?

Val. Not so fair, boy, as well-favour'd. 13

Speed. Sir, I know that well enough.

Val. What dost thou know?

Speed. That she is not so fair, as (of you) well-favour'd.

5) ABC ist hier das Abcbuch, nicht das Alphabet selbst.

6) to take diet

=

die Hungerkur gebrauchen, besonders von venerischen Patienten. 7) Das klägliche Gewinsel der Bettler um Allerheiligen bezieht Johnson auf die dann eintretende rauhere Jahreszeit, Tollet auf einen Gebrauch, der sich in Staffordshire noch erhalten hat, dass die Bettler um die Zeit einen Rundgang halten, wobei sie für die Seelen der Verstorbenen beten. Die erstere Erklärung scheint die einfachere und natürlichere.

8) Nach Ritson's Vermuthung dachte Sh. bei the lions an die seinem Publikum wohlbekannten Löwen, die im Tower zu London gehalten wurden.

9) Vgl. A. 1, Sc. 1, Anm. 19.

10) Speed fasst without zuerst = ausserhalb, nachher adverbial wenn nicht, Valentin fasst es ohne.

11) scil. would be so simple.

12) Anspielungen auf die ärztliche Praxis, aus dem Urin des Kranken die Natur der Krankheit zu erforschen, kommen bei Sh. und seinen Zeitgenossen häufig vor. So in Macbeth (A. 5, Sc. 3) if thou could'st, doctor, cast || The water of my land, find her disease.

13) well-favoured gebraucht Valentin doppelsinnig = von gutem Ansehen, als Gegensatz zu hard-favoured von abstossendem Ansehen, und voll Gunst und Gaben. In letzterer Beziehung steht das Wort im Gegensatz zu fair, das nur auf die äussere Schönheit geht. Speed setzt das Wortspiel mit well-favoured dann noch fort.

Val. I mean, that her beauty is exquisite, but her favour infinite. 14
Speed. That's because the one is painted, and the other out of all count.
Val. How painted? and how out of count?

Speed. Marry, Sir, so painted to make her fair, that no man 'counts of her beauty.

Val. How esteem'st thou me? I account of her beauty.

Speed. You never saw her since she was deform'd?

Val. How long hath she been deform'd?

Speed. Ever since you loved her.

Val. I have loved her ever since I saw her, and still I see her beautiful.
Speed. If you love her, you cannot see her.

Val. Why?

Speed. Because love is blind. O! that you had mine eyes; or your own eyes had the lights they were wont to have, when you chid at Sir Proteus for going ungartered! 15

Val. What should I see then?

Speed. Your own present folly, and her passing deformity; for he, being in love, could not see to garter his hose; and you, being in love, cannot see to put on your hose. 16

Val. Belike, boy, then you are in love; for last morning you could not see to wipe my shoes.

Speed. True, Sir; I was in love with my bed. I thank you, you swinged me for my love, which makes me the bolder to chide you for yours. Val. In conclusion, I stand affected to her.

Speed. I would you were set, 17 so your affection would cease.

Val. Last night she enjoined me to write some lines to one she loves.
Speed. And have you?

Val. I have.

Speed. Are they not lamely writ?

Val. No, boy, but as well as I can do them. Peace! here she comes.

Enter SILVIA.

Speed. O excellent motion! O exceeding puppet! Now will he interpret to her. 18

14) exquisite und infinite entsprechen sich auch lautlich.

favour fasst Speed dann wieder Gesichtszüge, und bezieht the one darauf, auf das geschminkte Gesicht der Silvia, während the other auf her beauty geht.

15) Dieses Merkmal von Verliebtheit, die sich in der Vernachlässigung des Aeussern kundgiebt, kehrt auch wieder in As you like it (A. 3, Sc. 2) then your hose should be ungartered.

16) Valentin, der sogar seine Strumpfhose anzuziehen vergisst, ist noch ärger verliebt als Proteus, der doch nur seine Kniegürtel nicht zuband.

17) set = gesetzt, und = untergegangen, wie die Sonne, als Gegensatz zu stand = sein, und = stehen.

18) motion ist das Marionettenspiel, puppet die einzelne Marionettenfigur, deren Pantomime der Spieler dann mit seinen Worten verdeutlichen muss. So in Hamlet (A. 3, Sc. 2) I could interpret between you and your love, if I could see the puppets dallying.

Val. Madam and mistress, a thousand good morrows.

Speed. O! 'give ye good even: here's a million of manners. 19
Sil. Sir Valentine and servant, 20 to you two thousand.
Speed. He should give her interest, and she gives it him.
Val. As you enjoin'd me, I have writ your letter

Unto the secret nameless friend of yours;

Which I was much unwilling to proceed in,

But for my duty to your ladyship.

Sil. I thank you, gentle servant. 'T is very clerkly done. 21
Val. Now trust me, Madam, it came hardly off; 22

For, being ignorant to whom it goes,

I writ at random, very doubtfully.

Sil. Perchance you think too much of so much pains?
Val. No, Madam: so it stead you, I will write,
Please you command, a thousand times as much.

And yet,

Sil. A pretty period. And yet I will not name it;

Well, I guess the sequel:
and yet I care not;

And yet take this again; and yet I thank you,
Meaning henceforth to trouble you no more.

Speed. And yet you will; 23 and yet another yet.
Val. What means your ladyship? do you not like it?
Sil. Yes, yes: the lines are very quaintly writ,
But since unwillingly, take them again.
Nay, take them.

Val. Madam, they are for you.

Sil. Ay, ay; you writ them, Sir, at my request, But I will none of them; they are for you.

I would have had them writ more movingly.

Val. Please you, I'll write your ladyship another. Sil. And when it 's writ, for my sake read it over: And, if it please you, so; if not, why, so. 24

Val. If it please me, Madam; what then?

Sil. Why, if it please you, take it for your labour:

And so good morrow, servant.

[Exit.

19) Mit a million of manners eine Million Artigkeiten, überbietet Speed das a thousand good morrows Valentin's.

20) servant nennt Silvia in affectirter Redeweise den Valentin als ihren Anbeter.

21) Der Brief ist so geschickt abgefasst, als hätte ihn ein bestellter Schreiber (clerk) geschrieben.

22) to come off von Statten gehen.

23) scil. you will trouble him more.

24) wenn der Brief Euch gefällt, so ist es gut; wenn nicht, so ist es auch gut.

Speed. O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible, 25

As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a steeple!
My master sues to her, and she hath taught her suitor,

He being her pupil, to become her tutor.

O excellent device! was there ever heard a better,

That my master, being scribe, to himself should write the letter?
Val. How now, Sir! what, are you reasoning with yourself?
Speed. Nay, I was rhyming: 't is you that have the reason. 26
Val. To do what?

Speed. To be a spokesman from Madam Silvia.

Val. To whom?

Speed. To yourself. Why, she woos you by a figure. 27

Val. What figure?

Speed. By a letter, I should say.

Val. Why, she hath not writ to me?

Speed. What need she, when she hath made you write to yourself? Why, do you not perceive the jest?

Val. No, believe me.

Speed. No believing you, 28 indeed, Sir: but did you perceive her earnest?
Val. She gave me none, except an angry word.

Speed. Why, she hath given you a letter.

Val. That's the letter I writ to her friend.

Speed. And that letter hath she deliver'd, and there an end. 29

Val. I would it were no worse!
Speed.

I'll warrant you, 't is as well:

For often have you writ to her, and she, in modesty,
Or else for want of idle time, could not again reply;

Or fearing else some messenger, that might her mind discover,

Her self hath taught her love himself to write unto her lover. 30

All this I speak in print, for in print 31 I found it.

Why muse you, Sir? 't is dinner time.

25) invisible, ein, freilich ungenauer, Reim auf steeple, ist, wie unseen und inscrutable ironisch als das Gegentheil gemeint: ein handgreiflicher, Jedem sichtbarer Spass, den sich die Silvia mit Valentin erlaubt.

26) Eine Anspielung auf das auch bei Sh. öfter zusammengestellte rhyme und reason. 27) by a figure = figürlich. Zugleich ist figure Ziffer, dem letter = Buchstabe, und = Brief, entgegengesetzt.

28) Man kann Euch in der That nicht glauben, dass Ihr so einfältig seid. dreht auch hier Valentin's vorhergehende Worte.

29) Elliptisch: und damit hat die Sache ein Ende.

30) her love himself

Beides Valentin.

Speed ver

der Geliebte der Silvia selbst, und her love ihr Liebhaber, ist

31) in print genau, überlegt, und = gedruckt. Speed giebt scherzhaft die vier gereimten Verse, die er so eben improvisirt hat, für ein Citat aus einem gedruckten Buche aus.

Val. I have dined.

Speed. Ay, but hearken, Sir: though the cameleon love can feed on the air, I am one that am nourish'd by my victuals, and would fain have meat. O! be not like your mistress: be moved, be moved. 32

SCENE II.

Verona. A Room in JULIA'S House.

Enter PROTEUS and JULIA.

[Exeunt.

Pro. Have patience, gentle Julia.

Jul. I must, where is no remedy.

Pro. When possibly I can, I will return.

Jul. If you turn not, you will return 1 the sooner.

Keep this remembrance for thy Julia's sake.

[Giving a ring.

Pro. Why, then we'll make exchange: here take you this.
Jul. And seal the bargain with a holy kiss.

Pro. Here is my hand for my true constancy;

And when that hour o'er-slips me in the day,
Wherein I sigh not, Julia, for thy sake,
The next ensuing hour some foul mischance
Torment me for my love's forgetfulness.
My father stays my coming; answer not.
The tide 2 is now: nay, not thy tide of tears;
That tide will stay me longer than I should.
Julia, farewell. What! gone without a word?
Ay, so true love should do: it cannot speak;
For truth hath better deeds than words to grace it.

[Exit JULIA.

Enter PANTHINO. 3

Pant. Sir Proteus, you are stay'd for.
Pro.

Alas! this parting strikes poor lovers dumb.

Go; I come, I come.

[Exeunt.

32 be moved doppelsinnig = lasst Euch rühren, und lasst Euch von der Stelle bewegen, um zu Tisch zu gehen. Mit diesen verschiedenen Bedeutungen von to move spielt Sh. auch in Romeo and Juliet (A. 1, Sc. 1).

1) Wortspiel zwischen to turn sich ändern, wechseln, und to return.

2) the tide = die Fluth, mit der allein das Schiff Verona verlassen kann. Vgl. A. 1, Sc. 1, Anm. 21.

3) In der Fol. wird das Auftreten des Panthino gleich zu Anfang dieser Scene verzeichnet. Vgl. A. 1, Sc. 3, Anm. 1. Dieselbe Eigenthümlichkeit wiederholt sich in diesem Druck auch bei den folgenden Scenen.

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