All’s Well That Ends Well

1 Enter Helena, Widow and Diana.
2 HELENA.
3 That you may well perceive I have not wrong’d you
4 One of the greatest in the Christian world
5 Shall be my surety; fore whose throne ’tis needful,
6 Ere I can perfect mine intents, to kneel.
7 Time was I did him a desired office,
8 Dear almost as his life; which gratitude
9 Through flinty Tartar’s bosom would peep forth,
10 And answer thanks. I duly am inform’d
11 His grace is at Marseilles; to which place
12 We have convenient convoy. You must know
13 I am supposed dead. The army breaking,
14 My husband hies him home, where, heaven aiding,
15 And by the leave of my good lord the king,
16 We’ll be before our welcome.
17 WIDOW.
18 Gentle madam,
19 You never had a servant to whose trust
20 Your business was more welcome.
21 HELENA.
22 Nor you, mistress,
23 Ever a friend whose thoughts more truly labour
24 To recompense your love. Doubt not but heaven
25 Hath brought me up to be your daughter’s dower,
26 As it hath fated her to be my motive
27 And helper to a husband. But, O strange men!
28 That can such sweet use make of what they hate,
29 When saucy trusting of the cozen’d thoughts
30 Defiles the pitchy night; so lust doth play
31 With what it loathes, for that which is away.
32 But more of this hereafter. You, Diana,
33 Under my poor instructions yet must suffer
34 Something in my behalf.
35 DIANA.
36 Let death and honesty
37 Go with your impositions, I am yours
38 Upon your will to suffer.
39 HELENA.
40 Yet, I pray you;
41 But with the word the time will bring on summer,
42 When briers shall have leaves as well as thorns,
43 And be as sweet as sharp. We must away;
44 Our waggon is prepar’d, and time revives us.
45 All’s well that ends well; still the fine’s the crown.
46 Whate’er the course, the end is the renown.
47 [_Exeunt._]