As You Like It

1 Enter Rosalind as Ganymede, Celia as Aliena, and Touchstone.
2 ROSALIND.
3 O Jupiter, how weary are my spirits!
4 TOUCHSTONE.
5 I care not for my spirits, if my legs were not weary.
6 ROSALIND.
7 I could find in my heart to disgrace my man’s apparel, and to cry like
8 a woman, but I must comfort the weaker vessel, as doublet and hose
9 ought to show itself courageous to petticoat. Therefore, courage, good
10 Aliena.
11 CELIA.
12 I pray you bear with me, I cannot go no further.
13 TOUCHSTONE.
14 For my part, I had rather bear with you than bear you. Yet I should
15 bear no cross if I did bear you, for I think you have no money in your
16 purse.
17 ROSALIND.
18 Well, this is the forest of Arden.
19 TOUCHSTONE.
20 Ay, now am I in Arden, the more fool I! When I was at home I was in a
21 better place, but travellers must be content.
22 Enter Corin and Silvius.
23 ROSALIND.
24 Ay, be so, good Touchstone. Look you, who comes here? A young man and
25 an old in solemn talk.
26 CORIN.
27 That is the way to make her scorn you still.
28 SILVIUS.
29 O Corin, that thou knew’st how I do love her!
30 CORIN.
31 I partly guess, for I have loved ere now.
32 SILVIUS.
33 No, Corin, being old, thou canst not guess,
34 Though in thy youth thou wast as true a lover
35 As ever sighed upon a midnight pillow.
36 But if thy love were ever like to mine—
37 As sure I think did never man love so—
38 How many actions most ridiculous
39 Hast thou been drawn to by thy fantasy?
40 CORIN.
41 Into a thousand that I have forgotten.
42 SILVIUS.
43 O, thou didst then never love so heartily!
44 If thou rememb’rest not the slightest folly
45 That ever love did make thee run into,
46 Thou hast not loved.
47 Or if thou hast not sat as I do now,
48 Wearing thy hearer in thy mistress’ praise,
49 Thou hast not loved.
50 Or if thou hast not broke from company
51 Abruptly, as my passion now makes me,
52 Thou hast not loved.
53 O Phoebe, Phoebe, Phoebe!
54 [_Exit Silvius._]
55 ROSALIND.
56 Alas, poor shepherd, searching of thy wound,
57 I have by hard adventure found mine own.
58 TOUCHSTONE.
59 And I mine. I remember when I was in love I broke my sword upon a stone
60 and bid him take that for coming a-night to Jane Smile; and I remember
61 the kissing of her batlet, and the cow’s dugs that her pretty chopped
62 hands had milked; and I remember the wooing of a peascod instead of
63 her, from whom I took two cods, and, giving her them again, said with
64 weeping tears, “Wear these for my sake.” We that are true lovers run
65 into strange capers. But as all is mortal in nature, so is all nature
66 in love mortal in folly.
67 ROSALIND.
68 Thou speak’st wiser than thou art ware of.
69 TOUCHSTONE.
70 Nay, I shall ne’er be ware of mine own wit till I break my shins
71 against it.
72 ROSALIND.
73 Jove, Jove, this shepherd’s passion
74 Is much upon my fashion.
75 TOUCHSTONE.
76 And mine, but it grows something stale with me.
77 CELIA.
78 I pray you, one of you question yond man
79 If he for gold will give us any food.
80 I faint almost to death.
81 TOUCHSTONE.
82 Holla, you clown!
83 ROSALIND.
84 Peace, fool, he’s not thy kinsman.
85 CORIN.
86 Who calls?
87 TOUCHSTONE.
88 Your betters, sir.
89 CORIN.
90 Else are they very wretched.
91 ROSALIND.
92 Peace, I say.—Good even to you, friend.
93 CORIN.
94 And to you, gentle sir, and to you all.
95 ROSALIND.
96 I prithee, shepherd, if that love or gold
97 Can in this desert place buy entertainment,
98 Bring us where we may rest ourselves and feed.
99 Here’s a young maid with travel much oppressed,
100 And faints for succour.
101 CORIN.
102 Fair sir, I pity her
103 And wish, for her sake more than for mine own,
104 My fortunes were more able to relieve her.
105 But I am shepherd to another man
106 And do not shear the fleeces that I graze.
107 My master is of churlish disposition
108 And little recks to find the way to heaven
109 By doing deeds of hospitality.
110 Besides, his cote, his flocks, and bounds of feed
111 Are now on sale, and at our sheepcote now,
112 By reason of his absence, there is nothing
113 That you will feed on. But what is, come see,
114 And in my voice most welcome shall you be.
115 ROSALIND.
116 What is he that shall buy his flock and pasture?
117 CORIN.
118 That young swain that you saw here but erewhile,
119 That little cares for buying anything.
120 ROSALIND.
121 I pray thee, if it stand with honesty,
122 Buy thou the cottage, pasture, and the flock,
123 And thou shalt have to pay for it of us.
124 CELIA.
125 And we will mend thy wages. I like this place,
126 And willingly could waste my time in it.
127 CORIN.
128 Assuredly the thing is to be sold.
129 Go with me. If you like upon report
130 The soil, the profit, and this kind of life,
131 I will your very faithful feeder be,
132 And buy it with your gold right suddenly.
133 [_Exeunt._]