Oli. Ha? Mal. Some atchieve Greatnefs Oli. What fay'st thou? Mal. And fome have Greatness thruft upon them- Mal. Remember, who commended thy yellow ftock ings. fo Oli. Thy yellow stockings? Mal. And wifh'd to fee thee crofs-garter'd Oli. Crofs-garter'd? Mal. Go to, thou art made, if thou defireft to be Oli. Am I made? Mal. If not, let me fee thee a fervant ftill. Oli. Why, this is a very midfummer madness. Enter Servant. Ser. Madam, the young gentleman of the Duke Orfino's is return'd; I could hardly entreat him back; he attends your ladyfhip's pleasure. Oli. I'll come to him. Good Maria, let this fellow be look'd to. Where's my uncle Toby? let fome of my people have a special care of him; I would not have him mifcarry for half of my dowry. [Exit. SCENE VIII. Mal. Oh, oh! do you come near me now? no worse man than Sir Toby to look to me! this concurs directly with the letter; fhe fends him on purpose that I may appear stubborn to him; for fhe incites me to that in the letter. Caft thy humble flough, fays fhe, be oppofite with a kinfman,—— furly with fervants, let thy tongue tang with arguments of state, Hot weather often turns the brain, which is, I fuppofe, alluded to here. put -put thyfelf into the trick of fingularity; and confequently fet down the manner how; as a fad face, a reverend carriage, a flow tongue, in the habit of fome Sir of note, and fo forth. I have lim'd her ', but it is fove's doing, and Jove make me thankful! and when she went away now, let this fellow be look'd to: Fellow! not Malvolio, nor after my degree, but fellow. Why, every thing adheres together, that no dram of a fcruple, no fcruple of a fcruple, no obftacle, nó incredulous or unfafe circumftance - what can be faid? Nothing, that can be, can come between me and the full profpect of my. hopes. Well, Jove, not I, is the doer of this, and he is to be thanked. SCENE IX. Enter Sir Toby, Fabian, and Maria. Sir To. Which way is he, in the name of fanctity? if all the devils in hell be drawn in little, and Legion himfelf poffeft him, yet I'll speak to him. Fab. Here he is, here he is; how is't with you, Sir? how is't with you, man? Mal. Go off; I difcard you; let me enjoy my privacy: go off Mar. Lo, how hollow the fiend fpeaks within him! did not I tell you? Sir Toby, my Lady prays you to have a care of him. Mal, Ah, ha! does fhe fo?. Sir To. Go to, go to; peace, peace, we muft deal gently with him; let me alone. How do you, Malvolio? how is't with you? what! man, defy the devil; confider, he's an enemy to mankind. Mal. Do you know what you fay? 1 I have lim'd her,] I have entangled or caught her, as a bird is caught with birdlime. fellow!-This word which originally fignified companion, was not yet totally degraded to its prefent meaning; and Malvolio takes it in the favourable sense. Mar. Mar. La, you! if you speak ill of the devil, how -Pray God, he be not be he takes it at heart. witch'd. Fab. Carry his water to th' wife woman. Mar. Marry, and it fhall be done to-morrow mornMy Lady would not lose him for more ing if I live. than I'll fay. Mal. How now, miftrefs? Mar. O Lord! Sir To. Pr'ythee, hold thy peace; that is not the way do you not fee, you move him? let me alone with him. : Fab. No way but gentleness, gently, gently; the fiend is rough, and will not be roughly us'd. Sir To. Why, how now, my bawcock? how doft thou, chuck? Mal. Sir? Sir To. Ay, biddy, come with me. What! man, 'tis not for gravity to play at cherry-pit with Satan. Hang him, foul collier. Mar. Get him to fay his prayers, good Sir Toby; get him to pray. Mal. My prayers, minx! Mar. No, I warrant you, he will not hear of godlinefs. Mal. Go hang yourselves all: you are idle fhallow things; I am not of your element, you fhall know more hereafter. [Exit. Sir To. Is't poffible? Fab. If this were plaid upon a ftage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction. Sir To. His very genius hath taken the infection of the device, man. Mar. Nay, purfue him now, left the device take air, and taint. Fab. Why, we fhall make him mad, indeed. Mar. The houfe will be the quieter. Sir To. Come, we'll have him in a dark room and bound. My niece is already in the belief that he is mad; we may carry it thus for our pleasure and his penance, 'till our very pastime, tired out of breath, prompt us to have mercy on him; at which time we will bring the device to the bar, and crown thee for a finder of madmen but fee, but fee. SCENE X. Enter Sir Andrew. Fab. More matter for a May morning. Sir And. Here's the challenge, read it: I warrant, there's vinegar and pepper in't. Fab. Is't fo fawcy? Sir And. Ay, is't? I warrant him: do but read. [Sir Toby reads. Youth, whatsoever thou art, thou art but a curvy fellow. Fab. Good and valiant. Sir To. Wonder not, nor admire not in thy mind why I do call thee fo; for I will shew thee no reafon for't. Fab. A good note: That keeps you from the blow of the law. Sir To. Thou com'ft to the Lady Olivia, and in my fight he uses thee kindly; but thou lieft in thy throat, that is not the matter I challenge thee for. Fab. Very brief, and exceeding good fenfe-less. Sir To. I will way-lay thee going home, where if it be thy chance to kill me Fab. Good. Sir To. Thou kill'st me like a rogue and a villain. Fab. Still you keep o'th' windy fide of the law: good. 9 This is, I think, an allufion to the witch-finders, who were very bufy. Sir To. Fare thee well, and God have mercy upon one of our fouls: he may have mercy upon mine, but my hope is better, and fo look to thyself. Thy friend as thou ufeft him, and thy fworn enemy, Andrew Ague-cheek. Sir To. If this letter move him not, his legs cannot: I'll give❜t him. Mar. You may have very fit occafion for't: he is now in fome commerce with my Lady, and will byand by depart. Sir To. Go, Sir Andrew, fcout me for him at the corner of the orchard like a bum-bailiff; fo foon as ever thou feeft him, draw; and, as thou drawst, swear horribly; for it comes to pafs oft, that a terrible oath, with a fwaggering accent fharply twang'd off, gives manhood more approbation than ever proof itself would have earn'd him. Away. Sir And. Nay, let me alone for fwearing. [Exit. Sir To. Now will not I deliver his letter; for the behaviour of the young gentleman gives him out to be of good capacity and breeding; his employment between his Lord and my niece confirms no lefs; therefore this letter, being fo excellently ignorant, will breed no terror in the youth; he will find, that it comes from a clodpole. But, Sir, I will deliver his challenge by word of mouth; fet upon Ague-cheek a notable report of valour; and drive the gentleman, (as, I know, his youth will aptly receive it) into a most hideous opinion of his rage, fkill, fury, and impetuofity. This will fo fright them both, that they will kill one another by the look, like cockatrices. |