Troilus. Sirrah, walk off, [Exit SERVANT. Pandarus. Have you seen my cousin? Pandarus. Walk here i' the orchard, I'll bring her straight. [Exit PANDARUS. Troilus. I am giddy; expectation whirls me round. The imaginary relish is so sweet That it enchants my sense; and I do fear As doth a battle, when they charge on heaps Re-enter PANDARUS. Pandarus. She's making her ready, she'll come straight: you must be witty now. She does so blush; I'll fetch her. It is the prettiest villain :-she fetches her breath as short as a new-ta'en sparrow. [Exit PANDARUS. Troilus. Even such a passion doth embrace my bosom: My heart beats thicker than a feverous pulse; And all my powers do their bestowing lose, Enter PANDARUS and CRESSIDA. Pandarus. Come, come, what need you blush? shame's a baby. Here she is now: swear the oaths now to her, that you have sworn to me.-What, are you gone again? you must be watched ere you be made tame, must you? Come your ways, come your ways; an you draw backward, we'll put you i' the fills.-Why do you not speak to her? Troilus. You have bereft me of all words, lady. 7 Shafts of a carriage. Pandarus. Words pay no debts. Come in, come in; I'll go get a fire. [Exit PANDARUS. Cressida. Will you walk in, my lord? Troilus. O Cressida, how often have I wished me thus? Cressida. Wished, my lord? The gods grant! O my lord! Troilus. What should they grant? what makes this pretty abruption? What too curious dreg espies my sweet lady in the fountain of our love? Cressida. More dregs than water, if my fears have eyes. Troilus. Fears never see truly. Cressida. Blind fear, that seeing reason leads, finds. safer footing than blind reason stumbling without fear : To fear the worst, oft cures the worst. Troilus. O, let my lady apprehend no fear: in all Cupid's pageant there is presented no monster. Cressida. Nor nothing monstrous neither? Troilus. Nothing, but our undertakings: when we vow to weep seas, live in fire, eat rocks, tame tigers: thinking it harder for our mistress to devise imposition t enough, than for us to undergo any difficulty imposed. This is the monstruosity in love, lady. Cressida. They that have the voice of lions, and the act of hares, are they not monsters? Troilus. Are there such? such are not we: Praise us as we are tasted, allow us as we prove; our head shall go bare, till merit crown it: no perfection in reversion shall have a praise in present: we will not name desert, before his birth; and, being born, his addition shall be humble. Few words to fair faith: Troilus shall be such to Cressid, as what envy can say worst, shall be a mock for his truth; and what truth can speak truest, not truer than Troilus? Cressida. Will you walk in, my lord? Re-enter PANDARUS. Pandarus. What, blushing still? Cressida. Well, uncle, what folly I commit, I dedicate. to you. VOL. V. 8 Titles. E Pandarus. I thank you for that; be true to my lord: if he flinch, chide me for it. Troilus. You know now your hostages; your uncle's word, and my firm faith. Pandarus. Nay, I'll give my word for her too; our kindred, though they be long ere they are wooed, they are constant, being won: they are burs, I can tell you; they'll stick where they are thrown. Cressida. Boldness comes to me now, and brings me heart: : Prince Troilus, I have lov'd you night and day Troilus. Why was my Cressid then so hard to win? If I confess much, you will play the tyrant. I love you now; but not, till now, so much My thoughts were like unbridled children, grown But, though I lov'd you well, I woo'd you not; Of speaking first. Sweet, bid me hold my tongue; The thing I shall repent. See, see, your silence, Troilus. And shall, albeit sweet music issues thence. Cressida. My lord, I do beseech you, pardon me; 'Twas not my purpose, thus to beg a kiss: I am ashamed;-O heavens! what have I done? What offends you, lady? Cressida. Sir, mine own company. Troilus. Yourself. Cressida. Let me go and try: You cannot shun I have a kind of self resides with you; Troilus. Well know they what they speak, that speak so wisely. Cressida. Perchance, my lord, I show more craft than love; And fell so roundly to a large confession, To angle for your thoughts: But you are wise; To feed for aye9 her lamp and flames of love; Might be affronted with the match and weight O virtuous fight, When right with right wars, who shall be most right! 9 Ever. 1 Met with and equalled. 2 Comparison. As iron to adamant, as earth to the center, As truth's authentic author to be cited, As true as Troilus shall crown up3 the verse, Cressida. Prophet may you be! If I be false or swerve a hair from truth, -as false Pandarus. Go to, a bargain made: seal it, seal it; I'll be the witness. Here I hold your hand; here, my cousin's. If ever you prove false one to another, since I have taken such pains to bring you together, let all pitiful goers-between be called to the world's end after my name, call them all-Pandars; let all inconstant men be Troiluses, all false women Cressids, and all brokers-between Pandars! say, amen. : Troilus. Amen. Cressida. Amen. Pandarus. Amen. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-The GRECIAN Camp. Enter AGAMEMNON, ULYSSES, DIOMEDES, NESTOR, AJAX, MENELAUS, and CALCHAS. Calchas. Now, princes, for the service I have done you, The advantage of the time prompts me aloud To call for recompense. Appear it to your mind, 3 Conclude. |