Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare
Act 1 - Scene 3
The same. ANTONIO’s house.
Antonio : Tell me, Panthino, what sad talk was that
[p]Wherewith my brother held
you in the cloister?
Panthino : 'Twas of his nephew Proteus, your son.
Antonio : Why, what of him?
Panthino : He wonder'd that your lordship
[p]Would suffer him to spend his youth
at home,
[p]While other men, of slender reputation,
[p]Put forth their
sons to seek preferment out:
[p]Some to the wars, to try their fortune
there;
[p]Some to discover islands far away;
[p]Some to the studious
universities.
[p]For any or for all these exercises,
[p]He said that
Proteus your son was meet,
[p]And did request me to importune
you
[p]To let him spend his time no more at home,
[p]Which would be
great impeachment to his age,
[p]In having known no travel in his
youth.
Antonio : Nor need'st thou much importune me to that
[p]Whereon this month I
have been hammering.
[p]I have consider'd well his loss of time
[p]And
how he cannot be a perfect man,
[p]Not being tried and tutor'd in the
world:
[p]Experience is by industry achieved
[p]And perfected by the
swift course of time.
[p]Then tell me, whither were I best to send
him?
Panthino : I think your lordship is not ignorant
[p]How his companion, youthful
Valentine,
[p]Attends the emperor in his royal court.
Antonio : I know it well.
Panthino : 'Twere good, I think, your lordship sent him thither:
[p]There shall
he practise tilts and tournaments,
[p]Hear sweet discourse, converse
with noblemen.
[p]And be in eye of every exercise
[p]Worthy his youth
and nobleness of birth.
Antonio : I like thy counsel; well hast thou advised:
[p]And that thou mayst
perceive how well I like it,
[p]The execution of it shall make
known.
[p]Even with the speediest expedition
[p]I will dispatch him to
the emperor's court.
Panthino : To-morrow, may it please you, Don Alphonso,
[p]With other gentlemen of
good esteem,
[p]Are journeying to salute the emperor
[p]And to commend
their service to his will.
Antonio : Good company; with them shall Proteus go:
[p]And, in good time! now
will we break with him.
Proteus : Sweet love! sweet lines! sweet life!
[p]Here is her hand, the agent of
her heart;
[p]Here is her oath for love, her honour's pawn.
[p]O, that
our fathers would applaud our loves,
[p]To seal our happiness with
their consents!
[p]O heavenly Julia!
Antonio : How now! what letter are you reading there?
Proteus : May't please your lordship, 'tis a word or two
[p]Of commendations
sent from Valentine,
[p]Deliver'd by a friend that came from him.
Antonio : Lend me the letter; let me see what news.
Proteus : There is no news, my lord, but that he writes
[p]How happily he lives,
how well beloved
[p]And daily graced by the emperor;
[p]Wishing me
with him, partner of his fortune.
Antonio : And how stand you affected to his wish?
Proteus : As one relying on your lordship's will
[p]And not depending on his
friendly wish.
Antonio : My will is something sorted with his wish.
[p]Muse not that I thus
suddenly proceed;
[p]For what I will, I will, and there an end.
[p]I
am resolved that thou shalt spend some time
[p]With Valentinus in the
emperor's court:
[p]What maintenance he from his friends
receives,
[p]Like exhibition thou shalt have from me.
[p]To-morrow be
in readiness to go:
[p]Excuse it not, for I am peremptory.
Proteus : My lord, I cannot be so soon provided:
[p]Please you, deliberate a day
or two.
Antonio : Look, what thou want'st shall be sent after thee:
[p]No more of stay!
to-morrow thou must go.
[p]Come on, Panthino: you shall be
employ'd
[p]To hasten on his expedition.
Proteus : Thus have I shunn'd the fire for fear of burning,
[p]And drench'd me
in the sea, where I am drown'd.
[p]I fear'd to show my father Julia's
letter,
[p]Lest he should take exceptions to my love;
[p]And with the
vantage of mine own excuse
[p]Hath he excepted most against my
love.
[p]O, how this spring of love resembleth
[p]The uncertain glory
of an April day,
[p]Which now shows all the beauty of the sun,
[p]And
by and by a cloud takes all away!
Panthino : Sir Proteus, your father calls for you:
[p]He is in haste; therefore,
I pray you to go.
Proteus : Why, this it is: my heart accords thereto,
[p]And yet a thousand times
it answers 'no.'
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