Ant. Sebastian are you? Seb. Fear'st thou that, Antonio? Ant. How have you made division of yourself? An apple cleft in two is not more twin Than these two creatures. Oli. Most wonderful! Which is Sebastian? Seb. Do I stand there? I never had a brother; Vio. Of Messaline: Sebastian was my father; So went he suited to his watery tomb. Seb. And say Vio. My father had a mole upon his brow. Vio. And died that day, when Viola from her birth Seb. O! that record is lively in my soul. He finished, indeed, his mortal act That day that made my sister thirteen years. Vio. If nothing lets to make us happy both, But this my masculine usurp'd attire, Do not embrace me, till each circumstance I'll bring you to a captain in this town, Where lie my maiden weeds; by whose gentle help I was preserv'd to serve this noble count. Seb. So comes it, lady, [TO OLIVIA.] you have been mistook; But nature to her bias drew in that. You would have been contracted to a maid, Nor are you therein, by my life, deceiv'd: Duke. Be not amaz'd; right noble is his blood. — I shall have share in this most happy wreck. Boy, [To Viola.] thou hast said to me a thousand times, Vio. And all those sayings will I over-swear, As doth that orbed continent, the fire That severs day from night. Duke. Give me thy hand; And let me see thee in thy woman's weeds. Vio. The captain, that did bring me first on shore, Hath my maid's garments: he, upon some action, Is now in durance at Malvolio's suit, A gentleman, and follower of my lady's. Oli. He shall enlarge him. Fetch Malvolio hither: And yet, alas, now I remember me, They say, poor gentleman, he 's much distract. A most extracting frenzy of mine own From my remembrance clearly banish'd his. Re-enter Clown, with a letter. How does he, sirrah? Clo. Truly, Madam, he holds Belzebub at the stave's end, as well as a man in his case may do. He has here writ a letter to you: I should have given it you to-day morning; but as a madman's epistles are no gospels, so it skills not much when they are delivered. Oli. Open it, and read it. Clo. Look then to be well edified, when the fool delivers the madman: -- [Reads.] “By the Lord, Madam,” Oli. How now! art thou mad? Clo. No, Madam, I do but read madness: an your ladyship will have it as it ought to be, you must allow vox. Oli. Pr'ythee, read i' thy right wits. Clo. So I do, madonna; but to read his right wits, is to read thus: therefore perpend, my princess, and give ear. Oli. Read it you, sirrah. [TO FABIAN. and Fab. [Reads.] "By the Lord, Madam, you wrong me, the world shall know it: though you have put me into darkness, and given your drunken cousin rule over me, yet have I the benefit of my senses as well as your ladyship. I have your own letter that induced me to the semblance I put on; with the which I doubt not but to do myself much right, or you much shame. Think of me as you please. I leave my duty a little unthought of, and speak out of my injury. Oli. Did he write this? Duke. "The madly-used MALVOLIO." This savours not much of distraction. Oli. See him deliver'd, Fabian: bring him hither. [Exit FABIAN. My lord, so please you, these things further thought on, To think me as well a sister as a wife, One day shall crown the alliance on 't, so please you, Duke. Madam, I am most apt t' embrace your offer. [TO VIOLA] Your master quits you; and, for your service done him, So much against the mettle of your sex, So far beneath your soft and tender breeding, And since you call'd me master for so long, Here is my hand: you shall from this time be Oli. A sister: you are she. Re-enter FABIAN, with MALvolio. Duke. Is this the madman? Mal. Lady, you have. Pray you, peruse that letter: You must not now deny it is your hand, Write from it, if you can, in hand, or phrase; Oli. Alas! Malvolio, this is not my writing, First told me thou wast mad; then cam'st in smiling, Upon thee in the letter. Pr'ythee, be content: Of thine own cause. Fab. Good Madam, hear me speak; Which I have wonder'd at. In hope it shall not, That have on both sides past. Oli. Alas, poor fool, how have they baffled thee! Clo. Why, "some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrown upon them." I was one, Sir, in this interlude; one Sir Topas, Sir; but that's all one. "By the Lord, fool, I am not mad;" But do you remember? “Madam, why laugh you at such a barren rascal? an you smile not, he 's gagg'd:" And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges. Mal. I'll be reveng'd on the whole pack of you. Oli. He hath been most notoriously abus'd. Duke. Pursue him, and entreat him to a peace. He hath not told us of the captain yet; When that is known and golden time convents, Of our dear souls:- mean time, sweet sister, For so you shall be, while you are a man, CLOWN SINGS. When that I was and a little tiny boy, For the rain it raineth every day. [Exit. [Exeunt. |