Open Source Shakespeare

Twelfth Night, Or What You Will

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Act IV, Scene 1

Before OLIVIA’s house.

       

[Enter SEBASTIAN and Clown]

  • Feste. Will you make me believe that I am not sent for you?
  • Sebastian. Go to, go to, thou art a foolish fellow:
    Let me be clear of thee. 1955
  • Feste. Well held out, i' faith! No, I do not know you; nor
    I am not sent to you by my lady, to bid you come
    speak with her; nor your name is not Master Cesario;
    nor this is not my nose neither. Nothing that is so is so.
  • Sebastian. I prithee, vent thy folly somewhere else: Thou 1960
    know'st not me.
  • Feste. Vent my folly! he has heard that word of some
    great man and now applies it to a fool. Vent my
    folly! I am afraid this great lubber, the world,
    will prove a cockney. I prithee now, ungird thy 1965
    strangeness and tell me what I shall vent to my
    lady: shall I vent to her that thou art coming?
  • Sebastian. I prithee, foolish Greek, depart from me: There's
    money for thee: if you tarry longer, I shall give
    worse payment. 1970
  • Feste. By my troth, thou hast an open hand. These wise men
    that give fools money get themselves a good
    report—after fourteen years' purchase.

[Enter SIR ANDREW, SIR TOBY BELCH, and FABIAN]

  • Sir Andrew Aguecheek. Now, sir, have I met you again? there's for you. 1975
  • Sebastian. Why, there's for thee, and there, and there. Are all
    the people mad?
  • Sir Toby Belch. Hold, sir, or I'll throw your dagger o'er the house.
  • Feste. This will I tell my lady straight: I would not be
    in some of your coats for two pence. 1980

[Exit]

  • Sir Toby Belch. Come on, sir; hold.
  • Sir Andrew Aguecheek. Nay, let him alone: I'll go another way to work
    with him; I'll have an action of battery against
    him, if there be any law in Illyria: though I 1985
    struck him first, yet it's no matter for that.
  • Sebastian. Let go thy hand.
  • Sir Toby Belch. Come, sir, I will not let you go. Come, my young
    soldier, put up your iron: you are well fleshed; come on.
  • Sebastian. I will be free from thee. What wouldst thou now? If 1990
    thou darest tempt me further, draw thy sword.
  • Sir Toby Belch. What, what? Nay, then I must have an ounce or two
    of this malapert blood from you.

[Enter OLIVIA]

  • Olivia. Hold, Toby; on thy life I charge thee, hold! 1995
  • Sir Toby Belch. Madam!
  • Olivia. Will it be ever thus? Ungracious wretch,
    Fit for the mountains and the barbarous caves,
    Where manners ne'er were preach'd! out of my sight!
    Be not offended, dear Cesario. 2000
    Rudesby, be gone!
    [Exeunt SIR TOBY BELCH, SIR ANDREW, and FABIAN]
    I prithee, gentle friend,
    Let thy fair wisdom, not thy passion, sway
    In this uncivil and thou unjust extent 2005
    Against thy peace. Go with me to my house,
    And hear thou there how many fruitless pranks
    This ruffian hath botch'd up, that thou thereby
    Mayst smile at this: thou shalt not choose but go:
    Do not deny. Beshrew his soul for me, 2010
    He started one poor heart of mine in thee.
  • Sebastian. What relish is in this? how runs the stream?
    Or I am mad, or else this is a dream:
    Let fancy still my sense in Lethe steep;
    If it be thus to dream, still let me sleep! 2015
  • Olivia. Nay, come, I prithee; would thou'ldst be ruled by me!
  • Sebastian. Madam, I will.
  • Olivia. O, say so, and so be!

[Exeunt]