As You Like It by William Shakespeare (knowledgeable books to read TXT) 📕

married to-morrow, and I will bid the duke to the nuptial. But, O, how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man’s eyes! By so much the more shall I to-morrow be at the height of heart-heaviness, by how much I shall think my brother happy in having what he wishes for. Rosalind Why then, to-morrow I cannot serve your turn for Rosalind? Orlando I can live no longer by thinking. Rosalind I will weary you then no longer with idle talking. Know of me then, for now I speak to some purpose, that I know you are a gentleman of good conceit: I speak not this that you should bear a good opinion of my knowledge, insomuch I say I know you are; neither do I labour for a greater esteem than may in some little measure draw a belief from you, to do yourself good and not to grace me. Believe then, if you please, that I can do strange things: I have, since I was three year old, conversed with a magician, most profound in his art and yet not damnable. If you do love Rosalind so near the heart as your gesture cries it out, when your brother marries Aliena, shall you marry her: I know into what straits of fortune she is driven; and it is not impossible to me, if it appear not inconvenient to you, to set her before your eyes tomorrow human as she is and without any danger. Orlando Speakest thou in sober meanings? Rosalind By my life, I do; which I tender dearly, though I say I am a magician. Therefore, put you in your best array: bid your friends; for if you will be married to-morrow, you shall, and to Rosalind, if you will. Enter Silvius and Phebe. Look, here comes a lover of mine and a lover of hers. Phebe

Youth, you have done me much ungentleness,
To show the letter that I writ to you.

Rosalind

I care not if I have: it is my study
To seem despiteful and ungentle to you:
You are there followed by a faithful shepherd;
Look upon him, love him; he worships you.

Phebe Good shepherd, tell this youth what ’tis to love. Silvius

It is to be all made of sighs and tears;
And so am I for Phebe.

Phebe And I for Ganymede. Orlando And I for Rosalind. Rosalind And I for no woman. Silvius

It is to be all made of faith and service;
And so am I for Phebe.

Phebe And I for Ganymede. Orlando And I for Rosalind. Rosalind And I for no woman. Silvius

It is to be all made of fantasy,
All made of passion and all made of wishes,
All adoration, duty, and observance,
All humbleness, all patience and impatience,
All purity, all trial, all observance;
And so am I for Phebe.

Phebe And so am I for Ganymede. Orlando And so am I for Rosalind. Rosalind And so am I for no woman. Phebe If this be so, why blame you me to love you? Silvius If this be so, why blame you me to love you? Orlando If this be so, why blame you me to love you? Rosalind Who do you speak to, “Why blame you me to love you?” Orlando To her that is not here, nor doth not hear. Rosalind Pray you, no more of this; ’tis like the howling of Irish wolves against the moon. To Silvius. I will help you, if I can: To Phebe. I would love you, if I could. To-morrow meet me all together. To Phebe. I will marry you, if ever I marry woman, and I’ll be married to-morrow: To Orlando. I will satisfy you, if ever I satisfied man, and you shall be married to-morrow: To Silvius. I will content you, if what pleases you contents you, and you shall be married to-morrow. To Orlando. As you love Rosalind, meet: To Silvius. as you love Phebe, meet: and as I love no woman, I’ll meet. So fare you well: I have left you commands. Silvius I’ll not fail, if I live. Phebe Nor I. Orlando Nor I. Exeunt. Scene III

The forest.

Enter Touchstone and Audrey. Touchstone To-morrow is the joyful day, Audrey; to-morrow will we be married. Audrey I do desire it with all my heart; and I hope it is no dishonest desire to desire to be a woman of the world. Here comes two of the banished duke’s pages. Enter two Pages. First Page Well met, honest gentleman. Touchstone By my troth, well met. Come, sit, sit, and a song. Second Page We are for you: sit i’ the middle. First Page Shall we clap into’t roundly, without hawking or spitting or saying we are hoarse, which are the only prologues to a bad voice? Second Page

I’faith, i’faith; and both in a tune, like two gipsies on a horse.

Song.

It was a lover and his lass,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
That o’er the green corn-field did pass
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding:
Sweet lovers love the spring.

Between the acres of the rye,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino
These pretty country folks would lie,
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding:
Sweet lovers love the spring.

This carol they began that hour,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
How that a life was but a flower
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding:
Sweet lovers love the spring.

And therefore take the present time,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino;
For love is crowned with the prime
In the spring time, the only