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

is too young! yet he looks successfully. Duke Frederick How now, daughter and cousin! are you crept hither to see the wrestling? Rosalind Ay, my liege, so please you give us leave. Duke Frederick You will take little delight in it, I can tell you; there is such odds in the man. In pity of the challenger’s youth I would fain dissuade him, but he will not be entreated. Speak to him, ladies; see if you can move him. Celia Call him hither, good Monsieur Le Beau. Duke Frederick Do so: I’ll not be by. Le Beau Monsieur the challenger, the princesses call for you. Orlando I attend them with all respect and duty. Rosalind Young man, have you challenged Charles the wrestler? Orlando No, fair princess; he is the general challenger: I come but in, as others do, to try with him the strength of my youth. Celia Young gentleman, your spirits are too bold for your years. You have seen cruel proof of this man’s strength: if you saw yourself with your eyes or knew yourself with your judgment, the fear of your adventure would counsel you to a more equal enterprise. We pray you, for your own sake, to embrace your own safety and give over this attempt. Rosalind Do, young sir; your reputation shall not therefore be misprised: we will make it our suit to the duke that the wrestling might not go forward. Orlando I beseech you, punish me not with your hard thoughts; wherein I confess me much guilty, to deny so fair and excellent ladies any thing. But let your fair eyes and gentle wishes go with me to my trial: wherein if I be foiled, there is but one shamed that was never gracious; if killed, but one dead that was willing to be so: I shall do my friends no wrong, for I have none to lament me, the world no injury, for in it I have nothing; only in the world I fill up a place, which may be better supplied when I have made it empty. Rosalind The little strength that I have, I would it were with you. Celia And mine, to eke out hers. Rosalind Fare you well: pray heaven I be deceived in you! Celia Your heart’s desires be with you! Charles Come, where is this young gallant that is so desirous to lie with his mother earth? Orlando Ready, sir; but his will hath in it a more modest working. Duke Frederick You shall try but one fall. Charles No, I warrant your grace, you shall not entreat him to a second, that have so mightily persuaded him from a first. Orlando An you mean to mock me after, you should not have mocked me before: but come your ways. Rosalind Now Hercules be thy speed, young man! Celia I would I were invisible, to catch the strong fellow by the leg. They wrestle. Rosalind O excellent young man! Celia If I had a thunderbolt in mine eye, I can tell who should down. Shout. Charles is thrown. Duke Frederick No more, no more. Orlando Yes, I beseech your grace: I am not yet well breathed. Duke Frederick How dost thou, Charles? Le Beau He cannot speak, my lord. Duke Frederick Bear him away. What is thy name, young man? Orlando Orlando, my liege; the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys. Duke Frederick

I would thou hadst been son to some man else:
The world esteem’d thy father honourable,
But I did find him still mine enemy:
Thou shouldst have better pleased me with this deed,
Hadst thou descended from another house.
But fare thee well; thou art a gallant youth:
I would thou hadst told me of another father. Exeunt Duke Frederick, train, and Le Beau.

Celia Were I my father, coz, would I do this? Orlando

I am more proud to be Sir Rowland’s son,
His youngest son; and would not change that calling,
To be adopted heir to Frederick.

Rosalind

My father loved Sir Rowland as his soul,
And all the world was of my father’s mind:
Had I before known this young man his son,
I should have given him tears unto entreaties,
Ere he should thus have ventured.

Celia

Gentle cousin,
Let us go thank him and encourage him:
My father’s rough and envious disposition
Sticks me at heart. Sir, you have well deserved:
If you do keep your promises in love
But justly, as you have exceeded all promise,
Your mistress shall be happy.

Rosalind

Gentleman, Giving him a chain from her neck.
Wear this for me, one out of suits with fortune,
That could give more, but that her hand lacks means.
Shall we go, coz?

Celia Ay. Fare you well, fair gentleman. Orlando

Can I not say, I thank you? My better parts
Are all thrown down, and that which here stands up
Is but a quintain, a mere lifeless block.

Rosalind

He calls us back: my pride fell with my fortunes;
I’ll ask him what he would. Did you call, sir?
Sir, you have wrestled well and overthrown
More than your enemies.

Celia Will you go, coz? Rosalind Have with you. Fare you well. Exeunt Rosalind and Celia. Orlando

What passion hangs these weights upon my tongue?
I cannot speak to her, yet she urged conference.
O poor Orlando, thou art overthrown!
Or Charles or something weaker masters thee.

Re-enter Le Beau. Le Beau

Good sir, I do in friendship counsel you
To leave this place. Albeit you have deserved
High commendation, true applause and love,
Yet such is now the duke’s condition
That he misconstrues all that you have done.
The duke is humorous; what he is indeed,
More suits you to conceive than I to speak of.

Orlando

I thank you, sir: and, pray you, tell me this:
Which of the two was daughter of the duke
That here was at the wrestling?

Le Beau

Neither his daughter, if we judge by manners;
But yet indeed the lesser is his daughter
The other is daughter to the banish’d duke,
And here detain’d by her usurping uncle,
To keep his daughter company; whose loves
Are dearer than the natural bond of sisters.
But I can tell you that of late this duke
Hath ta’en displeasure ’gainst his gentle niece,
Grounded upon no other argument
But that the people praise her for her virtues
And pity