As You Like It | Page 4

villain that says such a father begot villains. Wert thou not my brother, I would not take this hand from thy throat till this other had pulled out thy tongue for saying so: thou has railed on thyself.
ADAM.?[Coming forward] Sweet masters, be patient; for your?father's remembrance, be at accord.
OLIVER.?Let me go, I say.
ORLANDO.?I will not, till I please: you shall hear me. My father?charged you in his will to give me good education: you have trained me like a peasant, obscuring and hiding from me all gentleman-like qualities: the spirit of my father grows strong in me, and I will no longer endure it: therefore, allow me such exercises as may become a gentleman, or give me the poor?allottery my father left me by testament; with that I will go buy my fortunes.
OLIVER.?And what wilt thou do? beg, when that is spent? Well, sir,?get you in; I will not long be troubled with you: you shall have some part of your will: I pray you leave me.
ORLANDO.?I no further offend you than becomes me for my good.
OLIVER.?Get you with him, you old dog.
ADAM.?Is "old dog" my reward? Most true, I have lost my teeth in?your service.--God be with my old master! he would not have spoke such a word.
[Exeunt ORLANDO and ADAM.]
OLIVER.?Is it even so? begin you to grow upon me? I will physic?your rankness, and yet give no thousand crowns neither.?Holla, Dennis!
[Enter DENNIS.]
DENNIS.?Calls your worship?
OLIVER.?Was not Charles, the duke's wrestler, here to speak with me?
DENNIS.?So please you, he is here at the door and importunes access to you.
OLIVER.?Call him in.
[Exit DENNIS.]
--'Twill be a good way; and to-morrow the wrestling is.
[Enter CHARLES.]
CHARLES.?Good morrow to your worship.
OLIVER.?Good Monsieur Charles!--what's the new news at the new court?
CHARLES.?There's no news at the court, sir, but the old news; that?is, the old duke is banished by his younger brother the new duke; and three or four loving lords have put themselves into voluntary exile with him, whose lands and revenues enrich the new duke; therefore he gives them good leave to wander.
OLIVER.?Can you tell if Rosalind, the duke's daughter, be banished?with her father?
CHARLES.?O, no; for the duke's daughter, her cousin, so loves her,--being ever from their cradles bred together,--that she would have followed her exile, or have died to stay behind her. She is at the court, and no less beloved of her uncle than his own?daughter; and never two ladies loved as they do.
OLIVER.?Where will the old duke live?
CHARLES.?They say he is already in the Forest of Arden, and a many?merry men with him; and there they live like the old Robin Hood of England: they say many young gentlemen flock to him every day, and fleet the time carelessly, as they did in the golden world.
OLIVER.?What, you wrestle to-morrow before the new duke?
CHARLES.?Marry, do I, sir; and I came to acquaint you with a matter. I am given, sir, secretly to understand that your younger brother, Orlando, hath a disposition to come in disguis'd against me to try a fall. To-morrow, sir, I wrestle for my credit;?and he that escapes me without some broken limb shall acquit him well. Your brother is but young and tender; and, for your love, I would be loath to foil him, as I must, for my own honour, if he come in: therefore, out of my love to you, I came hither to acquaint you withal; that either you might stay him from his intendment, or brook such disgrace well as he shall run into; in that it is thing of his own search, and altogether against my will.
OLIVER.?Charles, I thank thee for thy love to me, which thou shalt?find I will most kindly requite. I had myself notice of my?brother's purpose herein, and have by underhand means laboured to dissuade him from it; but he is resolute. I'll tell thee,?Charles, it is the stubbornest young fellow of France; full of ambition, an envious emulator of every man's good parts, a secret and villainous contriver against me his natural brother:?therefore use thy discretion: I had as lief thou didst break his neck as his finger. And thou wert best look to't; for if thou dost him any slight disgrace, or if he do not mightily grace himself on thee, he will practise against thee by poison, entrap thee by some treacherous device, and never leave thee till he hath ta'en thy life by some indirect means or other: for, I assure thee, and almost with tears I speak it, there is not one so young and so villainous this day living. I speak but brotherly of him; but should I anatomize him to thee as he is, I must blush and weep, and thou must look pale and wonder.
CHARLES.?I am heartily glad I came hither to you. If he come?to-morrow I'll give him his payment. If