As You Like It | Page 6

we shall be the more marketable.
[Enter LE BEAU.]
Bon jour, Monsieur Le Beau. What's the news?
LE BEAU.?Fair princess, you have lost much good sport.
CELIA.?Sport! of what colour?
LE BEAU.?What colour, madam? How shall I answer you?
ROSALIND.?As wit and fortune will.
TOUCHSTONE.?Or as the destinies decrees.
CELIA.?Well said: that was laid on with a trowel.
TOUCHSTONE.?Nay, if I keep not my rank,--
ROSALIND.?Thou losest thy old smell.
LE BEAU.?You amaze me, ladies; I would have told you of good?wrestling, which you have lost the sight of.
ROSALIND.?Yet tell us the manner of the wrestling.
LE BEAU.?I will tell you the beginning, and, if it please your?ladyships, you may see the end; for the best is yet to do;?and here, where you are, they are coming to perform it.
CELIA.?Well,--the beginning, that is dead and buried.
LE BEAU.?There comes an old man and his three sons,--
CELIA.?I could match this beginning with an old tale.
LE BEAU.?Three proper young men, of excellent growth and presence, with bills on their necks,--
ROSALIND.?'Be it known unto all men by these presents,'--
LE BEAU.?The eldest of the three wrestled with Charles, the duke's?wrestler; which Charles in a moment threw him, and broke three of his ribs, that there is little hope of life in him: so he served the second, and so the third. Yonder they lie; the poor old man, their father, making such pitiful dole over them that all the beholders take his part with weeping.
ROSALIND.?Alas!
TOUCHSTONE.?But what is the sport, monsieur, that the ladies have lost?
LE BEAU.?Why, this that I speak of.
TOUCHSTONE.?Thus men may grow wiser every day! It is the first time?that ever I heard breaking of ribs was sport for ladies.
CELIA.?Or I, I promise thee.
ROSALIND.?But is there any else longs to see this broken music?in his sides? is there yet another dotes upon rib-breaking?-- Shall we see this wrestling, cousin?
LE BEAU.?You must, if you stay here: for here is the place?appointed for the wrestling, and they are ready to perform it.
CELIA.?Yonder, sure, they are coming: let us now stay and see it.
[Flourish. Enter DUKE FREDERICK, Lords, ORLANDO, CHARLES, and Attendants.]
DUKE FREDERICK.?Come on; since the youth will not be entreated, his own peril on his forwardness.
ROSALIND.?Is yonder the man?
LE BEAU.?Even he, madam.
CELIA.?Alas, he 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 men. 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.
[DUKE FREDERICK goes apart.]
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 anything. 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 is 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.?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.
[CHARLES and ORLANDO wrestle.]
ROSALIND.?O excellent young man!
CELIA.?If I had a thunderbolt in