Re-enter LUCETTA LUCETTA What would your ladyship? JULIA Is't near dinner-time? LUCETTA I would it were, That you might kill your stomach on your meat And not upon your maid. JULIA What is't that you took up so gingerly? LUCETTA Nothing. JULIA Why didst thou stoop, then? LUCETTA To take a paper up that I let fall. JULIA And is that paper nothing? LUCETTA Nothing concerning me. JULIA Then let it lie for those that it concerns. LUCETTA Madam, it will not lie where it concerns Unless it have a false interpeter. JULIA Some love of yours hath writ to you in rhyme. LUCETTA That I might sing it, madam, to a tune.
Give me a note: your ladyship can set. JULIA As little by such toys as may be possible.
Best sing it to the tune of 'Light o' love.' LUCETTA It is too heavy for so light a tune. JULIA Heavy! belike it hath some burden then? LUCETTA Ay, and melodious were it, would you sing it. JULIA And why not you? LUCETTA I cannot reach so high. JULIA Let's see your song. How now, minion! LUCETTA Keep tune there still, so you will sing it out:
And yet methinks I do not like this tune. JULIA You do not? LUCETTA No, madam; it is too sharp. JULIA You, minion, are too saucy. LUCETTA Nay, now you are too flat And mar the concord with too harsh a descant:
There wanteth but a mean to fill your song. JULIA The mean is drown'd with your unruly bass. LUCETTA Indeed, I bid the base for Proteus. JULIA This babble shall not henceforth trouble me.
Here is a coil with protestation!
Tears the letter Go get you gone, and let the papers lie:
You would be fingering them, to anger me. LUCETTA She makes it strange; but she would be best pleased To be so anger'd with another letter.
Exit JULIA Nay, would I were so anger'd with the same!
O hateful hands, to tear such loving words!
Injurious wasps, to feed on such sweet honey And kill the bees that yield it with your stings!
I'll kiss each several paper for amends.
Look, here is writ 'kind Julia.' Unkind Julia!
As in revenge of thy ingratitude, I throw thy name against the bruising stones, Trampling contemptuously on thy disdain.
And here is writ 'love-wounded Proteus.'
Poor wounded name! my bosom as a bed Shall lodge thee till thy wound be thoroughly heal'd;
And thus I search it with a sovereign kiss.
But twice or thrice was 'Proteus' written down.
Be calm, good wind, blow not a word away Till I have found each letter in the letter, Except mine own name: that some whirlwind bear Unto a ragged fearful-hanging rock And throw it thence into the raging sea!
Lo, here in one line is his name twice writ, 'Poor forlorn Proteus, passionate Proteus, To the sweet Julia:' that I'll tear away.
And yet I will not, sith so prettily He couples it to his complaining names.
Thus will I fold them one on another:
Now kiss, embrace, contend, do what you will.
Re-enter LUCETTA LUCETTA Madam, Dinner is ready, and your father stays. JULIA Well, let us go. LUCETTA What, shall these papers lie like tell-tales here? JULIA If you respect them, best to take them up. LUCETTA Nay, I was taken up for laying them down:
Yet here they shall not lie, for catching cold. JULIA I see you have a month's mind to them. LUCETTA Ay, madam, you may say what sights you see;
I see things too, although you judge I wink. JULIA Come, come; will't please you go?
