COUNTESS It rejoices me that I hope I shall see him ere I die. I have letters that my son will be here tonight. I shall beseech your lordship to remain with me till they meet together.

LAFEU Madam, I was thinking with what manners I might safely be admitted.

COUNTESS You need but plead your honourable privilege.

LAFEU Lady, of that I have made a bold charter, but, I thank my God, it holds yet.

Enter Lavatch

LAVATCH O madam, yonder’s my lord your son with a patch of velvet on’s face. Whether there be a scar under’t or no, the velvet knows; but ’tis a goodly patch of velvet. His left cheek is a cheek of two pile and a half, but his right cheek is worn bare.

LAFEU A scar nobly got, or a noble scar, is a good liv’ry of honour. So belike is that.

LAVATCH But it is your carbonadoed face.

LAFEU (to the Countess) Let us go see your son, I pray you. I long to talk with the young noble soldier.

LAVATCH Faith, there’s a dozen of ’em, with delicate fine hats, and most courteous feathers, which bow the head and nod at every man.

Exeunt

5.1 Enter Helen, the Widow, and Diana, with two attendants

HELEN

But this exceeding posting day and night

Must wear your spirits low. We cannot help it.

But since you have made the days and nights as one

To wear your gentle limbs in my affairs,

Be bold you do so grow in my requital

As nothing can unroot you.

Enter a Gentleman Austringer

In happy time!

This man may help me to his majesty’s ear,

If he would spend his power.—God save you, sir.

GENTLEMAN And you.

HELEN

Sir, I have seen you in the court of France.

GENTLEMAN I have been sometimes there.

HELEN

I do presume, sir, that you are not fall’n

From the report that goes upon your goodness,

And therefore, goaded with most sharp occasions

Which lay nice manners by, I put you to

The use of your own virtues, for the which

I shall continue thankful.

GENTLEMAN

What’s your will?

HELEN That it will please you

To give this poor petition to the King,

And aid me with that store of power you have

To come into his presence.

GENTLEMAN The King’s not here.

HELEN Not here, sir?

GENTLEMAN

Not indeed.

He hence removed last night, and with more haste

Than is his use.

WIDOW Lord, how we lose our pains.

HELEN All’s well that ends well yet,

Though time seem so adverse, and means unfit.—

I do beseech you, whither is he gone?

GENTLEMAN

Marry, as I take it, to Roussillon,

Whither I am going.

HELEN I do beseech you, sir,

Since you are like to see the King before me,

Commend the paper to his gracious hand,

Which I presume shall render you no blame,

But rather make you thank your pains for it.

I will come after you with what good speed

Our means will make us means.

GENTLEMAN (taking the paper) This I’ll do for you.

HELEN

And you shall find yourself to be well thanked,

Whate’er falls more. We must to horse again.—

Go, go, provide.

Exeunt severally

5.2 Enter Lavatch and Paroles, with a letter

PAROLES Good Master Lavatch, give my Lord Lafeu this letter. I have ere now, sir, been better known to you, when I have held familiarity with fresher clothes. But I am now, sir, muddied in Fortune’s mood, and smell somewhat strong of her strong displeasure.

LAVATCH Truly, Fortune’s displeasure is but sluttish if it smell so strongly as thou speakest of. I will henceforth eat no fish of Fortune’s butt’ring. Prithee allow the wind.

PAROLES Nay, you need not to stop your nose, sir, I spake but by a metaphor. 11

LAVATCH Indeed, sir, if your metaphor stink I will stop my nose, or against any man’s metaphor. Prithee get thee further.

PAROLES Pray you, sir, deliver me this paper.

LAVATCH Foh, prithee stand away. A paper from Fortune’s close-stool to give to a nobleman! Look, here he comes himself.

Enter Lafeu

Here is a pur of Fortune’s, sir, or of Fortune’s cat—but not a musk-cat—that has fallen into the unclean fish-pond of her displeasure and, as he says, is muddied withal. Pray you, sir, use the carp as you may, for he looks like a poor, decayed, ingenious, foolish, rascally knave. I do pity his distress in my similes of comfort, and leave him to your lordship. Exit

PAROLES My lord, I am a man whom Fortune hath cruelly scratched.

LAFEU And what would you have me to do? ‘Tis too late to pare her nails now. Wherein have you played the knave with Fortune that she should scratch you, who of herself is a good lady and would not have knaves thrive long under her? There’s a quart d’ecu for you. Let the justices make you and Fortune friends; I am for other business.

PAROLES I beseech your honour to hear me one single word—

LAFEU You beg a single penny more. Come, you shall ha’t. Save your word.

PAROLES My name, my good lord, is Paroles.

LAFEU You beg more than one word then. Cox my passion! Give me your hand. How does your drum?

PAROLES O my good lord, you were the first that found me.

LAFEU Was I, in sooth? And I was the first that lost thee.

PAROLES It lies in you, my lord, to bring me in some grace, for you did bring me out.

LAFEU Out upon thee, knave! Dost thou put upon me at once both the office of God and the devil? One brings thee in grace, and the other brings thee out.

Trumpets sound

The King’s coming; I know by his trumpets. Sirrah, enquire further after me. I had talk of you last night. Though you are a fool and a knave, you shall eat. Go to, follow.

PAROLES I praise God for you. ⌈Exeunt⌉

5.3 Flourish of trumpets. Enter the King, the old Countess, Lafeu, and attendants

KING

We lost a jewel of her, and our esteem

Was made much poorer by it. But your son,

As mad in folly, lacked the sense to know

Her estimation home.

COUNTESS

‘Tis past, my liege, And I beseech your majesty to make it

Natural rebellion done i’th’ blade of youth,

When oil and fire, too strong for reason’s force,

O’erbears it and burns on.

KING

My honoured lady,

I have forgiven and forgotten all,

Though my revenges were high bent upon him 10

And watched the time to shoot.

LAFEU

This I must say-

But first I beg my pardon—the young lord

Did to his majesty, his mother, and his lady