The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)

by William Shakespeare

my sins, which I greatly repent.

  KING

  All is whole;

  Not one word more of the consumed time.

  Let's take the instant by the forward top;

  For we are old, and on our quick'st decrees

  The inaudible and noiseless foot of Time

  Steals ere we can effect them. You remember

  The daughter of this lord?

  The matter is finished;

  we will not waste another moment on it.

  Let's seize the moment with both hands;

  I am old, and my most urgent orders

  can be snatched away by the silent

  passage of time before be can be enacted. You remember

  the daughter of this lord?

  BERTRAM

  Admiringly, my liege, at first

  I stuck my choice upon her, ere my heart

  Durst make too bold a herald of my tongue

  Where the impression of mine eye infixing,

  Contempt his scornful perspective did lend me,

  Which warp'd the line of every other favour;

  Scorn'd a fair colour, or express'd it stolen;

  Extended or contracted all proportions

  To a most hideous object: thence it came

  That she whom all men praised and whom myself,

  Since I have lost, have loved, was in mine eye

  The dust that did offend it.

  With admiration, my lord, she was

  my first choice, before my heart

  made my tongue speak out too rashly

  and I began to be full

  of contempt which spread to everything;

  it rejected a fair appearance, or thought it was faked;

  it warped everything and made it look hideous:

  and so it happened with she whom all men praised;

  since I have lost her I have loved her -

  previously my sight was affected by the dust of my stupidity.

  KING

  Well excused:

  That thou didst love her, strikes some scores away

  From the great compt: but love that comes too late,

  Like a remorseful pardon slowly carried,

  To the great sender turns a sour offence,

  Crying, 'That's good that's gone.' Our rash faults

  Make trivial price of serious things we have,

  Not knowing them until we know their grave:

  Oft our displeasures, to ourselves unjust,

  Destroy our friends and after weep their dust;

  Our own love waking cries to see what's done,

  While shame full late sleeps out the afternoon.

  Be this sweet Helen's knell, and now forget her.

  Send forth your amorous token for fair Maudlin:

  The main consents are had; and here we'll stay

  To see our widower's second marriage-day.

  This is well explained:

  the fact that you loved her removes some black marks

  against your name: but love that comes too late,

  like a remorseful apology delivered slowly,

  causes great offence to the Almighty,

  who cries, ‘That is good that has been wasted.’ Our stupidity

  makes us undervalue the best things we have,

  and we don't know their value until they are in their graves:

  we often let our unfair temper

  ruin our friendships and then we weep when they're dead;

  we let love sleep while hate does its work, when she wakes she cries to see what's happened,

  while to our shame hatred can sleep soundly.

  Let this be the funeral bell for sweet Helen, and now forget her.

  Send out your love token to fair Maudlin:

  all the main characters have given consent; and will stay here

  to see our widower's second wedding day.

  COUNTESS

  Which better than the first, O dear heaven, bless!

  Or, ere they meet, in me, O nature, cesse!

  Which please, dear heaven, made better than the first!

  Or before they meet let me die!

  LAFEU

  Come on, my son, in whom my house's name

  Must be digested, give a favour from you

  To sparkle in the spirits of my daughter,

  That she may quickly come.

  BERTRAM gives a ring

  By my old beard,

  And every hair that's on't, Helen, that's dead,

  Was a sweet creature: such a ring as this,

  The last that e'er I took her at court,

  I saw upon her finger.

  Come on, my son, who is going to swallow up

  my family name, give me a token

  that will make my daughter's heart leap,

  so that she will come quickly.

  I swear by my old beard

  and every hair in it, Helen, that sweet creature

  who's dead, last time I ever saw her court

  she had a ring like this on her finger.

  BERTRAM

  Hers it was not.

  It was not hers.

  KING

  Now, pray you, let me see it; for mine eye,

  While I was speaking, oft was fasten'd to't.

  This ring was mine; and, when I gave it Helen,

  I bade her, if her fortunes ever stood

  Necessitied to help, that by this token

  I would relieve her. Had you that craft, to reave

  her

  Of what should stead her most?

  Now, please let me see it; while I was speaking

  my eye was often drawn to it.

  This ring belonged to me; and, when I gave it to Helen,

  I told her, that if she ever

  needed help, she should send me this as a signal

  and I would assist her. Were you so cunning

  that you could rob her

  of the thing which could help her most?

  BERTRAM

  My gracious sovereign,

  Howe'er it pleases you to take it so,

  The ring was never hers.

  My gracious king,

  whatever you believe,

  the ring never belonged to her.

  COUNTESS

  Son, on my life,

  I have seen her wear it; and she reckon'd it

  At her life's rate.

  Son, I swear on my life,

  that I have seen her wearing it; and she

  valued it as high is life itself.

  LAFEU

  I am sure I saw her wear it.

  I am sure I saw her wearing it.

  BERTRAM

  You are deceived, my lord; she never saw it:

  In Florence was it from a casement thrown me,

  Wrapp'd in a paper, which contain'd the name

  Of her that threw it: noble she was, and thought

  I stood engaged: but when I had subscribed

  To mine own fortune and inform'd her fully

  I could not answer in that course of honour

  As she had made the overture, she ceased

  In heavy satisfaction and would never

  Receive the ring again.

  You are mistaken, my lord; she never saw it:

  it was thrown down from a top window in Florence to me,

  wrapped in a piece of paper, on which was written the name

  of the one who threw it: she was noble, and thought

  I was engaged to her: but when I told her

  what my position was and let her know

  that I could not honourably return her affections

  she sadly accepted what I said and would never

  take the ring back.

  KING

  Plutus himself,

  That knows the tinct and multiplying medicine,

  Hath not in nature's mystery more science

  Than I have in this ring: 'twas mine, 'twas Helen's,

  Whoever gave it you. Then, if you know

&nbs
p; That you are well acquainted with yourself,

  Confess 'twas hers, and by what rough enforcement

  You got it from her: she call'd the saints to surety

  That she would never put it from her finger,

  Unless she gave it to yourself in bed,

  Where you have never come, or sent it us

  Upon her great disaster.

  The god of riches himself,

  who knows how to turn base metal into gold

  does not have a greater knowledge of nature's mysteries

  than I have of this ring: it was mine, it was Helen's,

  whoever gave it to you. So, if you know

  what is good for you, youshould

  admit that it was hers, and confess to whatever rough act

  you committed to get it from her: she swore by the saints

  that she would never take it off her finger

  unless she gave it to you in bed,

  which never happened, or sent it to me

  when she was in great trouble.

  BERTRAM

  She never saw it.

  She never saw it.

  KING

  Thou speak'st it falsely, as I love mine honour;

  And makest conjectural fears to come into me

  Which I would fain shut out. If it should prove

  That thou art so inhuman,--'twill not prove so;--

  And yet I know not: thou didst hate her deadly,

  And she is dead; which nothing, but to close

  Her eyes myself, could win me to believe,

  More than to see this ring. Take him away.

  Guards seize BERTRAM

  My fore-past proofs, howe'er the matter fall,

  Shall tax my fears of little vanity,

  Having vainly fear'd too little. Away with him!

  We'll sift this matter further.

  You are lying, I swear by my honour;

  you make me think of terrible things

  which I would rather shut out. Ifit should turn out

  that you are so inhuman–I hope it won't–

  and yet, I don't know: you had a terrible hate for her,

  and she is dead; and there is nothing apart from

  having been there myself to see it which makes me believe that

  more than seeing this ring. Take him away.

  Whatever happens this shows that my previous suspicions

  were not the product of imagination,

  in fact I was not imaginative enough. Take him away!

  We'll investigate this further.

  BERTRAM

  If you shall prove

  This ring was ever hers, you shall as easy

  Prove that I husbanded her bed in Florence,

  Where yet she never was.

  Exit, guarded

  If you can prove

  this ring ever belonged to her, you can just as easily

  prove that I slept with her in Florence,

  where she never went.

  KING

  I am wrapp'd in dismal thinkings.

  I am consumed with terrible thoughts.

  Enter a Gentleman

  Gentleman

  Gracious sovereign,

  Whether I have been to blame or no, I know not:

  Here's a petition from a Florentine,

  Who hath for four or five removes come short

  To tender it herself. I undertook it,

  Vanquish'd thereto by the fair grace and speech

  Of the poor suppliant, who by this I know

  Is here attending: her business looks in her

  With an importing visage; and she told me,

  In a sweet verbal brief, it did concern

  Your highness with herself.

  Gracious king,

  whether I have been at fault I do not know:

  here's a petition from a Florentine,

  who missed her chances at four or five

  of your nightly stops to give it to you herself.

  I promised to do it, persuaded to by the sweet looks and speech

  of the poor petitioner, whom I know

  is on her way here: she looks as though

  her business is important; and she told me,

  in a sweet summary, that it was to do

  with you and her.

  KING

  [Reads] Upon his many protestations to marry me

  when his wife was dead, I blush to say it, he won

  me. Now is the Count Rousillon a widower: his vows

  are forfeited to me, and my honour's paid to him. He

  stole from Florence, taking no leave, and I follow

  him to his country for justice: grant it me, O

  king! in you it best lies; otherwise a seducer

  flourishes, and a poor maid is undone.

  DIANA CAPILET.

  I'm ashamed to say that I was won over

  by his many promises to marry me when his wife was dead.

  Now Count Rousillon is a widower: he has taken my honour

  and he owes me his promise. He sneaked away

  from Florence without saying goodbye and I have followed him

  to his own country for justice: please grant it to me, O king!

  You have the power; otherwise a seducer flourishes,

  and a poor girl is ruined.

  Diana Capilet

  LAFEU

  I will buy me a son-in-law in a fair, and toll for

  this: I'll none of him.

  I'll buy myself a son-in-law at a fair, and pay the tax

  on him; I won't have anything to do with Bertram.

  KING

  The heavens have thought well on thee Lafeu,

  To bring forth this discovery. Seek these suitors:

  Go speedily and bring again the count.

  I am afeard the life of Helen, lady,

  Was foully snatch'd.

  God has smiled on you Lafeu,

  bringing this to the surface. Get these petitioners:

  hurry and bring the count back.

  I'm afraid, lady, that Helen

  was foully murdered.

  COUNTESS

  Now, justice on the doers!

  Re-enter BERTRAM, guarded

  Now bring the murderers to justice!

  KING

  I wonder, sir, sith wives are monsters to you,

  And that you fly them as you swear them lordship,

  Yet you desire to marry.

  Enter Widow and DIANA

  What woman's that?

  I wonder, sir, why you want to marry, seeing as

  wives are like monsters to you,

  and you run away as soon as you are engaged.

  Who's that woman?

  DIANA

  I am, my lord, a wretched Florentine,

  Derived from the ancient Capilet:

  My suit, as I do understand, you know,

  And therefore know how far I may be pitied.

  I am, my lord, a wretched Florentine,

  descended from the ancient Capilet family:

  I understand that you know what I'm asking for,

  and so you know how much I should be pitied.

  Widow

  I am her mother, sir, whose age and honour

  Both suffer under this complaint we bring,

  And both shall cease, without your remedy.

  I am her mother, sir, whose old age and honour

  are both suffering due to this issue,

  and I will lose both without your help.

  KING

  Come hither, count; do you know these women?

  Come here, count; do you know these women?

  BERTRAM

  My lord, I neither can nor will deny

  But that I know them: do they charge me further?

  My lord, I cannot and will not deny

  knowing them: do they accuse me of anything else?

  DIANA

  Why do you look so strange upon your wife?

  Why do you look so oddly at your w
ife?

  BERTRAM

  She's none of mine, my lord.

  She is no wife of mine, my lord.

  DIANA

  If you shall marry,

  You give away this hand, and that is mine;

  You give away heaven's vows, and those are mine;

  You give away myself, which is known mine;

  For I by vow am so embodied yours,

  That she which marries you must marry me,

  Either both or none.

  If you marry,

  you reject this hand, and that is mine;

  you break heaven's vows, and those are mine;

  you reject me, who we know is mine;

  for I am by my vows so intertwined with you

  that she who marries you must marry me,

  either both or none.

  LAFEU

  Your reputation comes too short for my daughter; you

  are no husband for her.

  Your reputation is too low for my daughter; you

  shall not marry her.

  BERTRAM

  My lord, this is a fond and desperate creature,

  Whom sometime I have laugh'd with: let your highness

  Lay a more noble thought upon mine honour

  Than for to think that I would sink it here.

  My lord, this is an affectionate and mad creature,

  with whom I have sometimes shared a joke: let your Highness

  think better of my honor than that I would

  give it up for her.

  KING

  Sir, for my thoughts, you have them ill to friend

  Till your deeds gain them: fairer prove your honour

  Than in my thought it lies.

  Sir, as my for thoughts for they will not be friendly toyou

  until you give me some reason: show that your honor

  is better than I am imagining.

  DIANA

  Good my lord,

  Ask him upon his oath, if he does think

  He had not my virginity.