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

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The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 348

by William Shakespeare

is a good reason to pack it in.

  Bawd

  Come, other sorts offend as well as we.

  Come now, there are others who are just as bad as us.

  Pandar

  As well as we! ay, and better too; we offend worse.

  Neither is our profession any trade; it's no

  calling. But here comes Boult.

  Re-enter BOULT, with the Pirates and MARINA

  As bad as us! Yes and better ones; we are the worst offenders.

  And our profession is not a trade; it's not

  a calling. But here comes Boult.

  BOULT

  [To MARINA] Come your ways. My masters, you say

  she's a virgin?

  Come along. My masters, you say

  she is a virgin?

  First Pirate

  O, sir, we doubt it not.

  No doubt about it, sir.

  BOULT

  Master, I have gone through for this piece, you see:

  if you like her, so; if not, I have lost my earnest.

  Master, I have made a deal for this piece here:

  if you like her, good; if not, I have lost my deposit.

  Bawd

  Boult, has she any qualities?

  Boult, does she have any accomplishments?

  BOULT

  She has a good face, speaks well, and has excellent

  good clothes: there's no further necessity of

  qualities can make her be refused.

  She has a good face, speaks well, and has very

  good clothes: no lack of accomplishment

  would be grounds for turning her down.

  Bawd

  What's her price, Boult?

  How much is she, Boult?

  BOULT

  I cannot be bated one doit of a thousand pieces.

  I can't get her for a cent less than a thousand gold pieces.

  Pandar

  Well, follow me, my masters, you shall have your

  money presently. Wife, take her in; instruct her

  what she has to do, that she may not be raw in her

  entertainment.

  Exeunt Pandar and Pirates

  Well, follow me, my masters, you will have your

  money shortly. Wife, take her inside; show her

  what she has to do, so that she won't be inexperienced

  when she starts work.

  Bawd

  Boult, take you the marks of her, the colour of her

  hair, complexion, height, age, with warrant of her

  virginity; and cry 'He that will give most shall

  have her first.' Such a maidenhead were no cheap

  thing, if men were as they have been. Get this done

  as I command you.

  Boult, you make a note of her appearance, the colour of her

  hair, complexion, height, age, and her guaranteed

  virginity; go and announce, ‘Whoever pays the most

  will have her first.' Such virginity will fetch a good

  price, if men are the same as ever. Do as I

  tell you.

  BOULT

  Performance shall follow.

  Exit

  I shall do so.

  MARINA

  Alack that Leonine was so slack, so slow!

  He should have struck, not spoke; or that these pirates,

  Not enough barbarous, had not o'erboard thrown me

  For to seek my mother!

  Alas that Leonine was so neglectful, so slow!

  He should have stabbed me, not spoken; and alas

  that these pirates were not more barbarous, that they

  didn't throw me overboard to find my mother!

  Bawd

  Why lament you, pretty one?

  Why are you so sad, pretty one?

  MARINA

  That I am pretty.

  Because I am pretty.

  Bawd

  Come, the gods have done their part in you.

  Come now, the gods have favoured you.

  MARINA

  I accuse them not.

  I don't blame them.

  Bawd

  You are light into my hands, where you are like to live.

  You have fallen into my hands, which is where you are going to live.

  MARINA

  The more my fault

  To scape his hands where I was like to die.

  The worse luck for me

  that I escaped the hands whereby I was going to die.

  Bawd

  Ay, and you shall live in pleasure.

  Yes, and you will have a life of pleasure.

  MARINA

  No.

  No.

  Bawd

  Yes, indeed shall you, and taste gentlemen of all

  fashions: you shall fare well; you shall have the

  difference of all complexions. What! do you stop your ears?

  Yes, you certainly will, and sample gentlemen of all

  types: you will do well; you'll have men of

  every race. What's this! Are you blocking your ears?

  MARINA

  Are you a woman?

  Are you a woman?

  Bawd

  What would you have me be, an I be not a woman?

  What do you think I am, if I'm not a woman?

  MARINA

  An honest woman, or not a woman.

  If you're not honest, you're not a woman.

  Bawd

  Marry, whip thee, gosling: I think I shall have

  something to do with you. Come, you're a young

  foolish sapling, and must be bowed as I would have

  you.

  Why, be damned to you, greenhorn: I can see

  I'll have trouble with you. Come on, you're a young

  foolish sapling, and I shall have to bend you

  to the shape I desire.

  MARINA

  The gods defend me!

  May the gods defend me!

  Bawd

  If it please the gods to defend you by men, then men

  must comfort you, men must feed you, men must stir

  you up. Boult's returned.

  Re-enter BOULT

  Now, sir, hast thou cried her through the market?

  If the gods decide to defend you through men, then men

  must comfort you, men must feed you, men must

  get you going. Boult's back.

  Now, sir, have you advertised her in the market?

  BOULT

  I have cried her almost to the number of her hairs;

  I have drawn her picture with my voice.

  I have described her as minutely as you could wish;

  I have painted a picture of her with my voice.

  Bawd

  And I prithee tell me, how dost thou find the

  inclination of the people, especially of the younger sort?

  So please, tell me, what sort of interest did you get

  from the people, particularly the younger ones?

  BOULT

  'Faith, they listened to me as they would have

  hearkened to their father's testament. There was a

  Spaniard's mouth so watered, that he went to bed to

  her very description.

  By God, they listened to me as closely as they would have

  listened to their father's will. There was a

  Spaniard who was so hungry for her, he was almost

  sleeping with her description.

  Bawd

  We shall have him here to-morrow with his best ruff on.

  He'll be here tomorrow in his best outfit.

  BOULT

  To-night, to-night. But, mistress, do you know the

  French knight that cowers i' the hams?

  Tonight, tonight. But, mistress, you know the

  French knight, the diseased one?

  Bawd

  Who, Monsieur Veroles?

  Who, Monsieur Veroles?

  BOULT

  Ay, he: he offered to
cut a caper at the

  proclamation; but he made a groan at it, and swore

  he would see her to-morrow.

  Yes, him: he danced with excitement at the

  announcement; then he gave a groan, and swore

  he would see her tomorrow.

  Bawd

  Well, well; as for him, he brought his disease

  hither: here he does but repair it. I know he will

  come in our shadow, to scatter his crowns in the

  sun.

  Good, good; as for him, he brought his disease

  with him: he just tops it up here. I know he will

  come into our house, and chuck his money around.

  BOULT

  Well, if we had of every nation a traveller, we

  should lodge them with this sign.

  Well, if we had a traveller from every nation on earth,

  they would all want to have a go at her.

  Bawd

  [To MARINA] Pray you, come hither awhile. You

  have fortunes coming upon you. Mark me: you must

  seem to do that fearfully which you commit

  willingly, despise profit where you have most gain.

  To weep that you live as ye do makes pity in your

  lovers: seldom but that pity begets you a good

  opinion, and that opinion a mere profit.

  Now you, come here for a moment. You

  have a fortune coming to you. Mark my words: you must

  pretend that you are reluctant to do what you do

  willingly, and to hate the profits even as you make them.

  You must weep about your life, which will create pity

  in your lovers: it's not often that pity gets you

  goodwill, and that goodwill will be sheer profit.

  MARINA

  I understand you not.

  I don't understand you.

  BOULT

  O, take her home, mistress, take her home: these

  blushes of hers must be quenched with some present practise.

  Oh, take her home, mistress take her home: this

  shyness must be knocked out of her with practice.

  Bawd

  Thou sayest true, i' faith, so they must; for your

  bride goes to that with shame which is her way to go

  with warrant.

  By God you're telling the truth, it must; the

  bride goes with shame to the thing that it is

  lawful for her to do.

  BOULT

  'Faith, some do, and some do not. But, mistress, if

  I have bargained for the joint,--

  Well, some do and some do not. But, mistress, as

  I have prepared the joint–

  Bawd

  Thou mayst cut a morsel off the spit.

  Yes, you can have a slice.

  BOULT

  I may so.

  I will do so.

  Bawd

  Who should deny it? Come, young one, I like the

  manner of your garments well.

  Who would refuse it you? Come on, young one, I like

  the cut of your clothes.

  BOULT

  Ay, by my faith, they shall not be changed yet.

  Yes, by God, they shall not be changed yet.

  Bawd

  Boult, spend thou that in the town: report what a

  sojourner we have; you'll lose nothing by custom.

  When nature framed this piece, she meant thee a good

  turn; therefore say what a paragon she is, and thou

  hast the harvest out of thine own report.

  Boult, tell it all round the town: report who

  we have staying here; you'll get a profit from the customers.

  When nature made this girl, she did you a good

  turn; so tell everyone how wonderful she is, and you

  will get a reward from your reports.

  BOULT

  I warrant you, mistress, thunder shall not so awake

  the beds of eels as my giving out her beauty stir up

  the lewdly-inclined. I'll bring home some to-night.

  I guarantee you, mistress, the dirty minded

  will be more excited by my reports of her beauty

  than a bed of eels stirred up by a storm. I'll bring some home tonight.

  Bawd

  Come your ways; follow me.

  Come along; follow me.

  MARINA

  If fires be hot, knives sharp, or waters deep,

  Untied I still my virgin knot will keep.

  Diana, aid my purpose!

  If I can find a hot fire, a sharp knife, or deep water,

  I shall preserve my virginity.

  Diana, help me!

  Bawd

  What have we to do with Diana? Pray you, will you go with us?

  Exeunt

  What's Diana got to do with us? You just come along with me.

  Enter CLEON and DIONYZA

  DIONYZA

  Why are you foolish? Can it be undone?

  Why are you being so stupid? Can it be changed?

  CLEON

  O Dionyza, such a piece of slaughter

  The sun and moon ne'er look'd upon!

  Oh Dionyza, there was never such a murder

  in the history of the world!

  DIONYZA

  I think

  You'll turn a child again.

  I think

  you're becoming like a child again.

  CLEON

  Were I chief lord of all this spacious world,

  I'ld give it to undo the deed. O lady,

  Much less in blood than virtue, yet a princess

  To equal any single crown o' the earth

  I' the justice of compare! O villain Leonine!

  Whom thou hast poison'd too:

  If thou hadst drunk to him, 't had been a kindness

  Becoming well thy fact: what canst thou say

  When noble Pericles shall demand his child?

  If I ruled the whole wide world,

  I'd give it up to undo this deed. Oh lady,

  you were a princess, even more through your virtues

  than your birth, who could stand comparison

  with any king on earth! Leonine, you villain!

  And now you have poisoned him too:

  if you had drunk his health with that poison it would have been

  an act which suited your deed: what will you say

  when noble Pericles asks for his child?

  DIONYZA

  That she is dead. Nurses are not the fates,

  To foster it, nor ever to preserve.

  She died at night; I'll say so. Who can cross it?

  Unless you play the pious innocent,

  And for an honest attribute cry out

  'She died by foul play.'

  I'll tell him she is dead. Nurses are not the fates,

  who have the power of life and death.

  She died at night; that's what I'll say. Who can contradict it?

  Unless you want to be a pious innocent,

  and so you'll be thought of as honest cry out,

  ‘She died of foul play.’

  CLEON

  O, go to. Well, well,

  Of all the faults beneath the heavens, the gods

  Do like this worst.

  Oh, get lost. Well, well,

  of all the faults of mankind, the gods

  hate this the most.

  DIONYZA

  Be one of those that think

  The petty wrens of Tarsus will fly hence,

  And open this to Pericles. I do shame

  To think of what a noble strain you are,

  And of how coward a spirit.

  You're one of those who thinks

  that the little birds of Tarsus will fly away

  and reveal the truth to Pericles. I'm ashamed

  to think what a noble family you come from,

  when you have such a cowardly spirit.

 
CLEON

  To such proceeding

  Who ever but his approbation added,

  Though not his prime consent, he did not flow

  From honourable sources.

  Anybody who ever approved

  such an act,

  even though he wasn't directly involved, he did not

  come from honourable ancestry.

  DIONYZA

  Be it so, then:

  Yet none does know, but you, how she came dead,

  Nor none can know, Leonine being gone.

  She did disdain my child, and stood between

  Her and her fortunes: none would look on her,

  But cast their gazes on Marina's face;

  Whilst ours was blurted at and held a malkin

  Not worth the time of day. It pierced me through;

  And though you call my course unnatural,

  You not your child well loving, yet I find

  It greets me as an enterprise of kindness

  Perform'd to your sole daughter.

  So be it, then:

  but nobody knows how she died apart from you,

  and nobody can know, now that Leonine is dead.

  She outshone my child, and stood between

 

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