Act III, Scene 4
OLIVIA'S garden
Enter OLIVIA and MARIA.
OLIVIA
I have sent after him. He says he'll come;
How shall I feast him? what bestow on him?
For youth is bought more oft than begged or borrowed. 5
I speak too loud.--
Where's Malvolio?--He is sad and civil,
And suits well for a servant with my fortunes;--
Where is Malvolio?
MARIA
He's coming, madam: 10
But in very strange manner. He is sure possessed.
OLIVIA
Why, what's the matter? does he rave?
MARIA
No, madam, he does nothing but smile: your ladyship were
best to have some guard about you if he come;
For, sure, the man is tainted in his wits. 15
OLIVIA
Go call him hither.--I'm as mad as he,
If sad and merry madness equal be.--
Enter MALVOLIO.
How now, Malvolio?
MALVOLIO
Sweet lady, ho, ho. 20
Smiles fantastically.
OLIVIA
Smil'st thou?
I sent for thee upon a sad occasion.
MALVOLIO
Sad, lady? I could be sad: this does make some
obstruction in the blood, this cross-gartering. But what of that? 25
If it please the eye of one, it is with me as the very true
sonnet is: 'Please one and please all.'
OLIVIA
Why, how dost thou, man? what is the matter with thee?
MALVOLIO
Not black in my mind, though yellow in my legs.
It did come to his hands, and commands shall be executed. 30
I think we do know the sweet Roman hand.
OLIVIA
Wilt thou go to bed, Malvolio?
MALVOLIO
To bed? ay, sweetheart; and I'll come to thee.
OLIVIA
God comfort thee! Why dost thou smile so, and kiss thy hand so oft?
MARIA
How do you, Malvolio? 35
MALVOLIO
At your request? Yes; nightingales answer daws.
MARIA
Why appear you with this ridiculous boldness before my lady?
MALVOLIO
'Be not afraid of greatness':--'twas well writ.
OLIVIA
What meanest thou by that, Malvolio?
MALVOLIO
'Some are born great,'-- 40
OLIVIA
Ha?
MALVOLIO
'Some achieve greatness,'--
OLIVIA
What say'st thou?
MALVOLIO
'And some have greatness thrust upon them.'
OLIVIA
Heaven restore thee! 45
MALVOLIO
'Remember who commended thy yellow stockings;'--
OLIVIA
Thy yellow stockings?
MALVOLIO
'And wished to see thee cross-gartered.'
OLIVIA
Cross-gartered?
MALVOLIO
'Go to: thou art made, if thou desirest to be so:'-- 50
OLIVIA
Am I made?
MALVOLIO
'If not, let me see thee a servant still.'
OLIVIA
Why, this is very midsummer madness.
Enter Servant.
SERVANT
Madam, the young gentleman of the Count Orsino's is 55
returned; I could hardly entreat him back; he attends your
ladyship's pleasure.
OLIVIA
I'll come to him.
Exit Servant.
Good Maria, let this fellow be looked to. Where's my cousin Toby? 60
Let some of my people have a special care of him; I would not
have him miscarry for the half of my dowry.
Exeunt OLIVIA and MARIA.
MALVOLIO
O, ho! do you come near me now? No worse man than Sir
Toby to look to me? This concurs directly with the letter: she 65
sends him on purpose, that I may appear stubborn to him; for she
incites me to that in the letter. 'Cast thy humble slough,' says
she;--'be opposite with a kinsman, surly with servants,--let thy
tongue tang with arguments of state,--put thyself into the trick
of singularity;--and consequently, sets down the manner how; as, 70
a sad face, a reverend carriage, a slow tongue, in the habit of
some sir of note, and so forth. I have limed her; but it is
Jove's doing, and Jove make me thankful! And, when she went away
now, 'Let this fellow be looked to;' Fellow! not Malvolio, nor
after my degree, but fellow. Why, everything adheres together; 75
that no dram of a scruple, no scruple of a scruple, no obstacle,
no incredulous or unsafe circumstance,--What can be said?
Nothing, that can be, can come between me and the full prospect
of my hopes. Well, Jove, not I, is the doer of this, and he is to
be thanked. 80
Re-enter MARIA, with SIR TOBY BELCH and FABIAN.
SIR TOBY
Which way is he, in the name of sanctity? If all the
devils of hell be drawn in little, and Legion himself possessed
him, yet I'll speak to him.
FABIAN
Here he is, here he is:--How is't with you, sir? how is't with 85
you, man?
MALVOLIO
Go off; I discard you; let me enjoy my private; go off.
MARIA
Lo, how hollow the fiend speaks within him! did not I tell
you?--Sir Toby, my lady prays you to have a care of him.
MALVOLIO
Ah, ha! does she so? 90
SIR TOBY
Go to, go to; peace, peace, we must deal gently with him;
let me alone. How do you, Malvolio? how is't with you? What, man!
defy the devil: consider, he's an enemy to mankind.
MALVOLIO
Do you know what you say?
MARIA
La you, an you speak ill of the devil, how he takes it at 95
heart! Pray God he be not bewitched.
FABIAN
Carry his water to the wise woman.
MARIA
Marry, and it shall be done to-morrow morning, if I live. My
lady would not lose him for more than I'll say.
MALVOLIO
How now, mistress! 100
MARIA
O lord!
SIR TOBY
Prithee hold thy peace; this is not the way. Do you not
see you move him? let me alone with him.
FABIAN
No way but gentleness; gently, gently: the fiend is rough,
and will not be roughly used. 105
SIR TOBY
Why, how now, my bawcock? how dost thou, chuck.
MALVOLIO
Sir?
SIR TOBY
Ay, Biddy, come with me. What, man! 'tis not for gravity
to play at cherry-pit with Satan. Hang him, foul collier!
MARIA
Get him to say his prayers; good Sir Toby, get him to pray. 110
MALVOLIO
My prayers, minx?
MARIA
No, I warrant you, he will not hear of godliness.
MALVOLIO
Go, hang yourselves all! you are idle shallow things: I
am not of your element; you shall know more hereafter.
Exit. 115
SIR TOBY
Is't possible?
FABIAN
If this were played upon a stage now, I could condemn it as
an improbable fiction.
SIR TOBY
His very genius hath taken the infection of the device, man.
MARIA
Nay, pursue him now; lest the device take air and taint. 120
FABIAN
Why, we shall make him mad indeed.
MARIA
The house will be the quieter.
SIR TOBY
Come, we'll have him in a dark room and bound. My niece
is already in the belief that he's mad; we may carry it thus, for
our pleasure and his penance, till our very pastime, tired out of 125
breath, prompt us to have mercy on him: at which time we will
bring the device to the bar, and crown thee for a finder of
madmen. But see, but see.
Enter SIR ANDREW AGUECHEEK.
FABIAN
More matter for a May morning. 130
SIR ANDREW
Here's the challenge, read it; I warrant there's vinegar and
pepper in't.
FABIAN
Is't so saucy?
SIR ANDREW
Ay, is't, I warrant him; do but read.
SIR TOBY
Give me. (Reads.) 'Youth, whatsoever thou art, thou art but a 135
scurvy fellow.'
FABIAN
Good and valiant.
SIR TOBY
'Wonder not, nor admire not in thy mind, why I do
call thee so, for I will show thee no reason for't.'
FABIAN
A good note: that keeps you from the blow of the law. 140
SIR TOBY
'Thou comest to the Lady Olivia, and in my sight
she uses thee kindly: but thou liest in thy throat; that is not
the matter I challenge thee for.'
FABIAN
Very brief, and to exceeding good senseless.
SIR TOBY
'I will waylay thee going home; where if it be 145
thy chance to kill me,'--
FABIAN
Good.
SIR TOBY
'Thou kill'st me like a rogue and a villain.'
FABIAN
Still you keep o' the windy side of the law. Good.
SIR TOBY
'Fare thee well; and God have mercy upon one of 150
our souls! He may have mercy upon mine; but my hope is better,
and so look to thyself. Thy friend, as thou usest him, and thy
sworn enemy, Andrew Aguecheek.'
If this letter move him not, his legs cannot: I'll give't him.
MARIA
You may have very fit occasion for't; he is now in some 155
commerce with my lady, and will by and by depart.
SIR TOBY
Go, Sir Andrew; scout me for him at the corner of the
orchard, like a bum-bailey so soon as ever thou seest him,
draw; and as thou drawest, swear horrible; for it comes to pass
oft that a terrible oath, with a swaggering accent sharply 160
twanged off, gives manhood more approbation than ever proof
itself would have earned him. Away.
SIR ANDREW
Nay, let me alone for swearing.
Exit.
SIR TOBY
Now will not I deliver his letter; for the behaviour of 165
the young gentleman gives him out to be of good capacity and
breeding; his employment between his lord and my niece confirms
no less; therefore this letter, being so excellently ignorant,
will breed no terror in the youth: he will find it comes from a
clodpole. But, sir, I will deliver his challenge by word of 170
mouth, set upon Aguecheek notable report of valour, and drive
the gentleman,--as I know his youth will aptly receive it,--into
a most hideous opinion of his rage, skill, fury, and impetuosity.
This will so fright them both that they will kill one another by
the look, like cockatrices. 175
Enter OLIVIA and VIOLA.
FABIAN
Here he comes with your niece; give them way till he take
leave, and presently after him.
SIR TOBY
I will meditate the while upon some horrid message for a challenge.
Exeunt SIR TOBY, FABIAN, and MARIA. 180
OLIVIA
I have said too much unto a heart of stone,
And laid mine honour too unchary on it:
There's something in me that reproves my fault;
But such a headstrong potent fault it is
That it but mocks reproof. 185
VIOLA
With the same 'haviour that your passion bears
Goes on my master's griefs.
OLIVIA
Here, wear this jewel for me; 'tis my picture;
Refuse it not; it hath no tongue to vex you:
And, I beseech you, come again to-morrow. 190
What shall you ask of me that I'll deny,
That, honour saved, may upon asking give?
VIOLA
Nothing but this, your true love for my master.
OLIVIA
How with mine honour may I give him that
Which I have given to you? 195
VIOLA
I will acquit you.
OLIVIA
Well, come again to-morrow. Fare thee well;
A fiend like thee might bear my soul to hell.
Exit.
Re-enter SIR TOBY BELCH and FABIAN. 200
SIR TOBY
Gentleman, God save thee.
VIOLA
And you, sir.
SIR TOBY
That defence thou hast, betake thee to't. Of what nature
the wrongs are thou hast done him, I know not; but thy
intercepter, full of despite, bloody as the hunter, attends 205
thee at the orchard end: dismount thy tuck, be yare in thy
preparation, for thy assailant is quick, skillful, and deadly.
VIOLA
You mistake, sir; I am sure no man hath any quarrel to me;
my remembrance is very free and clear from any image of offence
done to any man. 210
SIR TOBY
You'll find it otherwise, I assure you: therefore, if you
hold your life at any price, betake you to your guard; for your
opposite hath in him what youth, strength, skill, and wrath, can
furnish man withal.
VIOLA
I pray you, sir, what is he? 215
SIR TOBY
He is knight, dubbed with unhatched rapier and on carpet
consideration; but he is a devil in private brawl; souls and
bodies hath he divorced three; and his incensement at this moment
is so implacable that satisfaction can be none but by pangs of
death and sepulchre: hob, nob, is his word; give't or take't. 220
VIOLA
I will return again into the house and desire some conduct
of the lady. I am no fighter. I have heard of some kind of men
that put quarrels purposely on others to taste their valour:
belike this is a man of that quirk.
SIR TOBY
Sir, no; his indignation derives itself out of a very 225
competent injury; therefore, get you on and give him his desire.
Back you shall not to the house, unless you undertake that with
me which with as much safety you might answer him: therefore on,
or strip your sword stark naked; for meddle you must, that's
certain, or forswear to wear iron about you. 230
VIOLA
This is as uncivil as strange. I beseech you, do me this
courteous office as to know of the knight what my offence to him
is; it is something of my negligence, nothing of my purpose.
SIR TOBY
I Will do so. Signior Fabian, stay you by this gentleman
till my return. 235
Exit SIR TOBY.
VIOLA
Pray you, sir, do you know of this matter?
FABIAN
I know the knight is incensed against you, even to a mortal
arbitrement; but nothing of the circumstance more.
VIOLA
I beseech you, what manner of man is he? 240
FABIAN
Nothing of that wonderful promise, to read him by his form,
as you are like to find him in the proof of his valour. He is
indeed, sir, the most skilful, bloody, and fatal opposite that
you could possibly have found in any part of Illyria. Will you
walk towards him? I will make your peace with him if I can. 245
VIOLA
I shall be much bound to you for't. I am one that would
rather go with sir priest than sir knight: I care not who knows
so much of my mettle.
Exeunt.
Re-enter SIR TOBY With SIR ANDREW. 250
SIR TOBY
Why, man, he's a very devil; I have not seen such a
virago. I had a pass with him, rapier, scabbard, and all, and he
gives me the stuck-in with such a mortal motion that it is
inevitable; and on the answer, he pays you as surely as your feet
hit the ground they step on. They say he has been fencer to the Sophy. 255
SIR ANDREW
Pox on't, I'll not meddle with him.
SIR TOBY
Ay, but he will not now be pacified: Fabian can scarce
hold him yonder.
SIR ANDREW
Plague on't; an I thought he had been valiant, and so
cunning in fence, I'd have seen him damned ere I'd have 260
challenged him. Let him let the matter slip and I'll give him
my horse, grey Capilet.
SIR TOBY
I'll make the motion. Stand here, make a good show on't;
this shall end without the perdition of souls. (Aside.) Marry,
I'll ride your horse as well as I ride you. 265
Re-enter FABIAN and VIOLA.
I have his horse (To FABIAN.) to take up the quarrel; I have
persuaded him the youth's a devil.
FABIAN
He is as horribly conceited of him; and pants and looks pale, as 270
if a bear were at his heels.
SIR TOBY
There's no remedy, sir: he will fight with you for's oath sake:
marry, he hath better bethought him of his quarrel, and he finds
that now scarce to be worth talking of: therefore, draw for the
supportance of his vow; he protests he will not hurt you.
VIOLA
(Aside) Pray God defend me! A little thing would make me 275
tell them how much I lack of a man.
FABIAN
Give ground if you see him furious.
SIR TOBY
Come, Sir Andrew, there's no remedy; the gentleman will,
for his honour's sake, have one bout with you: he cannot by the
duello avoid it; but he has promised me, as he is a gentleman and 280
a soldier, he will not hurt you. Come on: to't.
SIR ANDREW
Pray God he keep his oath!
Draws.
Enter ANTONIO.
VIOLA
I do assure you 'tis against my will. 285
Draws.
ANTONIO
Put up your sword:--if this young gentleman
Have done offence, I take the fault on me;
If you offend him, I for him defy you.
Drawing. 290
SIR TOBY
You, sir! why, what are you?
ANTONIO
One, sir, that for his love dares yet do more
Than you have heard him brag to you he will.
SIR TOBY
Nay, if you be an undertaker, I am for you.
Draws. 295
Enter two Officers.
FABIAN
O good Sir Toby, hold; here come the officers.
SIR TOBY
(To ANTONIO) I'll be with you anon.
VIOLA
(To Sir Andrew.) Pray, sir, put your sword up, if you please.
SIR ANDREW
Marry, will I, sir; and for that I promised you, I'll be 300
as good as my word. He will bear you easily and reins well.
FIRST OFFICER
This is the man; do thy office.
SECOND OFFICER
Antonio, I arrest thee at the suit
Of Count Orsino.
ANTONIO
You do mistake me, sir. 305
FIRST OFFICER
No, sir, no jot; I know your favour well,
Though now you have no sea-cap on your head.--
Take him away; he knows I know him well.
ANTONIO
I Must obey.--This comes with seeking you;
But there's no remedy; I shall answer it. 310
What will you do? Now my necessity
Makes me to ask you for my purse. It grieves me
Much more for what I cannot do for you
Than what befalls myself. You stand amazed;
But be of comfort. 315
SECOND OFFICER
Come, sir, away.
ANTONIO
I must entreat of you some of that money.
VIOLA
What money, sir?
For the fair kindness you have showed me here,
And part being prompted by your present trouble, 320
Out of my lean and low ability
I'll lend you something; my having is not much;
I'll make division of my present with you:
Hold, there is half my coffer.
ANTONIO
Will you deny me now? 325
Is't possible that my deserts to you
Can lack persuasion? Do not tempt my misery,
Lest that it make me so unsound a man
As to upbraid you with those kindnesses
That I have done for you. 330
VIOLA
I know of none,
Nor know I you by voice or any feature:
I hate ingratitude more in a man
Than lying, vainness, babbling, drunkenness,
Or any taint of vice whose strong corruption 335
Inhabits our frail blood.
ANTONIO
O heavens themselves!
SECOND OFFICER
Come, sir, I pray you go.
ANTONIO
Let me speak a little. This youth that you see here
I snatched one half out of the jaws of death, 340
Relieved him with such sanctity of love,--
And to his image, which methought did promise
Most venerable worth, did I devotion.
FIRST OFFICER
What's that to us? The time goes by; away.
ANTONIO
But O how vile an idol proves this god! 345
Thou hast, Sebastian, done good feature shame.
In nature there's no blemish but the mind;
None can be called deformed but the unkind:
Virtue is beauty; but the beauteous-evil
Are empty trunks, o'erflourished by the devil. 350
FIRST OFFICER
The man grows mad; away with him. Come, come, sir.
ANTONIO
Lead me on.
Exeunt Officers with ANTONIO.
VIOLA
Methinks his words do from such passion fly
That he believes himself; so do not I. 355
Prove true, imagination; O prove true,
That I, dear brother, be now ta'en for you!
SIR TOBY
Come hither, knight; come hither, Fabian; we'll whisper
o'er a couplet or two of most sage saws.
VIOLA
He named Sebastian; I my brother know 360
Yet living in my glass; even such and so
In favour was my brother; and he went
Still in this fashion, colour, ornament,
For him I imitate. O, if it prove,
Tempests are kind, and salt waves fresh in love! 365
Exit.
SIR TOBY
A very dishonest paltry boy, and more a coward than a
hare: his dishonesty appears in leaving his friend here in
necessity, and denying him; and for his cowardship, ask Fabian.
FABIAN
A coward, a most devout coward, religious in it. 370
SIR ANDREW
'Slid, I'll after him again and beat him.
SIR TOBY
Do, cuff him soundly, but never draw thy sword.
SIR ANDREW
And I do not,--
Exit.
FABIAN
Come, let's see the event. 375
SIR TOBY
I dare lay any money 'twill be nothing yet.
Exeunt.
Twelfth Night III.iii : Twelfth Night IV.i