Act IV · Scene II
Mytilene. A room in a brothel.
Hover a speech to translate it — or press play to hear it performed.
Enter Pandar, Bawd, and BOULT
Pandar
Boult!
BOULT
Sir?
Pandar
Search the market narrowly; Mytilene is full ofgallants. We lost too much money this mart by beingtoo wenchless.
Bawd
We were never so much out of creatures. We have butpoor three, and they can do no more than they cando; and they with continual action are even as good as rotten.
Pandar
Therefore let's have fresh ones, whate'er we pay forthem. If there be not a conscience to be used inevery trade, we shall never prosper.
Bawd
Thou sayest true: 'tis not our bringing up of poorbastards,--as, I think, I have brought up some eleven--
BOULT
Ay, to eleven; and brought them down again. Butshall I search the market?
Bawd
What else, man? The stuff we have, a strong windwill blow it to pieces, they are so pitifully sodden.
Pandar
Thou sayest true; they're too unwholesome, o'conscience. The poor Transylvanian is dead, thatlay with the little baggage.
BOULT
Ay, she quickly pooped him; she made him roast-meatfor worms. But I'll go search the market.
Exit
Pandar
Three or four thousand chequins were as pretty aproportion to live quietly, and so give over.
Bawd
Why to give over, I pray you? is it a shame to getwhen we are old?
Pandar
O, our credit comes not in like the commodity, northe commodity wages not with the danger: therefore,if in our youths we could pick up some prettyestate, 'twere not amiss to keep our door hatched.Besides, the sore terms we stand upon with the godswill be strong with us for giving over.
Bawd
Come, other sorts offend as well as we.
Pandar
As well as we! ay, and better too; we offend worse.Neither is our profession any trade; it's nocalling. But here comes Boult.
Re-enter BOULT, with the Pirates and MARINA
BOULT
[To MARINA] Come your ways. My masters, you sayshe's a virgin?
First Pirate
O, sir, we doubt it not.
BOULT
Master, I have gone through for this piece, you see:if you like her, so; if not, I have lost my earnest.
Bawd
Boult, has she any qualities?
BOULT
She has a good face, speaks well, and has excellentgood clothes: there's no further necessity ofqualities can make her be refused.
Bawd
What's her price, Boult?
BOULT
I cannot be bated one doit of a thousand pieces.
Pandar
Well, follow me, my masters, you shall have yourmoney presently. Wife, take her in; instruct herwhat she has to do, that she may not be raw in herentertainment.
Exeunt Pandar and Pirates
Bawd
Boult, take you the marks of her, the colour of herhair, complexion, height, age, with warrant of hervirginity; and cry 'He that will give most shallhave her first.' Such a maidenhead were no cheapthing, if men were as they have been. Get this doneas I command you.
BOULT
Performance shall follow.
Exit
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 meFor to seek my mother!
Bawd
Why lament you, pretty one?
MARINA
That I am pretty.
Bawd
Come, the gods have done their part in you.
MARINA
I accuse them not.
Bawd
You are light into my hands, where you are like to live.
MARINA
The more my faultTo scape his hands where I was like to die.
Bawd
Ay, and you shall live in pleasure.
MARINA
No.
Bawd
Yes, indeed shall you, and taste gentlemen of allfashions: you shall fare well; you shall have thedifference of all complexions. What! do you stop your ears?
MARINA
Are you a woman?
Bawd
What would you have me be, an I be not a woman?
MARINA
An honest woman, or not a woman.
Bawd
Marry, whip thee, gosling: I think I shall havesomething to do with you. Come, you're a youngfoolish sapling, and must be bowed as I would haveyou.
MARINA
The gods defend me!
Bawd
If it please the gods to defend you by men, then menmust comfort you, men must feed you, men must stiryou up. Boult's returned.
Re-enter BOULT
Bawd
Now, sir, hast thou cried her through the market?
BOULT
I have cried her almost to the number of her hairs;I have drawn her picture with my voice.
Bawd
And I prithee tell me, how dost thou find theinclination of the people, especially of the younger sort?
BOULT
'Faith, they listened to me as they would havehearkened to their father's testament. There was aSpaniard's mouth so watered, that he went to bed toher very description.
Bawd
We shall have him here to-morrow with his best ruff on.
BOULT
To-night, to-night. But, mistress, do you know theFrench knight that cowers i' the hams?
Bawd
Who, Monsieur Veroles?
BOULT
Ay, he: he offered to cut a caper at theproclamation; but he made a groan at it, and sworehe would see her to-morrow.
Bawd
Well, well; as for him, he brought his diseasehither: here he does but repair it. I know he willcome in our shadow, to scatter his crowns in thesun.
BOULT
Well, if we had of every nation a traveller, weshould lodge them with this sign.
Bawd
[To MARINA] Pray you, come hither awhile. Youhave fortunes coming upon you. Mark me: you mustseem to do that fearfully which you commitwillingly, despise profit where you have most gain.To weep that you live as ye do makes pity in yourlovers: seldom but that pity begets you a goodopinion, and that opinion a mere profit.
MARINA
I understand you not.
BOULT
O, take her home, mistress, take her home: theseblushes of hers must be quenched with some present practise.
Bawd
Thou sayest true, i' faith, so they must; for yourbride goes to that with shame which is her way to gowith warrant.
BOULT
'Faith, some do, and some do not. But, mistress, ifI have bargained for the joint,--
Bawd
Thou mayst cut a morsel off the spit.
BOULT
I may so.
Bawd
Who should deny it? Come, young one, I like themanner of your garments well.
BOULT
Ay, by my faith, they shall not be changed yet.
Bawd
Boult, spend thou that in the town: report what asojourner we have; you'll lose nothing by custom.When nature flamed this piece, she meant thee a goodturn; therefore say what a paragon she is, and thouhast the harvest out of thine own report.
BOULT
I warrant you, mistress, thunder shall not so awakethe beds of eels as my giving out her beauty stir upthe lewdly-inclined. I'll bring home some to-night.
Bawd
Come your ways; follow me.
MARINA
If fires be hot, knives sharp, or waters deep,Untied I still my virgin knot will keep.Diana, aid my purpose!
Bawd
What have we to do with Diana? Pray you, will you go with us?
Exeunt