Two Gentlemen of Verona — Act 2, Scene 7

JULIA

Counsel, Lucetta; gentle girl, assist me;And even in kind love I do conjure thee,Who art the table wherein all my thoughtsAre visibly character'd and engraved,To lesson me and tell me some good meanHow, with my honour, I may undertakeA journey to my loving Proteus.

LUCETTA

Alas, the way is wearisome and long!

JULIA

A true-devoted pilgrim is not wearyTo measure kingdoms with his feeble steps;Much less shall she that hath Love's wings to fly,And when the flight is made to one so dear,Of such divine perfection, as Sir Proteus.

LUCETTA

Better forbear till Proteus make return.

JULIA

O, know'st thou not his looks are my soul's food?Pity the dearth that I have pined in,By longing for that food so long a time.Didst thou but know the inly touch of love,Thou wouldst as soon go kindle fire with snowAs seek to quench the fire of love with words.

LUCETTA

I do not seek to quench your love's hot fire,But qualify the fire's extreme rage,Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason.

JULIA

The more thou damm'st it up, the more it burns.The current that with gentle murmur glides,Thou know'st, being stopp'd, impatiently doth rage;But when his fair course is not hindered,He makes sweet music with the enamell'ed stones,Giving a gentle kiss to every sedgeHe overtaketh in his pilgrimage,And so by many winding nooks he straysWith willing sport to the wild ocean.Then let me go and hinder not my courseI'll be as patient as a gentle streamAnd make a pastime of each weary step,Till the last step have brought me to my love;And there I'll rest, as after much turmoilA blessed soul doth in Elysium.

LUCETTA

But in what habit will you go along?

JULIA

Not like a woman; for I would preventThe loose encounters of lascivious men:Gentle Lucetta, fit me with such weedsAs may beseem some well-reputed page.

LUCETTA

Why, then, your ladyship must cut your hair.

JULIA

No, girl, I'll knit it up in silken stringsWith twenty odd-conceited true-love knots.To be fantastic may become a youthOf greater time than I shall show to be.

LUCETTA

What fashion, madam shall I make your breeches?

JULIA

That fits as well as 'Tell me, good my lord,What compass will you wear your farthingale?'Why even what fashion thou best likest, Lucetta.

LUCETTA

You must needs have them with a codpiece, madam.

JULIA

Out, out, Lucetta! that would be ill-favour'd.

LUCETTA

A round hose, madam, now's not worth a pin,Unless you have a codpiece to stick pins on.

JULIA

Lucetta, as thou lovest me, let me haveWhat thou thinkest meet and is most mannerly.But tell me, wench, how will the world repute meFor undertaking so unstaid a journey?I fear me, it will make me scandalized.

LUCETTA

If you think so, then stay at home and go not.

JULIA

Nay, that I will not.

LUCETTA

Then never dream on infamy, but go.If Proteus like your journey when you come,No matter who's displeased when you are gone:I fear me, he will scarce be pleased withal.

JULIA

That is the least, Lucetta, of my fear:A thousand oaths, an ocean of his tearsAnd instances of infinite of loveWarrant me welcome to my Proteus.

LUCETTA

All these are servants to deceitful men.

JULIA

Base men, that use them to so base effect!But truer stars did govern Proteus' birthHis words are bonds, his oaths are oracles,His love sincere, his thoughts immaculate,His tears pure messengers sent from his heart,His heart as far from fraud as heaven from earth.

LUCETTA

Pray heaven he prove so, when you come to him!

JULIA

Now, as thou lovest me, do him not that wrongTo bear a hard opinion of his truth:Only deserve my love by loving him;And presently go with me to my chamber,To take a note of what I stand in need of,To furnish me upon my longing journey.All that is mine I leave at thy dispose,My goods, my lands, my reputation;Only, in lieu thereof, dispatch me hence.Come, answer not, but to it presently!I am impatient of my tarriance.