Act 4, Scene V

SCENE V. Rousillon. The COUNT's palace.

Enter COUNTESS, LAFEU, and Clown
LAFEU
No, no, no, your son was misled with a snipt-taffeta
fellow there, whose villanous saffron would have
made all the unbaked and doughy youth of a nation in
his colour: your daughter-in-law had been alive at
this hour, and your son here at home, more advanced
by the king than by that red-tailed humble-bee I speak of.

COUNTESS
I would I had not known him; it was the death of the
most virtuous gentlewoman that ever nature had
praise for creating. If she had partaken of my
flesh, and cost me the dearest groans of a mother, I
could not have owed her a more rooted love.

LAFEU
'Twas a good lady, 'twas a good lady: we may pick a
thousand salads ere we light on such another herb.

Clown
Indeed, sir, she was the sweet marjoram of the
salad, or rather, the herb of grace.

LAFEU
They are not herbs, you knave; they are nose-herbs.

Clown
I am no great Nebuchadnezzar, sir; I have not much
skill in grass.

LAFEU
Whether dost thou profess thyself, a knave or a fool?

Clown
A fool, sir, at a woman's service, and a knave at a man's.

LAFEU
Your distinction?

Clown
I would cozen the man of his wife and do his service.

LAFEU
So you were a knave at his service, indeed.

Clown
And I would give his wife my bauble, sir, to do her service.

LAFEU
I will subscribe for thee, thou art both knave and fool.

Clown
At your service.

LAFEU
No, no, no.

Clown
Why, sir, if I cannot serve you, I can serve as
great a prince as you are.

LAFEU
Who's that? a Frenchman?

Clown
Faith, sir, a' has an English name; but his fisnomy
is more hotter in France than there.

LAFEU
What prince is that?

Clown
The black prince, sir; alias, the prince of
darkness; alias, the devil.

LAFEU
Hold thee, there's my purse: I give thee not this
to suggest thee from thy master thou talkest of;
serve him still.

Clown
I am a woodland fellow, sir, that always loved a
great fire; and the master I speak of ever keeps a
good fire. But, sure, he is the prince of the
world; let his nobility remain in's court. I am for
the house with the narrow gate, which I take to be
too little for pomp to enter: some that humble
themselves may; but the many will be too chill and
tender, and they'll be for the flowery way that
leads to the broad gate and the great fire.

LAFEU
Go thy ways, I begin to be aweary of thee; and I
tell thee so before, because I would not fall out
with thee. Go thy ways: let my horses be well