Act 1, Scene II

SCENE II. The same.

Enter DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO and MOTH
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
Boy, what sign is it when a man of great spirit
grows melancholy?

MOTH
A great sign, sir, that he will look sad.
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
Why, sadness is one and the self-same thing, dear imp.

MOTH
No, no; O Lord, sir, no.
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
How canst thou part sadness and melancholy, my
tender juvenal?

MOTH
By a familiar demonstration of the working, my tough senior.
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
Why tough senior? why tough senior?

MOTH
Why tender juvenal? why tender juvenal?
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
I spoke it, tender juvenal, as a congruent epitheton
appertaining to thy young days, which we may
nominate tender.

MOTH
And I, tough senior, as an appertinent title to your
old time, which we may name tough.
DON ADRIANO DE

ARMADO
Pretty and apt.

MOTH
How mean you, sir? I pretty, and my saying apt? or
I apt, and my saying pretty?
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
Thou pretty, because little.

MOTH
Little pretty, because little. Wherefore apt?
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
And therefore apt, because quick.

MOTH
Speak you this in my praise, master?
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
In thy condign praise.

MOTH
I will praise an eel with the same praise.
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
What, that an eel is ingenious?

MOTH
That an eel is quick.
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
I do say thou art quick in answers: thou heatest my blood.

MOTH
I am answered, sir.
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
I love not to be crossed.

MOTH
[Aside] He speaks the mere contrary; crosses love not him.
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
I have promised to study three years with the duke.

MOTH
You may do it in an hour, sir.
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
Impossible.

MOTH
How many is one thrice told?
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
I am ill at reckoning; it fitteth the spirit of a tapster.

MOTH
You are a gentleman and a gamester, sir.
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
I confess both: they are both the varnish of a
complete man.

MOTH
Then, I am sure, you know how much the gross sum of
deuce-ace amounts to.
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
It doth amount to one more than two.

MOTH
Which the base vulgar do call three.
DON

ADRIANO DE ARMADO
True.

MOTH
Why, sir, is this such a piece of study? Now here
is three studied, ere ye'll thrice wink: and how
easy it is