Act 5, Scene I

SCENE I. Before OLIVIA's house.

Enter Clown and FABIAN
FABIAN
Now, as thou lovest me, let me see his letter.

Clown
Good Master Fabian, grant me another request.

FABIAN
Any thing.

Clown
Do not desire to see this letter.

FABIAN
This is, to give a dog, and in recompense desire my
dog again.

Enter DUKE ORSINO, VIOLA, CURIO, and Lords

DUKE ORSINO
Belong you to the Lady Olivia, friends?

Clown
Ay, sir; we are some of her trappings.

DUKE ORSINO
I know thee well; how dost thou, my good fellow?

Clown
Truly, sir, the better for my foes and the worse
for my friends.

DUKE ORSINO
Just the contrary; the better for thy friends.

Clown
No, sir, the worse.

DUKE ORSINO
How can that be?

Clown
Marry, sir, they praise me and make an ass of me;
now my foes tell me plainly I am an ass: so that by
my foes, sir I profit in the knowledge of myself,
and by my friends, I am abused: so that,
conclusions to be as kisses, if your four negatives
make your two affirmatives why then, the worse for
my friends and the better for my foes.

DUKE ORSINO
Why, this is excellent.

Clown
By my troth, sir, no; though it please you to be
one of my friends.

DUKE ORSINO
Thou shalt not be the worse for me: there's gold.

Clown
But that it would be double-dealing, sir, I would
you could make it another.

DUKE ORSINO
O, you give me ill counsel.

Clown
Put your grace in your pocket, sir, for this once,
and let your flesh and blood obey it.

DUKE ORSINO
Well, I will be so much a sinner, to be a
double-dealer: there's another.

Clown
Primo, secundo, tertio, is a good play; and the old
saying is, the third pays for all: the triplex,
sir, is a good tripping measure; or the bells of
Saint Bennet, sir, may put you in mind; one, two, three.

DUKE ORSINO
You can fool no more money out of me at this throw:
if you will let your lady know I am here to speak
with her, and bring her along with you, it may awake
my bounty further.

Clown
Marry, sir, lullaby to your bounty till I come
again. I go, sir; but I would not have you to think
that my desire of having is the sin of covetousness:
but, as you say, sir, let your bounty take a nap, I
will awake it anon.

Exit

VIOLA
Here comes the man, sir, that did rescue me.

Enter ANTONIO and Officers

DUKE ORSINO
That face of his I do remember well;
Yet, when I saw it last, it was besmear'd
As black as Vulcan in the smoke of war:
A bawbling vessel was he captain of,
For