Act 2. Scene IV

SCENE IV. Milan. The DUKE's palace.

Enter SILVIA, VALENTINE, THURIO, and SPEED
SILVIA
Servant!

VALENTINE
Mistress?

SPEED
Master, Sir Thurio frowns on you.

VALENTINE
Ay, boy, it's for love.

SPEED
Not of you.

VALENTINE
Of my mistress, then.

SPEED
'Twere good you knocked him.

Exit

SILVIA
Servant, you are sad.

VALENTINE
Indeed, madam, I seem so.

THURIO
Seem you that you are not?

VALENTINE
Haply I do.

THURIO
So do counterfeits.

VALENTINE
So do you.

THURIO
What seem I that I am not?

VALENTINE
Wise.

THURIO
What instance of the contrary?

VALENTINE
Your folly.

THURIO
And how quote you my folly?

VALENTINE
I quote it in your jerkin.

THURIO
My jerkin is a doublet.

VALENTINE
Well, then, I'll double your folly.

THURIO
How?

SILVIA
What, angry, Sir Thurio! do you change colour?

VALENTINE
Give him leave, madam; he is a kind of chameleon.

THURIO
That hath more mind to feed on your blood than live
in your air.

VALENTINE
You have said, sir.

THURIO
Ay, sir, and done too, for this time.

VALENTINE
I know it well, sir; you always end ere you begin.

SILVIA
A fine volley of words, gentlemen, and quickly shot off.

VALENTINE
'Tis indeed, madam; we thank the giver.

SILVIA
Who is that, servant?

VALENTINE
Yourself, sweet lady; for you gave the fire. Sir
Thurio borrows his wit from your ladyship's looks,
and spends what he borrows kindly in your company.

THURIO
Sir, if you spend word for word with me, I shall
make your wit bankrupt.

VALENTINE
I know it well, sir; you have an exchequer of words,
and, I think, no other treasure to give your
followers, for it appears by their bare liveries,
that they live by your bare words.

SILVIA
No more, gentlemen, no more:--here comes my father.

Enter DUKE

DUKE
Now, daughter Silvia, you are hard beset.
Sir Valentine, your father's in good health:
What say you to a letter from your friends
Of much good news?

VALENTINE
My lord, I will be thankful.
To any happy messenger from thence.

DUKE
Know ye Don Antonio, your countryman?

VALENTINE
Ay, my good lord, I know the gentleman
To be of worth and worthy estimation
And not without desert so well reputed.

DUKE
Hath he not a son?

VALENTINE
Ay, my good lord; a son that well deserves
The honour and regard of