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you have a quick wit。 SPEED。 And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse。
PROTEUS。 Come； come； open the matter； in brief； what said she？ SPEED。
Open your purse； that the money and the matter may be both at once
delivered。 PROTEUS。 Well； sir； here is for your pains。 What said she？
SPEED。 Truly； sir； I think you'll hardly win her。 PROTEUS。 Why； couldst
thou perceive so much from her？ SPEED。 Sir； I could perceive nothing at
all from her； no； not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter； and
being so hard to me that brought your mind； I fear she'll prove as hard to
you in telling your mind。 Give her no token but stones； for she's as hard as
steel。 PROTEUS。 What said she？ Nothing？ SPEED。 No； not so much as
'Take this for thy pains。' To testify
your bounty； I thank you； you have testern'd me； in requital whereof；
henceforth carry your letters yourself； and so； sir； I'll commend you to my
master。 PROTEUS。 Go； go； be gone； to save your ship from wreck； Which
cannot perish； having thee aboard； Being destin'd to a drier death on shore。
Exit SPEED I must go send some better messenger。 I fear my Julia would
not deign my lines； Receiving them from such a worthless post。 Exit
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THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
SCENE II。 Verona。 The garden Of JULIA'S house
Enter JULIA and LUCETTA
JULIA。 But say； Lucetta； now we are alone； Wouldst thou then
counsel me to fall in love？ LUCETTA。 Ay； madam； so you stumble not
unheedfully。 JULIA。 Of all the fair resort of gentlemen That every day
with parle encounter me； In thy opinion which is worthiest love？
LUCETTA。 Please you； repeat their names； I'll show my mind According
to my shallow simple skill。 JULIA。 What think'st thou of the fair Sir
Eglamour？ LUCETTA。 As of a knight well…spoken； neat； and fine； But；
were I you； he never should be mine。 JULIA。 What think'st thou of the
rich Mercatio？ LUCETTA。 Well of his wealth； but of himself； so so。
JULIA。 What think'st thou of the gentle Proteus？ LUCETTA。 Lord； Lord！
to see what folly reigns in us！ JULIA。 How now！ what means this passion
at his name？ LUCETTA。 Pardon； dear madam； 'tis a passing shame That I；
unworthy body as I am； Should censure thus on lovely gentlemen。 JULIA。
Why not on Proteus； as of all the rest？ LUCETTA。 Then thus： of many
good I think him best。 JULIA。 Your reason？ LUCETTA。 I have no other
but a woman's reason： I think him so； because I think him so。 JULIA。 And
wouldst thou have me cast my love on him？ LUCETTA。 Ay； if you
thought your love not cast away。 JULIA。 Why； he； of all the rest； hath
never mov'd me。 LUCETTA。 Yet he； of all the rest； I think； best loves ye。
JULIA。 His little speaking shows his love but small。 LUCETTA。 Fire
that's closest kept burns most of all。 JULIA。 They do not love that do not
show their love。 LUCETTA。 O； they love least that let men know their
love。 JULIA。 I would I knew his mind。 LUCETTA。 Peruse this paper；
madam。 JULIA。 'To Julia'… Say； from whom？ LUCETTA。 That the
contents will show。 JULIA。 Say； say； who gave it thee？ LUCETTA。 Sir
Valentine's page； and sent； I think； from Proteus。 He would have given it
you； but I； being in the way； Did in your name receive it； pardon the fault；
I pray。 JULIA。 Now； by my modesty； a goodly broker！ Dare you presume
to harbour wanton lines？ To whisper and conspire against my youth？ Now；
trust me； 'tis an office of great worth； And you an officer fit for the place。
There； take the paper； see it be return'd； Or else return no more into my
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THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
sight。 LUCETTA。 To plead for love deserves more fee than hate。 JULIA。
Will ye be gone？ LUCETTA。 That you may ruminate。 Exit JULIA。 And
yet； I would I had o'erlook'd the letter。 It were a shame to call her back
again； And pray her to a fault for which I chid her。 What fool is she； that
knows I am a maid And would not force the letter to my view！ Since
maids； in modesty； say 'No' to that Which they would have the profferer
construe 'Ay。' Fie； fie； how wayward is this foolish love； That like a testy
babe will scratch the nurse； And presently； all humbled； kiss the rod！ How
churlishly I chid Lucetta hence； When willingly I would have had her here！
How angerly I taught my brow to frown； When inward joy enforc'd my
heart to smile！ My penance is to call Lucetta back And ask remission for
my folly past。 What ho！ Lucetta！
Re…enter LUCETTA
LUCETTA。 What would your ladyship？ JULIA。 Is't near dinner time？
LUCETTA。 I would it were； That you might kill your stomach on your
meat And not upon your maid。 JULIA。 What is't that you took up so
gingerly？ LUCETTA。 Nothing。 JULIA。 Why didst thou stoop then？
LUCETTA。 To take a paper up that I let fall。 JULIA。 And is that paper
nothing？ LUCETTA。 Nothing concerning me。 JULIA。 Then let it lie for
those that it concerns。 LUCETTA。 Madam； it will not lie where it concerns；
Unless it have a false interpreter。 JULIA。 Some love of yours hath writ to
you in rhyme。 LUCETTA。 That I might sing it； madam； to a tune。 Give me
a note； your ladyship can set。 JULIA。 As little by such toys as may be
possible。 Best sing it to the tune of 'Light o' Love。' LUCETTA。 It is too
heavy for so light a tune。 JULIA。 Heavy！ belike it hath some burden then。
LUCETTA。 Ay； and melodious were it； would you sing it。 JULIA。 And
why not you？ LUCETTA。 I cannot reach so high。 JULIA。 Let's see your
song。 ＇LUCETTA withholds the letter＇ How now； minion！ LUCETTA。
Keep tune there still； so you will sing it out。 And yet methinks I do not like
this tune。 JULIA。 You do not！ LUCETTA。 No； madam； 'tis too sharp。
JULIA。 You； minion； are too saucy。 LUCETTA。 Nay； now you are too flat
And mar the concord with too harsh a descant； There wanteth but a mean
to fill your song。 JULIA。 The mean is drown'd with your unruly bass。
LUCETTA。 Indeed； I bid the base for Proteus。 JULIA。 This babble shall
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THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
not henceforth trouble me。 Here