Home
This site uses cookies
log out

All’s Well That Ends Well: Act IV, Scene 4

Sign in with Google to add your annotations.

All’s Well That Ends Well
Act IV, Scene 4

Florence . The Widow’s house .

Ann Warren as Helena

You must know I am supposed dead

Ann Warren as Helena

Mather Brown, circa 1786

  1. Enter Helen , Widow , and Diana .

Helena

1 - 14
  1. That you may well perceive I have not wrong’d you ,
  2. One of the greatest in the Christian world
  3. Shall be my surety ; ’fore whose throne ’tis needful ,
  4. Ere I can perfect mine intents , to kneel .
  5. Time was , I did him a desired office ,
  6. Dear almost as his life , which gratitude
  7. Through flinty Tartar’s bosom would peep forth ,
  8. And answer thanks . I duly am inform’d
  9. His Grace is at Marsellis , to which place
  10. We have convenient convoy . You must know
  11. I am supposed dead . The army breaking ,
  12. My husband hies him home , where heaven aiding ,
  13. And by the leave of my good lord the King ,
  14. We’ll be before our welcome .

Widow

15 - 17
  1.                              Gentle madam ,
  2. You never had a servant to whose trust
  3. Your business was more welcome .

Helena

18 - 30
  1.                                 Nor you , mistress ,
  2. Ever a friend whose thoughts more truly labor
  3. To recompense your love . Doubt not but heaven
  4. Hath brought me up to be your daughter’s dower ,
  5. As it hath fated her to be my motive
  6. And helper to a husband . But O , strange men ,
  7. That can such sweet use make of what they hate ,
  8. When saucy trusting of the cozen’d thoughts
  9. Defiles the pitchy night ; so lust doth play
  10. With what it loathes for that which is away —
  11. But more of this hereafter . You , Diana ,
  12. Under my poor instructions yet must suffer
  13. Something in my behalf .

Diana

31 - 33
  1.                         Let death and honesty
  2. Go with your impositions , I am yours
  3. Upon your will to suffer .

Helena

34 - 40
  1.                           Yet , I pray you :
  2. But with the word the time will bring on summer ,
  3. When briers shall have leaves as well as thorns ,
  4. And be as sweet as sharp . We must away :
  5. Our wagon is prepar’d , and time revives us .
  6. All’s well that ends well ! Still the fine’s the crown ;
  7. What e’er the course , the end is the renown .
  1. Exeunt .

You never had a servant to whose trust
Your business was more welcome.

1901

© 2021 Unotate.com • contact • privacy policy • Creative Commons text from PlayShakespeare.com • All illustrations are public domain or Creative Commons