All’s Well That Ends Well
Act 5, Scene 2
Roussillon. Before the Count’s palace.
Pray you, sir, deliver me this paper.
John Thurston, 1825
- Enter Clown Lavatch and Parolles.
Parolles
2 - 6- Good Master Lavatch, give my Lord Lafew this letter. I have
- ere now, sir, been better known to you, when I have held
- familiarity with fresher clothes; but I am now, sir, muddied
- in Fortune’s mood, and smell somewhat strong of her strong
- displeasure.
Lavatch
7 - 9- Truly, Fortune’s displeasure is but sluttish if it smell so
- strongly as thou speak’st of. I will henceforth eat no fish
- of Fortune’s butt’ring. Prithee allow the wind.
Parolles
10 - 11- Nay, you need not to stop your nose, sir; I spake but by a
- metaphor.
Lavatch
12 - 13- Indeed, sir, if your metaphor stink, I will stop my nose, or
- against any man’s metaphor. Prithee get thee further.
Parolles
14- Pray you, sir, deliver me this paper.
Lavatch
15 - 24- Foh, prithee stand away. A paper from Fortune’s close-stool
- to give to a nobleman! Look here he comes himself.
- Enter Lafew.
- Here is a purr of Fortune’s, sir, or of Fortune’s cat—but
- not a musk-cat—that has fall’n into the unclean fishpond of
- her displeasure, and as he says, is muddied withal. Pray
- you, sir, use the carp as you may, for he looks like a poor,
- decay’d, ingenious, foolish, rascally knave. I do pity his
- distress in my similes of comfort, and leave him to your
- lordship.
- Exit.
Parolles
26- My lord, I am a man whom Fortune hath cruelly scratch’d.
Lafew
27 - 32- And what would you have me to do? ’Tis too late to pare her
- nails now. Wherein have you play’d the knave with Fortune
- that she should scratch you, who of herself is a good lady,
- and would not have knaves thrive long under her? There’s a
- cardecue for you. Let the justices make you and Fortune
- friends; I am for other business.
Parolles
33- I beseech your honor to hear me one single word.
Lafew
34 - 35- You beg a single penny more. Come, you shall ha’t; save your
- word.
Parolles
36- My name, my good lord, is Parolles.
Lafew
37 - 38- You beg more than “word” then. Cox my passion! Give me your
- hand. How does your drum?
Parolles
39- O my good lord, you were the first that found me!
Lafew
40- Was I, in sooth? And I was the first that lost thee.
Parolles
41 - 42- It lies in you, my lord, to bring me in some grace, for you
- did bring me out.
Lafew
43 - 49- Out upon thee, knave! Dost thou put upon me at once both the
- office of God and the devil? One brings thee in grace, and
- the other brings thee out.
- Trumpets sound.
- The King’s coming, I know by his trumpets. Sirrah, inquire
- further after me. I had talk of you last night; though you
- are a fool and a knave, you shall eat. Go to, follow.
Parolles
50- I praise God for you.
- Exeunt.
Foh, prithee stand away.
Edwin Austin Abbey, 1891