Act 2 — Scene I.[3196]

Phi. And thou shalt find her honourable, boy; Full of regard unto thy tender youth, For thine own modesty; and, for my sake, Apter to give than thou wilt be to ask, Ay, or deserve. Bel. Sir, you did take me up5 When I was nothing; and only yet am something By being yours. You trusted me unknown; And that which you were apt to conster[3197] A simple innocence in me, perhaps Might have been craft, the cunning of a boy10 Hard’ned in lies and theft: yet ventur’d you To part my miseries and me: for which, I never can expect to serve a lady That bears more honour in her breast than you. Phi. But, boy, it will prefer[3198] thee. Thou art young,15 And bear’st a childish overflowing love To them that clap thy cheeks and speak thee fair yet; But when thy judgment comes to rule those passions, Thou wilt remember best those careful friends That plac’d thee in the noblest way of life.20 She is a princess I prefer thee to. Bel. In that small time that I have seen the world, I never knew a man hasty to part With a servant he thought trusty. I remember, My father would prefer the boys he kept25 To greater men than he; but did it not Till they were grown too saucy for himself. Phi. Why, gentle boy, I find no fault at all In thy behaviour. Bel. Sir, if I have made A fault in ignorance, instruct my youth:30 I shall be willing, if not apt, to learn; Age and experience will adorn my mind With larger knowledge; and if I have done A wilful fault, think me not past all hope For once. What master holds so strict a hand35 Over his boy, that he will part with him Without one warning? Let me be corrected To break my stubbornness, if it be so, Rather than turn me off; and I shall mend.39 Phi. Thy love doth plead so prettily to stay, That, trust me, I could weep to part with thee. Alas, I do not turn thee off! Thou knowest It is my business that doth call thee hence; And when thou art with her, thou dwell’st with me, Think so, and ’t is so; and when time is full,45 That thou hast well discharg’d this heavy trust, Laid on so weak a one, I will again With joy receive thee; as I live, I will! Nay, weep not, gentle boy. ’T is more than time Thou didst attend the princess. Bel. I am gone.50 But since I am to part with you, my lord, And none knows whether I shall live to do More service for you, take this little prayer: Heaven bless your loves, your fights, all your designs!54 May sick men, if they have your wish, be well; And Heaven hate those you curse, though I be one! Exit. Phi. The love of boys unto their lords is strange; I have read wonders of it: yet this boy For my sake (if a man may judge by looks And speech) would out-do story. I may see60 A day to pay him for his loyalty. Exit.