Act 3 — Scene IV.[2728]
Reading edition
Scene IV.[2728]
Enter Pietro, Ferrardo, Prepasso, and Three Pages.
Fer. The dogs are at a fault.
Cornets like horns.
Pietro. Would God nothing but the dogs were at it! Let the deer pursue safety,[2729] the dogs follow the game, and do you follow the dogs: as for me, ’t is unfit one beast should hunt another;5 I ha’ one chaseth me: an ’t please you, I would be rid of ye a little.
Fer. Would your grief would, as soon as we, leave you to quietness!
Pietro. I thank you.10 Exeunt [Ferrardo and Prepasso]. Boy, what dost thou dream of now?
1 Page. Of a dry summer, my lord; for here’s a hot world towards: but, my lord, I had a strange dream last night.
Pietro. What strange dream?15
1 Page. Why, methought I pleased you with singing, and then I dreamt that you gave me that short sword.
Pietro. Prettily begged: hold thee, I’ll prove thy dream true; take ’t.20
[Giving sword.]
1 Page. My duty: but still I dreamt on, my lord; and methought, an ’t shall please your excellency, you would needs out of your royal bounty give me that jewel in your hat.
Pietro. O, thou didst but dream, boy; do25 not believe it: dreams prove not always true; they may hold in a short sword, but not in a jewel. But now, sir, you dreamt you had pleased me with singing; make that true, as I ha’ made the other.30
1 Page. Faith, my lord, I did but dream, and dreams, you say, prove not always true; they may hold in a good sword, but not in a good song. The truth is, I ha’ lost my voice.
Pietro. Lost thy voice! How?35
1 Page. With dreaming, faith: but here ’s a couple of sirenical rascals shall enchant ye. What shall they sing, my good lord?
Pietro. Sing of the nature of women: and then the song shall be surely full of variety,40 old crotchets, and most sweet closes; it shall be humorous, grave, fantastic, amorous, melancholy, sprightly, one in all, and all in one.
1 Page. All in one!
Pietro. By ’r lady, too many. Sing: my45 speech grows culpable of unthrifty idleness:[2730] sing.
Song [by 2 and 3 Pages].