The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (376 page)

To prey on nothing that doth seem as dead:

This seen, Orlando did approach the man

And found it was his brother, his elder brother.

When Orlando last left you,

he promised to return

in an hour, and, walking through the forest,

thinking through sweet and bitter thoughts of love,

what happened! He looked aside

and saw a certain object:

underneath an oak tree, whose boughs were covered with moss,

and whose top branches were old from age,

a wretchedly ragged man, with hair grown out and unkempt,

was sleeping on his back. Around his neck

a green and gold snake had wound itself

and with her nimble head, she threatened him

by moving towards his open mouth. All of a sudden

it saw Orlando and unwound itself,

gliding away

into the bushes. But under that bush’s shade

a lioness, its udders dry from nearby lion cubs,

was resting with its head on the ground, watching closely

to see if the resting man would move – it is

the royal character of the lion

to prey on nothing that looks dead.

Orlando saw the lioness and approached the man,

discovering that it was his older brother.

CELIA

O, I have heard him speak of that same brother;

And he did render him the most unnatural

That lived amongst men.

He has spoken of that brother,

whom he described as the most inhumane man

who lived among men.

OLIVER

And well he might so do,

For well I know he was unnatural.

He was right to do so,

since I know just how inhumane he was.

ROSALIND

But, to Orlando: did he leave him there,

Food to the suck'd and hungry lioness?

But as for Orlando: did he leave him there

to be food for the cubs and the lioness?

OLIVER

Twice did he turn his back and purposed so;

But kindness, nobler ever than revenge,

And nature, stronger than his just occasion,

Made him give battle to the lioness,

Who quickly fell before him: in which hurtling

From miserable slumber I awaked.

He turned away twice with the goal of doing that,

but his kindness was more noble than revenge,

and his nature was stronger than his justice,

so he fought the lioness

who quickly fell in front of him: and in that noise

I woke from my miserable slumber.

CELIA

Are you his brother?

Are you his brother?

ROSALIND

Wast you he rescued?

Were you rescued?

CELIA

Was't you that did so oft contrive to kill him?

Was it you who tried to kill him so often?

OLIVER

'Twas I; but 'tis not I I do not shame

To tell you what I was, since my conversion

So sweetly tastes, being the thing I am.

It was I, but it is not still I. I am not ashamed

to tell you who I was, since I have converted,

which tastes much better, to the thing I am now.

ROSALIND

But, for the bloody napkin?

And what about the bloody handkerchief?

OLIVER

By and by.

When from the first to last betwixt us two

Tears our recountments had most kindly bathed,

As how I came into that desert place:--

In brief, he led me to the gentle duke,

Who gave me fresh array and entertainment,

Committing me unto my brother's love;

Who led me instantly unto his cave,

There stripp'd himself, and here upon his arm

The lioness had torn some flesh away,

Which all this while had bled; and now he fainted

And cried, in fainting, upon Rosalind.

Brief, I recover'd him, bound up his wound;

And, after some small space, being strong at heart,

He sent me hither, stranger as I am,

To tell this story, that you might excuse

His broken promise, and to give this napkin

Dyed in his blood unto the shepherd youth

That he in sport doth call his Rosalind.

I’m getting there.

When we told each other what had happened between us,

we cried over our stories,

like how I came to this deserted place.

Then he led me to the gentle duke here,

who gave me fresh clothing and food,

and committed me to my brother’s love.

Orland led me to his cave,

and took off his shirt, and here on the arm

the lioness had torn some flesh away,

which was bleeding all the while. He fainted

and cried as he fainted, “Rosalind!”

I helped him and bound his wound,

and after a little time, since he is a strong man,

he sent me here, since I am a stranger,

to tell you the story so that you can excuse

his absence and broken promise. And he asked me to give this handkerchief

that was dyed in his blood to the young shepherd

he playfully called his Rosalind.

ROSALIND swoons

CELIA

Why, how now, Ganymede! sweet Ganymede!

Oh, Ganymede! Sweet Ganymede!

OLIVER

Many will swoon when they do look on blood.

Many swoon when they look at blood.

CELIA

There is more in it. Cousin Ganymede!

There is more to it than that. Cousin Ganymede!

OLIVER

Look, he recovers.

He is coming to.

ROSALIND

I would I were at home.

I wish I was at our home.

CELIA

We'll lead you thither.

I pray you, will you take him by the arm?

We will take you there.

Please, will you take his arm?

OLIVER

Be of good cheer, youth: you a man! you lack a

man's heart.

Feel better, youth. Aren’t you a man? You lack a

man’s heart.

ROSALIND

I do so, I confess it. Ah, sirrah, a body would

think this was well counterfeited! I pray you, tell

your brother how well I counterfeited. Heigh-ho!

I admit that I do. Ah, sir, someone would think

that this was well faked though! Please, tell

your brother how well I faked fainting. Ha ha!

OLIVER

This was not counterfeit: there is too great

testimony in your complexion that it was a passion

of earnest.

That was not fake:

your complexion tells too honestly that this passion

was real.

ROSALIND

Counterfeit, I assure you.

I promise you, it was fake.

OLIVER

Well then, take a good heart and counterfeit to be a man.

Then take heart, and fake being a man.

ROSALIND

So I do: but, i' faith, I should have been a woman by right.

I am: truly, I should have been born a woman.

CELIA

Come, you look paler and paler: pray you, draw

homewards. Good sir, go with us.

Come on, you look paler by the minute. Please, let’s go

towards home. Good sir, come with us.

OLIVER

That will I, for I must bear answer back

How you excuse my brother, Rosalind.

I will, for I must bring an answer back

to my brother as to if he is excused, Rosalind.

ROSALIND

I shall devise something: but, I pray you, commend

my counterfeiting to him. Will you go?

I will come up with something – but please, tell him

how well I faked. Will you come?

Exeunt

Enter TOUCHSTONE and AUDREY

TOUCHSTONE

We shall find a time, Audrey; patience, gentle Audrey.

We will find a time to marry, Audrey. Be patient, gentle Audrey.

AUDREY

Faith, the priest was good enough, for all the old

gentleman's saying.

Truly, that priest was good enough, even for all of that old

man’s words.

TOUCHSTONE

A most wicked Sir Oliver, Audrey, a most vile

Martext. But, Audrey, there is a youth here in the

forest lays claim to you.

No, he was a wicked Sir Oliver, and an evil

Martext. But Audrey, there is a youth in the

forest who claims to love you.

AUDREY

Ay, I know who 'tis; he hath no interest in me in

the world: here comes the man you mean.

Yes, I know who it is. He does not interest me in the

whole world. Here comes the man you are talking about.

TOUCHSTONE

It is meat and drink to me to see a clown: by my

troth, we that have good wits have much to answer

for; we shall be flouting; we cannot hold.

I love meeting a country clown. Truly,

we who have good wits have much to apologize