The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (569 page)

I never spoke a bad word, or did a bad turn,

to any living creature: believe me, sir,

I never killed a mouse, or hurt a fly:

I trod on a worm by accident,

and it upset me. What have I done

that makes her think my death would be good for her,

or that my living is any threat to her?

LEONINE

My commission

Is not to reason of the deed, but do it.

My orders

are not to justify the deed, but to do it.

MARINA

You will not do't for all the world, I hope.

You are well favour'd, and your looks foreshow

You have a gentle heart. I saw you lately,

When you caught hurt in parting two that fought:

Good sooth, it show'd well in you: do so now:

Your lady seeks my life; come you between,

And save poor me, the weaker.

I hope you will not do it for all the world.

You are handsome, and your looks show

that you have a gentle heart. I saw you recently,

when you got hurt in stopping two others fighting:

it really was to your credit: do the same now:

your lady wants my life; come between us,

and save poor me, the weaker one.

LEONINE

I am sworn,

And will dispatch.

He seizes her

Enter Pirates

I have sworn I'll do it,

and I'll follow through.

First Pirate

Hold, villain!

LEONINE runs away

Stop, villain!

Second Pirate

A prize! a prize!

A prize! A prize!

Third Pirate

Half-part, mates, half-part.

Come, let's have her aboard suddenly.

Exeunt Pirates with MARINA

Re-enter LEONINE

Half shares, mates, half shares.

come on, let's get her on board quickly.

LEONINE

These roguing thieves serve the great pirate Valdes;

And they have seized Marina. Let her go:

There's no hope she will return. I'll swear

she's dead,

And thrown into the sea. But I'll see further:

Perhaps they will but please themselves upon her,

Not carry her aboard. If she remain,

Whom they have ravish'd must by me be slain.

Exit

These roving thieves serve the great pirate Valdes;

and they have seized Marina. Let her go:

she has no hope of returning. I will swear

that she is dead,

and thrown into the sea. But I'll watch them:

perhaps they will just rape her,

and not take her on board. If she stays here,

the one they have raped must be killed by me.

Enter Pandar, Bawd, and BOULT

Pandar

Boult!

Boult!

BOULT

Sir?

Sir?

Pandar

Search the market narrowly; Mytilene is full of

gallants. We lost too much money this mart by being

too wenchless.

Search the  slave market carefully; Mytilene is full of

randy young men. We lost too much money this market day

through not having enough girls.

Bawd

We were never so much out of creatures. We have but

poor three, and they can do no more than they can

do; and they with continual action are even as good as rotten.

We never had such a shortage of them. We've only got

three poor ones, and they can't do more than they are;

and with continuous work they're pretty much worn out.

Pandar

Therefore let's have fresh ones, whate'er we pay for

them. If there be not a conscience to be used in

every trade, we shall never prosper.

So let's get some fresh ones, whatever we have to pay

for them. If we don't follow good business principles,

we'll never turn a profit.

Bawd

Thou sayest true: 'tis not our bringing up of poor

bastards,--as, I think, I have brought up some eleven--

You speak the truth: it's not the way we raise the poor

bastards–I think I've brought up about eleven–

BOULT

Ay, to eleven; and brought them down again. But

shall I search the market?

Yes, to the age of eleven, and then ruined them again.

But shall I search the market?

Bawd

What else, man? The stuff we have, a strong wind

will blow it to pieces, they are so pitifully sodden.

What else can we do, man? This stuff we have, a strong wind

would blow to pieces, they are soaked through.

Pandar

Thou sayest true; they're too unwholesome, o'

conscience. The poor Transylvanian is dead, that

lay with the little baggage.

You're telling the truth; they are riddled with disease,

to be honest. The poor Transylvanian is dead

the one who slept with the little baggage.

BOULT

Ay, she quickly pooped him; she made him roast-meat

for worms. But I'll go search the market.

Exit

Yes, she quickly ruined him; she made him a dinner

for the worms. But I'll go and search the market.

Pandar

Three or four thousand chequins were as pretty a

proportion to live quietly, and so give over.

Three or four thousand gold coins would be a nice

nest egg for a quiet life, so one could retire.

Bawd

Why to give over, I pray you? is it a shame to get

when we are old?

Why retire, may I ask? Is it shameful to still make

money when we are old?

Pandar

O, our credit comes not in like the commodity, nor

the commodity wages not with the danger: therefore,

if in our youths we could pick up some pretty

estate, 'twere not amiss to keep our door hatched.

Besides, the sore terms we stand upon with the gods

will be strong with us for giving over.

Oh, we don't get credit in the same way as we get profits,

the two do not match each other: therefore,

if when we are young we can pick up some nice

property, it wouldn't be a bad thing to close down the business.

Besides, the bad standing we have with the gods

is a good reason to pack it in.

Bawd

Come, other sorts offend as well as we.

Come now, there are others who are just as bad as us.

Pandar

As well as we! ay, and better too; we offend worse.

Neither is our profession any trade; it's no

calling. But here comes Boult.

Re-enter BOULT, with the Pirates and MARINA

As bad as us! Yes and better ones; we are the worst offenders.

And our profession is not a trade; it's not

a calling. But here comes Boult.

BOULT

[To MARINA] Come your ways. My masters, you say

she's a virgin?

Come along. My masters, you say

she is a virgin?

First Pirate

O, sir, we doubt it not.

No doubt about it, sir.

BOULT

Master, I have gone through for this piece, you see:

if you like her, so; if not, I have lost my earnest.

Master, I have made a deal for this piece here:

if you like her, good; if not, I have lost my deposit.

Bawd

Boult, has she any qualities?

Boult, does she have any accomplishments?

BOULT

She has a good face, speaks well, and has excellent

good clothes: there's no further necessity of

qualities can make her be refused.

She has a good face, speaks well, and has very

good clothes: no lack of accomplishment

would be grounds for turning her down.

Bawd

What's her price, Boult?

How much is she, Boult?

BOULT

I cannot be bated one doit of a thousand pieces.

I can't get her for a cent less than a thousand gold pieces.

Pandar

Well, follow me, my masters, you shall have your

money presently. Wife, take her in; instruct her

what she has to do, that she may not be raw in her

entertainment.

Exeunt Pandar and Pirates

Well, follow me, my masters, you will have your

money shortly. Wife, take her inside; show her

what she has to do, so that she won't be inexperienced

when she starts work.

Bawd

Boult, take you the marks of her, the colour of her

hair, complexion, height, age, with warrant of her

virginity; and cry 'He that will give most shall

have her first.' Such a maidenhead were no cheap

thing, if men were as they have been. Get this done

as I command you.

Boult, you make a note of her appearance, the colour of her

hair, complexion, height, age, and her guaranteed

virginity; go and announce, ‘Whoever pays the most

will have her first.' Such virginity will fetch a good

price, if men are the same as ever. Do as I

tell you.

BOULT

Performance shall follow.

Exit

I shall do so.

MARINA

Alack that Leonine was so slack, so slow!

He should have struck, not spoke; or that these pirates,

Not enough barbarous, had not o'erboard thrown me

For to seek my mother!

Alas that Leonine was so neglectful, so slow!

He should have stabbed me, not spoken; and alas

that these pirates were not more barbarous, that they