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Florence. The Widow's house.
[Enter HELENA and Widow]
HELENA
,
, ,
, ,
If you | misdoubt | me that | I am / not she,
,
, , 2 ,
,
I know | not^how | I shall as|sure you | further,
,
, ,
, ,
But I | shall lose | the grounds | I work | upon.
WIDOW
, ,
x ,
,
Though my | estate | be fallen,| I was / well
born,
,
, ,
, ,
Nothing | acquaint|ed with | these bus|inesses;
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, , ,
,
And would | not put | my rep|uta|tion now
,
, ,
In an|y stain|ing act.
HELENA
, 2 ,
Nor would I | wish you.
T T
. T
, , 2
,
First give me trust,| the count | he is my |
husband,
,
2 ,
, , ,
And what | to your sworn | counsel | I have |
spoken,
,
, ,
, 2 ,
Is so | from word | to word:| and then | you
cannot,
2 ,
, ,
, ,
By the good | aid that | I of | you shall |
borrow,
, 2
, ,
Err in be|stowing | it.
WIDOW
, ,
I | should be|lieve you:
,
, , ,
,
For you | have showed | me that | which well |
approves
, ,
You're great | in for|tune.
HELENA
, ,
,
Take | this purse | of gold,
,
, , , ,
And let | me buy | your friend|ly help |
thus^far,
,
, ,
, ,
Which I | will ov|er-pay,| and pay | again
,
x ,
, , o
When I | have found it.| The count | he wooes |
your daught|er,
T T .
T ,
, ,
o
Lays down his want|on siege | before | her
beaut|y, (hex with prev)
,
, 2 ,
2 , ,
Resolved | to car|ry her: let | her in fine |
consent
,
, ,
, x
As we'll | direct | her how |'tis best | to bear
it:
,
, ,
, ,
Now his | impor|tant blood | will nought | deny,
, ,
, ,
,
That she'll | demand:| a ring | the count|y
wears,
,
, ,
, ,
That down|ward hath | succeed|ed in | his house
,
, ,
, ,
From son | to son,| some four | or five |
descents,
T .
T T ,
, ,
Since the first father | wore it.| This ring | he
holds
. T T T
, , ,
In most rich choice:| yet in | his id|le fire,
, ,
, ,
,
To buy | his will,| it would / not seem | too*
dear,
,
, ,
Howere | repent|ed aft|er. \\
WIDOW
, ,
, ,
,
Now I | see the | bottom | of your | purpose.
HELENA
,
, ,
, ,
You see | it law|ful then,| it is | no* more,
,
, , ,
,
But that | your daught|er ere | she (seems | as
won),
,
, , ,
2 ,
Desires | this^ring;| appoints | him an
en|counter;
,
, ,
, ,
In fine,| deliv|ers me | to fill | the time,
,
, , o
,
Herself | most chaste|ly ab|sent: | after
, ,
, T Tx
T
To mar|ry her,/ I'll add | three thousand crowns
x
, ,
To what is | passed al|ready.
WIDOW
, ,
I have | yielded:
,
, , ,
x
Instruct | my daught|er how | she shall |
persever,
,
, , 2 ,
,
That time | and place | with this de|ceit so |
lawful
,
, , ,
,
May prove | coher|ent. Eve|ry night | he comes
,
, , ,
,
With mus|ics of / all sorts,| and songs |
composed
,
, ,
, x
To her | unworth|iness:| it noth|ing steads us
,
, ,
, ,
To chide | him from | our eaves,| for he |
persists
, ,
x
As if | his life | lay on it.
HELENA
, ,
Why then | tonight
,
, ,
, ,
Let us | assay | our plot,| which if | it speed,
,
, , ,
,
Is wick|ed mean|ing in | a law|ful deed;
, ,
, , ,
And law|ful mean|ing in | a law|ful act,
, T T .
T ,
,
Where both | not sin, and yet | a sin|ful fact.
,
x
But let's | about it. \\
[Exeunt]