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Home  »  The Oxford Shakespeare  »  Twelfth-Night; or, What You Will

William Shakespeare (1564–1616). The Oxford Shakespeare. 1914.

Act III. Scene III.

Twelfth-Night; or, What You Will

A Street.

Enter SEBASTIAN and ANTONIO.

Seb.I would not by my will have troubled you;

But since you make your pleasure of your pains,

I will no further chide you.

Ant.I could not stay behind you: my desire,

More sharp than filed steel, did spur me forth;

And not all love to see you,—though so much

As might have drawn one to a longer voyage,—

But jealousy what might befall your travel,

Being skilless in these parts; which to a stranger,

Unguided and unfriended, often prove

Rough and unhospitable: my willing love,

The rather by these arguments of fear,

Set forth in your pursuit.

Seb.My kind Antonio,

I can no other answer make but thanks,

And thanks, and over thanks; for oft good turns

Are shuffled off with such uncurrent pay:

But, were my worth, as is my conscience, firm,

You should find better dealing. What’s to do?

Shall we go see the reliques of this town?

Ant.To-morrow, sir: best first go see your lodging.

Seb.I am not weary, and ’tis long to night:

I pray you, let us satisfy our eyes

With the memorials and the things of fame

That do renown this city.

Ant.Would you’d pardon me;

I do not without danger walk these streets:

Once, in a sea-fight ’gainst the Count his galleys,

I did some service; of such note indeed,

That were I ta’en here it would scarce be answer’d.

Seb.Belike you slew great number of his people?

Ant.The offence is not of such a bloody nature,

Albeit the quality of the time and quarrel

Might well have given us bloody argument.

It might have since been answer’d in repaying

What we took from them; which, for traffic’s sake,

Most of our city did: only myself stood out;

For which, if I be lapsed in this place,

I shall pay dear.

Seb.Do not then walk too open.

Ant.It doth not fit me. Hold, sir; here’s my purse.

In the south suburbs. at the Elephant,

Is best to lodge: I will bespeak our diet,

Whiles you beguile the time and feed your knowledge

With viewing of the town: there shall you have me.

Seb.Why I your purse?

Ant.Haply your eye shall light upon some toy

You have desire to purchase; and your store,

I think, is not for idle markets, sir.

Seb.I’ll be your purse-bearer and leave you for an hour.

Ant.To the Elephant.

Seb.I do remember.[Exeunt.