All's Well That Ends Well Translation Act 4, Scene 1
Enter Second French Lord, with five or six other Soldiers in ambush
SECOND LORD
He can come no other way but by this hedge-corner. When you sally upon him, speak what terrible language you will: though you understand it not yourselves, no matter; for we must not seem to understand him, unless some one among us whom we must produce for an interpreter.
SECOND LORD
There's no other way that he can come except by these bushes. When you ambush him, speak whatever terrible language you can. If you don't even understand the language you're speaking, it doesn't matter. We must not seem to be able to understand him except for one among us whom we put forward as our interpreter.
FIRST SOLDIER
Good captain, let me be the interpreter.
FIRST SOLDIER
Good captain, let me be the interpreter.
SECOND LORD
Art not acquainted with him? knows he not thy voice?
SECOND LORD
Don't you know him? Doesn't he know your voice?
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Get LitCharts A+FIRST SOLDIER
No, sir, I warrant you.
FIRST SOLDIER
No, sir, I promise you.
SECOND LORD
But what linsey-woolsey hast thou to speak to us again?
SECOND LORD
But what nonsense language do you have to speak back to us?
FIRST SOLDIER
E'en such as you speak to me.
FIRST SOLDIER
Whatever nonsense language you speak to me.
SECOND LORD
He must think us some band of strangers i' the adversary's entertainment. Now he hath a smack of all neighbouring languages; therefore we must every one be a man of his own fancy, not to know what we speak one to another; so we seem to know, is to know straight our purpose: choughs' language, gabble enough, and good enough. As for you, interpreter, you must seem very politic. But couch, ho! here he comes, to beguile two hours in a sleep, and then to return and swear the lies he forges.
SECOND LORD
He must be convinced that we're some group of strangers connected to our enemy. He knows a little bit of the neighboring language. Therefore we all must each speak whatever random language we know and not know what we're saying to each other. As long as we pretend to understand each other, our purpose will be served. Chatter like a crow, gabble like a goose, and that's good enough. As for you, interpreter, you must seem very wise. But hold, hey! Here he comes, to sleep for two hours and then to return and swear to the lies he makes up.
Enter PAROLLES
PAROLLES
Ten o'clock: within these three hours 'twill be time enough to go home. What shall I say I have done? It must be a very plausive invention that carries it: they begin to smoke me; and disgraces have of late knocked too often at my door. I find my tongue is too foolhardy; but my heart hath the fear of Mars before it and of his creatures, not daring the reports of my tongue.
PAROLLES
Ten o'clock. Within three hours I'll have stayed away long enough to go home. What shall I say I have done? It must be a very plausible story that I tell. They're beginning to suspect me, and I've lately had too many disgraces. I find that my tongue says whatever it wants, but my heart is afraid of Mars, the god of war, and all his soldiers, regardless of the stories my tongue tells.
SECOND LORD
This is the first truth that e'er thine own tonguewas guilty of.
SECOND LORD
[To himself] This is the first truth that your tongue has ever been guilty of.
PAROLLES
What the devil should move me to undertake the recovery of this drum, being not ignorant of the impossibility, and knowing I had no such purpose? I must give myself some hurts, and say I got them in exploit: yet slight ones will not carry it; they will say, 'Came you off with so little?' and great ones I dare not give. Wherefore, what's the instance? Tongue, I must put you into a butter-woman's mouth and buy myself another of Bajazeth's mule, if you prattle me into these perils.
PAROLLES
What the devil would make me attempt to get back this drum since I know it's impossible and I have no reason to go after it? I must inflict some wounds on myself and say I got them in the attempt. Minor wounds won't be convincing; they would say, "You escaped with just a little scratch?" and I don't dare to give myself serious wounds. Why, what's the evidence? Tongue, I must put you into the mouth of a dairy-woman and buy myself another one of Bajazeth's mules, if you keep talking me into these dangerous situations.
SECOND LORD
Is it possible he should know what he is, and bethat he is?
SECOND LORD
[To himself] Is it possible he should know what he's like and still behave the way that he does?
PAROLLES
I would the cutting of my garments would serve theturn, or the breaking of my Spanish sword.
PAROLLES
I'm thinking maybe cutting my garments would do the trick, or breaking my Spanish sword.
SECOND LORD
We cannot afford you so.
SECOND LORD
[To himself] The army can't afford that.
PAROLLES
Or the baring of my beard; and to say it was instratagem.
PAROLLES
Or cutting off my beard and saying I lost it in a fight.
SECOND LORD
'Twould not do.
SECOND LORD
[To himself] That wouldn't do.
PAROLLES
Or to drown my clothes, and say I was stripped.
PAROLLES
Or to drown my clothes and say they were stripped off me.
SECOND LORD
Hardly serve.
SECOND LORD
[To himself] That would hardly serve.
PAROLLES
Though I swore I leaped from the window of the citadel.
PAROLLES
And I'd swear that I leapt from the window of the fortress.
SECOND LORD
How deep?
SECOND LORD
[To himself] How deep?
PAROLLES
Thirty fathom.
PAROLLES
Thirty fathoms.
SECOND LORD
Three great oaths would scarce make that be believed.
SECOND LORD
[To himself] Even if you swore three great oaths, that would hardly be believable.
PAROLLES
I would I had any drum of the enemy's: I would swearI recovered it.
PAROLLES
I wish I had any drum belonging to the enemy. I would swear I had stolen it back.
SECOND LORD
You shall hear one anon.
SECOND LORD
[To himself] You'll hear one soon.
PAROLLES
A drum now of the enemy's,—
PAROLLES
A drum now of the enemy's—
Alarum within
SECOND LORD
Throca movousus, cargo, cargo, cargo.
SECOND LORD
Throca movousus, cargo, cargo, cargo.
ALL
Cargo, cargo, cargo, villiando par corbo, cargo.
ALL
Cargo, cargo, cargo, villiando par corbo, cargo.
PAROLLES
O, ransom, ransom! do not hide mine eyes.
PAROLLES
Oh, I'll pay ransom, I'll pay ransom! Don't cover my eyes!
They seize and blindfold him
FIRST SOLDIER
Boskos thromuldo boskos.
FIRST SOLDIER
Boskos thromuldo boskos.
PAROLLES
I know you are the Muskos' regiment: And I shall lose my life for want of language; If there be here German, or Dane, low Dutch, Italian, or French, let him speak to me; I'll Discover that which shall undo the Florentine.
PAROLLES
I know you are the Muscovite regiment. And I shall lose my life since I don't speak the language. If anyone here is German or Danish, Dutch, Italian, or French, let him speak to me. I'll reveal a secret that will destroy the Florentine.
FIRST SOLDIER
Boskos vauvado: I understand thee, and can speakthy tongue. Kerely bonto, sir, betake thee to thyfaith, for seventeen poniards are at thy bosom.
FIRST SOLDIER
Boskos vauvado. I understand you and I can speak your language. Kerely bonto, sir, you'd better pay for seventeen swords are pointed at your chest.
PAROLLES
O!
PAROLLES
Oh!
FIRST SOLDIER
O, pray, pray, pray! Manka revania dulche.
FIRST SOLDIER
Oh, pray, pray, pray! Manka revania dulche.
SECOND LORD
Oscorbidulchos volivorco.
SECOND LORD
Oscorbidulchos volivorco.
FIRST SOLDIER
The general is content to spare thee yet; And, hoodwink'd as thou art, will lead thee on To gather from thee: haply thou mayst inform Something to save thy life.
FIRST SOLDIER
The general is still content to spare you. And, blindfolded as you are, will lead you on to get information from you. Maybe you can share information that will save your life.
PAROLLES
O, let me live! And all the secrets of our camp I'll show, Their force, their purposes; nay, I'll speak that Which you will wonder at.
PAROLLES
Oh, let me live! And I'll reveal all the secrets of our army. How many men there are, what our plans are. No, I'll speak things that you will wonder at.
FIRST SOLDIER
But wilt thou faithfully?
FIRST SOLDIER
But will you do so honestly?
PAROLLES
If I do not, damn me.
PAROLLES
If I don't, damn me.
FIRST SOLDIER
Acordo linta.Come on; thou art granted space.
FIRST SOLDIER
Acordo linta. Come on. You are granted an audience.
Exit, with PAROLLES guarded. A short alarum within
SECOND LORD
Go, tell the Count Rousillon, and my brother,We have caught the woodcock, and will keep him muffledTill we do hear from them.
SECOND LORD
Go, tell the Count Rousillon, and my brother, we have caught the fool, and will keep him tied up until we hear from them.
SECOND SOLDIER
Captain, I will.
SECOND SOLDIER
Captain, I will.
SECOND LORD
A' will betray us all unto ourselves:Inform on that.
SECOND LORD
He will betray us all to ourselves. Let them know that.
SECOND SOLDIER
So I will, sir.
SECOND SOLDIER
So I will, sir.
SECOND LORD
Till then I'll keep him dark and safely lock'd.
SECOND LORD
Till then I'll keep him blindfolded and securely imprisoned.
Exeunt
