Page:Love's Labour's Lost (1925) Yale.djvu/26

14

and how easy it is to put 'years' to the word

'three,' and study three years in two words, the

dancing horse will tell you.

Arm. A most fine figure!

Boy. To prove you a cipher.

Arm. I will hereupon confess I am in love;

and as it is base for a soldier to love, so am I in

love with a base wench. If drawing my sword

against the humour of affection would deliver

me from the reprobate thought of it, I would

take Desire prisoner, and ransom him to any

French courtier for a new devised curtsy. I

think scorn to sigh: methinks I should out-

swear Cupid. Comfort me, boy: what great men

have been in love?

Boy. Hercules, master.

Arm. Most sweet Hercules! More authority,

dear boy, name more; and, sweet my child, let

them be men of good repute and carriage.

Boy. Samson, master: he was a man of good

carriage, great carriage, for he carried the town-

gates on his back like a porter; and he was in love.

Arm. O well-knit Samson! strong-jointed

Samson! I do excel thee in my rapier as much as

thou didst me in carrying gates. I am in love

too. Who was Samson's love, my dear Moth?

Boy. A woman, master.

Arm. Of what complexion?

Boy. Of all the four, or the three, or the

two, or one of the four.

Arm. Tell me precisely of what complexion.

Boy. Of the sea-water green, sir.

 58 dancing horse; cf. n.

59 figure: illustration

64 humour of affection: caprice of being in love

68 think: think it

83 complexion: disposition; cf. n.

