Page:Love's Labour's Lost (1925) Yale.djvu/99

Love's Labour's Lost, V. ii My love to thee is sound, sans crack or flaw.

Ros. Sans 'sans,' I pray you.

Ber. Yet I have a trick

Of the old rage: bear with me, I am sick;

I'll leave it by degrees. Soft! let us see:

Write, 'Lord have mercy on us' on those three;

They are infected, in their hearts it lies;

They have the plague, and caught it of your eyes:

These lords are visited; you are not free,

For the Lord's tokens on you do I see.

Prin. No, they are free that gave these tokens to us.

Ber. Our states are forfeit: seek not to undo us.

Ros. It is not so. For how can this be true,

That you stand forfeit, being those that sue?

Ber. Peace! for I will not have to do with you.

Ros. Nor shall not, if I do as I intend.

Ber. Speak for yourselves: my wit is at an end.

King. Teach us, sweet madam, for our rude transgression

Some fair excuse.

Prin. The fairest is confession.

Were you not here, but even now, disguis'd?

King. Madam, I was.

Prin. And were you well advis'd?

King. I was, fair madam.

Prin. When you then were here,

What did you whisper in your lady's ear?

King. That more than all the world I did respect her.

Prin. When she shall challenge this, you will reject her.

 420 'Lord have mercy'; cf. n.

423 visited: plague-smitten

424 Lord's tokens: cf. n.

426 states: estates

428 sue: equivocally for prosecute and entreat

435 well advis'd: in right mind

