1    Boult!

2    Sir?

3    Search the market narrowly; Mytilene is full of
4    gallants. We lost too much money this mart by being
5    too wenchless.

6    We were never so much out of creatures. We have but
7    poor three, and they can do no more than they can
8    do; and they with continual action are even as good as rotten.

9    Therefore let's have fresh ones, whate'er we pay for
10   them. If there be not a conscience to be used in
11   every trade, we shall never prosper.

12   Thou sayest true: 'tis not our bringing up of poor
13   bastards,--as, I think, I have brought up some eleven--

14   Ay, to eleven; and brought them down again. But
15   shall I search the market?

16   What else, man? The stuff we have, a strong wind
17   will blow it to pieces, they are so pitifully sodden.

18   Thou sayest true; they're too unwholesome, o'
19   conscience. The poor Transylvanian is dead, that
20   lay with the little baggage.

21   Ay, she quickly pooped him; she made him roast-meat
22   for worms. But I'll go search the market.

23   Three or four thousand chequins were as pretty a
24   proportion to live quietly, and so give over.

25   Why to give over, I pray you? is it a shame to get
26   when we are old?

27   O, our credit comes not in like the commodity, nor
28   the commodity wages not with the danger: therefore,
29   if in our youths we could pick up some pretty
30   estate, 'twere not amiss to keep our door hatched.
31   Besides, the sore terms we stand upon with the gods
32   will be strong with us for giving over.

33   Come, other sorts offend as well as we.

34   As well as we! ay, and better too; we offend worse.
35   Neither is our profession any trade; it's no
36   calling. But here comes Boult.

To MARINA
37    Come your ways. My masters, you say
38   she's a virgin?

39   O, sir, we doubt it not.

40   Master, I have gone through for this piece, you see:
41   if you like her, so; if not, I have lost my earnest.

42   Boult, has she any qualities?

43   She has a good face, speaks well, and has excellent
44   good clothes: there's no further necessity of
45   qualities can make her be refused.

46   What's her price, Boult?

47   I cannot be bated one doit of a thousand pieces.

48   Well, follow me, my masters, you shall have your
49   money presently. Wife, take her in; instruct her
50   what she has to do, that she may not be raw in her
51   entertainment.

52   Boult, take you the marks of her, the colour of her
53   hair, complexion, height, age, with warrant of her
54   virginity; and cry 'He that will give most shall
55   have her first.' Such a maidenhead were no cheap
56   thing, if men were as they have been. Get this done
57   as I command you.

58   Performance shall follow.

59   Alack that Leonine was so slack, so slow!
60   He should have struck, not spoke; or that these pirates,
61   Not enough barbarous, had not o'erboard thrown me
62   For to seek my mother!

63   Why lament you, pretty one?

64   That I am pretty.

65   Come, the gods have done their part in you.

66   I accuse them not.

67   You are light into my hands, where you are like to live.

68   The more my fault
69   To scape his hands where I was like to die.

70   Ay, and you shall live in pleasure.

71   No.

72   Yes, indeed shall you, and taste gentlemen of all
73   fashions: you shall fare well; you shall have the
74   difference of all complexions. What! do you stop your ears?

75   Are you a woman?

76   What would you have me be, an I be not a woman?

77   An honest woman, or not a woman.

78   Marry, whip thee, gosling: I think I shall have
79   something to do with you. Come, you're a young
80   foolish sapling, and must be bowed as I would have
81   you.

82   The gods defend me!

83   If it please the gods to defend you by men, then men
84   must comfort you, men must feed you, men must stir
85   you up. Boult's returned.
Re-enter BOULT
86   Now, sir, hast thou cried her through the market?

87   I have cried her almost to the number of her hairs;
88   I have drawn her picture with my voice.

89   And I prithee tell me, how dost thou find the
90   inclination of the people, especially of the younger sort?

91   'Faith, they listened to me as they would have
92   hearkened to their father's testament. There was a
93   Spaniard's mouth so watered, that he went to bed to
94   her very description.

95   We shall have him here to-morrow with his best ruff on.

96   To-night, to-night. But, mistress, do you know the
97   French knight that cowers i' the hams?

98   Who, Monsieur Veroles?

99   Ay, he: he offered to cut a caper at the
100  proclamation; but he made a groan at it, and swore
101  he would see her to-morrow.

102  Well, well; as for him, he brought his disease
103  hither: here he does but repair it. I know he will
104  come in our shadow, to scatter his crowns in the
105  sun.

106  Well, if we had of every nation a traveller, we
107  should lodge them with this sign.

To MARINA
108   Pray you, come hither awhile. You
109  have fortunes coming upon you. Mark me: you must
110  seem to do that fearfully which you commit
111  willingly, despise profit where you have most gain.
112  To weep that you live as ye do makes pity in your
113  lovers: seldom but that pity begets you a good
114  opinion, and that opinion a mere profit.

115  I understand you not.

116  O, take her home, mistress, take her home: these
117  blushes of hers must be quenched with some present practise.

118  Thou sayest true, i' faith, so they must; for your
119  bride goes to that with shame which is her way to go
120  with warrant.

121  'Faith, some do, and some do not. But, mistress, if
122  I have bargained for the joint,--

123  Thou mayst cut a morsel off the spit.

124  I may so.

125  Who should deny it? Come, young one, I like the
126  manner of your garments well.

127  Ay, by my faith, they shall not be changed yet.

128  Boult, spend thou that in the town: report what a
129  sojourner we have; you'll lose nothing by custom.
130  When nature flamed this piece, she meant thee a good
131  turn; therefore say what a paragon she is, and thou
132  hast the harvest out of thine own report.

133  I warrant you, mistress, thunder shall not so awake
134  the beds of eels as my giving out her beauty stir up
135  the lewdly-inclined. I'll bring home some to-night.

136  Come your ways; follow me.

137  If fires be hot, knives sharp, or waters deep,
138  Untied I still my virgin knot will keep.
139  Diana, aid my purpose!

140  What have we to do with Diana? Pray you, will you go with us?