Helena loves Bertram and comes to court to treat the king with her late father’s remedy. He promises her a husband of her choice if she succeeds. The Countess sends the Clown to court with a message for Helena.
Helena has cured the king and chooses Bertram. He objects to her birth but marries her under the king’s orders. Lafew quarrels with Parolles. Bertram resolves not to bed Helena: he will send her home and leave for the Tuscan wars, with Parolles encouraging him.
SCENE IV. Paris. The King’s palace.
Enter Helena and Clown.
HELENA
My mother greets me kindly: is she well?
CLOWN
She is not well, but yet she has her health; she’s very merry, but yet she is not well. But thanks be given, she’s very well, and wants nothing i’ the world; but yet she is not well.
HELENA
If she be very well, what does she ail that she’s not very well?
CLOWN
Truly, she’s very well indeed, but for two things.
HELENA
What two things?
CLOWN
One, that she’s not in heaven, whither God send her quickly! The other, that she’s in earth, from whence God send her quickly!
Enter Parolles.
PAROLLES
Bless you, my fortunate lady!
HELENA
I hope, sir, I have your good will to have mine own good fortune.
PAROLLES
You had my prayers to lead them on; and to keep them on, have them still. O, my knave how does my old lady?
CLOWN
So that you had her wrinkles and I her money, I would she did as you say.
PAROLLES
Why, I say nothing.
CLOWN
Marry, you are the wiser man; for many a man’s tongue shakes out his master’s undoing.To say nothing, to do nothing, to know nothing, and to have nothing, is to be a great part of your title; which is within a very little of nothing.
PAROLLES
Away! Thou art a knave.
CLOWN
You should have said, sir, before a knave thou art a knave; that is before me thou art a knave. This had been truth, sir.
PAROLLES
Go to, thou art a witty fool; I have found thee.
CLOWN
Did you find me in yourself, sir? or were you taught to find me? The search, sir, was profitable; and much fool may you find in you, even to the world’s pleasure and the increase of laughter.
PAROLLES
A good knave, i’ faith, and well fed.Madam, my lord will go away tonight;A very serious business calls on him.The great prerogative and right of love,Which, as your due, time claims, he does acknowledge;But puts it off to a compell’d restraint;Whose want, and whose delay, is strew’d with sweets;Which they distil now in the curbed time,To make the coming hour o’erflow with joyAnd pleasure drown the brim.
HELENA
What’s his will else?
PAROLLES
That you will take your instant leave o’ the king,And make this haste as your own good proceeding,Strengthen’d with what apology you thinkMay make it probable need.
HELENA
What more commands he?
PAROLLES
That, having this obtain’d, you presentlyAttend his further pleasure.