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All's Well That Ends Well, Act 5, Scene 2

William Shakespeare
Every note, for your class

The story so far

Earlier in the play

Helena, believed dead, has secretly taken Diana’s place in bed with Bertram. Parolles has been exposed before Bertram as a liar willing to betray his army. Bertram has returned home; Lafew has proposed marrying him to his daughter.

In the last scene: Act 5, Scene 1

Helena asks a gentleman to deliver her petition to the king, but learns that he has left, apparently for Rossillon. The gentleman agrees to carry the paper. Helena prepares to follow him with Diana and the Widow.

SCENE II. Rossillon. The inner court of the Countess’s palace.

Enter Clown and Parolles.
PAROLLES
Good Monsieur Lavache, give my Lord Lafew this letter; I have ere now, sir, been better known to you, when I have held familiarity with fresher clothes; but I am now, sir, muddied in Fortune’s mood, and smell somewhat strong of her strong displeasure.
CLOWN
Truly, Fortune’s displeasure is but sluttish, if it smell so strongly as thou speak’st of. I will henceforth eat no fish of Fortune’s buttering. Pr’ythee, allow the wind.
PAROLLES
Nay, you need not to stop your nose, sir. I spake but by a metaphor.
CLOWN
Indeed, sir, if your metaphor stink, I will stop my nose, or against any man’s metaphor. Pr’ythee, get thee further.
PAROLLES
Pray you, sir, deliver me this paper.
CLOWN
Foh, pr’ythee stand away. A paper from Fortune’s close-stool to give to a nobleman! Look here he comes himself.
Enter Lafew.
CLOWN
Here is a pur of Fortune’s, sir, or of Fortune’s cat, but not a musk-cat, that has fallen into the unclean fishpond of her displeasure, and as he says, is muddied withal. Pray you, sir, use the carp as you may, for he looks like a poor, decayed, ingenious, foolish, rascally knave. I do pity his distress in my similes of comfort, and leave him to your lordship.
Exit.
PAROLLES
My lord, I am a man whom Fortune hath cruelly scratch’d.
LAFEW
And what would you have me to do? ’Tis too late to pare her nails now. Wherein have you played the knave with Fortune that she should scratch you, who of herself is a good lady, and would not have knaves thrive long under her? There’s a quart d’ecu for you. Let the justices make you and Fortune friends; I am for other business.
PAROLLES
I beseech your honour to hear me one single word.
LAFEW
You beg a single penny more. Come, you shall ha’t; save your word.
PAROLLES
My name, my good lord, is Parolles.
LAFEW
You beg more than word then. Cox my passion! Give me your hand. How does your drum?
PAROLLES
O my good lord, you were the first that found me.
LAFEW
Was I, in sooth? And I was the first that lost thee.
PAROLLES
It lies in you, my lord, to bring me in some grace, for you did bring me out.
LAFEW
Out upon thee, knave! dost thou put upon me at once both the office of God and the devil? One brings thee in grace, and the other brings thee out.
Trumpets sound.
LAFEW
The king’s coming; I know by his trumpets. Sirrah, inquire further after me. I had talk of you last night; though you are a fool and a knave, you shall eat. Go to; follow.
PAROLLES
I praise God for you.
Exeunt.

Characters

Speaking

  • 9 speeches
  • Lafew6 speeches
  • Clown4 speeches

Mentioned

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Themes

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Questions on this scene

  • Reading

    Who does Parolles ask the Clown to give his letter to?

Locations

  • RoussillonScene

    The home of Bertram, Count of Roussillon, and his mother, the Countess. Helena grows up in their household; the opening scenes and the final reconciliation take place here. The precise site of the count's house is unspecified.

    Set here · 1 quote in this scene

Also mentioned

  • Florencecharacters travel here or from here