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Twelfth Night, Act 4, Scene 2

Feste torments the imprisoned Malvolio · William Shakespeare
Every note, for your class

SCENE II. A Room in Olivia’s House.

Enter Maria and Clown.
MARIA
Nay, I prithee, put on this gown and this beard; make him believe thou art Sir Topas the curate. Do it quickly. I’ll call Sir Toby the whilst.
Exit Maria.
CLOWN
Well, I’ll put it on, and I will dissemble myself in’t, and I would I were the first that ever dissembled in such a gown. I am not tall enough to become the function well, nor lean enough to be thought a good student, but to be said, an honest man and a good housekeeper goes as fairly as to say, a careful man and a great scholar. The competitors enter.
Enter Sir Toby and Maria.
SIR TOBY
Jove bless thee, Master Parson.
CLOWN
Bonos diesa jocular foreign greeting meaning ‘good day’., Sir Toby: for as the old hermit of Prague, that never saw pen and ink, very wittily said to a niece of King GorboducA legendary ancient British king whose division of his realm between his sons led to civil war, best known as the subject of the tragedy Gorboduc., ‘That that is, is’: so I, being Master Parson, am Master Parson; for what is ‘that’ but ‘that’? and ‘is’ but ‘is’?
SIR TOBY
To him, Sir Topas.
CLOWN
What ho, I say! Peace in this prison!
SIR TOBY
The knave counterfeits well. A good knave.
Malvolio within.
MALVOLIO
Who calls there?
CLOWN
Sir Topas the curate, who comes to visit Malvolio the lunatic.
MALVOLIO
Sir Topas, Sir Topas, good Sir Topas, go to my lady.
CLOWN
Out, hyperbolical fiend! how vexest thou this man? Talkest thou nothing but of ladies?
SIR TOBY
Well said, Master Parson.
MALVOLIO
Sir Topas, never was man thus wronged. Good Sir Topas, do not think I am mad. They have laid me here in hideous darkness.
CLOWN
Fie, thou dishonest Satan! I call thee by the most modest terms, for I am one of those gentle ones that will use the devil himself with courtesy. Say’st thou that house is dark?
MALVOLIO
As hell, Sir Topas.
CLOWN
Why, it hath bay windows transparent as barricadoes, and the clerestoriesThe upper part of a church wall, pierced with windows above the adjoining roofs. toward the south-north are as lustrous as ebony; and yet complainest thou of obstruction?
MALVOLIO
I am not mad, Sir Topas. I say to you this house is dark.
CLOWN
Madman, thou errest. I say there is no darkness but ignorance, in which thou art more puzzled than the Egyptians in their fog.
MALVOLIO
I say this house is as dark as ignorance, though ignorance were as dark as hell; and I say there was never man thus abused. I am no more mad than you are. Make the trial of it in any constant questionSteady and serious conversation or discussion..
CLOWN
What is the opinion of Pythagoras concerning wildfowl?
MALVOLIO
That the soul of our grandam might haply inhabit a bird.
CLOWN
What think’st thou of his opinion?
MALVOLIO
I think nobly of the soul, and no way approve his opinion.
CLOWN
Fare thee well. Remain thou still in darkness. Thou shalt hold the opinion of Pythagoras ere I will allow of thy wits, and fear to kill a woodcock, lest thou dispossess the soul of thy grandam. Fare thee well.
MALVOLIO
Sir Topas, Sir Topas!
SIR TOBY
My most exquisite Sir Topas!
CLOWN
Nay, I am for all watersto be adaptable and ready for any company or circumstance..
MARIA
Thou mightst have done this without thy beard and gown. He sees thee not.
SIR TOBY
To him in thine own voice, and bring me word how thou find’st him. I would we were well rid of this knavery. If he may be conveniently delivered, I would he were, for I am now so far in offence with my niece that I cannot pursue with any safety this sport to the upshot. Come by and by to my chamber.
Exeunt Sir Toby and Maria.
CLOWN
Singing.Hey, Robin, jolly Robin,Tell me how thy lady does.
MALVOLIO
Fool!
CLOWN
My lady is unkind, perdyan emphatic oath meaning ‘by God’ or ‘indeed’..
MALVOLIO
Fool!
CLOWN
Alas, why is she so?
MALVOLIO
Fool, I say!
CLOWN
She loves another—Who calls, ha?
MALVOLIO
Good fool, as ever thou wilt deserve well at my hand, help me to a candle, and pen, ink, and paper. As I am a gentleman, I will live to be thankful to thee for’t.
CLOWN
Master Malvolio?
MALVOLIO
Ay, good fool.
CLOWN
Alas, sir, how fell you besides your five witsthe five mental faculties: common sense, imagination, fantasy, judgement, and memory.?
MALVOLIO
Fool, there was never man so notoriously abused. I am as well in my wits, fool, as thou art.
CLOWN
But as well? Then you are mad indeed, if you be no better in your wits than a fool.
MALVOLIO
They have here propertiedto appropriate or treat as a possession or stage property. me; keep me in darkness, send ministers to me, asses, and do all they can to face me out ofto deprive someone of an acknowledged fact or relationship through brazen denial. my wits.
CLOWN
Advise you what you say: the minister is here. Malvolio, Malvolio, thy wits the heavens restore. Endeavour thyself to sleep, and leave thy vain bibble-babble.
MALVOLIO
Sir Topasthe supposed curate whose identity Feste assumes to question and torment Malvolio.!
CLOWN
Maintain no words with him, good fellow. Who, I, sir? not I, sir. God buy youA farewell meaning ‘God be with you’., good Sir Topas. Marry, amen. I will sir, I will.
MALVOLIO
Fool, fool, fool, I say!
CLOWN
Alas, sir, be patient. What say you, sir? I am shent for speaking to you.
MALVOLIO
Good fool, help me to some light and some paper. I tell thee I am as well in my wits as any man in Illyria.
CLOWN
Well-a-day that you were, sir!
MALVOLIO
By this hand, I am. Good fool, some ink, paper, and light, and convey what I will set down to my lady. It shall advantage thee more than ever the bearing of letter did.
CLOWN
I will help you to’t. But tell me true, are you not mad indeed? or do you but counterfeit?
MALVOLIO
Believe me, I am not. I tell thee true.
CLOWN
Nay, I’ll ne’er believe a madman till I see his brains. I will fetch you light, and paper, and ink.
MALVOLIO
Fool, I’ll requite it in the highest degree: I prithee be gone.
CLOWN
Singing.I am gone, sir, and anon, sir,I’ll be with you again,In a trice, like to the old ViceThe stock comic villain of a morality play, who tempts others into wrongdoing.,Your need to sustain;Who with dagger of lath, in his rage and his wrath,Cries ‘ah, ha!’ to the devil:Like a mad lad, ‘Pare thy nails, dad.Adieu, goodman devil.’
Exit.