20

_Val._ Well, then, I'll double your folly.

_Thu._ How?

_Sil._ What, angry, Sir Thurio! do you change colour?

_Val._ Give him leave, madam; he is a kind of chameleon.

_Thu._ That hath more mind to feed on your blood than 25
live in your air.

_Val._ You have said, sir.

_Thu._ Ay, sir, and done too, for this time.

_Val._ I know it well, sir; you always end ere you begin.

_Sil._ A fine volley of words, gentlemen, and quickly 30
shot off.

_Val._ 'Tis indeed, madam; we thank the giver.

_Sil._ Who is that, servant?

_Val._ Yourself, sweet lady; for you gave the fire. Sir
Thurio borrows his wit from your ladyship's looks, and 35
spends what he borrows kindly in your company.

_Thu._ Sir, if you spend word for word with me, I shall
make your wit bankrupt.

_Val._ I know it well, sir; you have an exchequer of
words, and, I think, no other treasure to give your followers, 40
for it appears, by their bare liveries, that they live by
your bare words.

_Sil._ No more, gentlemen, no more:--here comes my father.

_Enter DUKE._

_Duke._ Now, daughter Silvia, you are hard beset. 45
Sir Valentine, your father's in good health:
What say you to a letter from your friends
Of much good news?

_Val._ My lord, I will be thankful
To any happy messenger from thence.

_Duke._ Know ye Don Antonio, your countryman? 50

_Val._ Ay, my good lord, I know the gentleman
To be of worth, and worthy estimation,
And not without desert so well reputed.

_Duke._ Hath he not a son?

_Val._ Ay, my good lord; a son that well deserves 55
The honour and regard of such a father.

_Duke._ You know him well?

_Val._ I know him as myself; for from our infancy
We have conversed and spent our hours together:
And though myself have been an idle truant, 60
Omitting the sweet benefit of time
To clothe mine age with angel-like perfection,
Yet hath Sir Proteus, for that's his name,
Made use and fair advantage of his days;
His years but young, but his experience old; 65
His head unmellow'd, but his judgment ripe;
And, in a word, for far behind his worth
Comes all the praises that I now bestow,
He is complete in feature and in mind
With all good grace to grace a gentleman. 70

_Duke._ Beshrew me, sir, but if he make this