3 F4.
350: _It may be; I'll prove it_] Theobald. _It may be I'll prove it_
Ff.
369: _of_] F1 F2. om. F3 F4.
370: [Exit] Capell.
373: [Exit.] Capell. [Exeunt. Ff.

SCENE II. _The same. The DUKE'S palace._

_Enter DUKE and THURIO._

_Duke._ Sir Thurio, fear not but that she will love you,
Now Valentine is banish'd from her sight.

_Thu._ Since his exile she hath despised me most.
Forsworn my company, and rail'd at me,
That I am desperate of obtaining her. 5

_Duke._ This weak impress of love is as a figure
Trenched in ice, which with an hour's heat
Dissolves to water, and doth lose his form.
A little time will melt her frozen thoughts,
And worthless Valentine shall be forgot. 10

_Enter PROTEUS._

How now, Sir Proteus! Is your countryman,
According to our proclamation, gone?

_Pro._ Gone, my good lord.

_Duke._ My daughter takes his going grievously.

_Pro._ A little time, my lord, will kill that grief. 15

_Duke._ So I believe; but Thurio thinks not so.
Proteus, the good conceit I hold of thee--
For thou hast shown some sign of good desert--
Makes me the better to confer with thee.

_Pro._ Longer than I prove loyal to your Grace 20
Let me not live to look upon your Grace.

_Duke._ Thou know'st how willingly I would effect
The match between Sir Thurio and my daughter.

_Pro._ I do, my lord.

_Duke._ And also, I think, thou art not ignorant 25
How she opposes her against my will.

_Pro._ She did, my lord, when Valentine was here.

_Duke._ Ay, and perversely she persevers so.
What might we do to make the girl forget
The love of Valentine, and love Sir Thurio? 30

_Pro._ The best way is to slander Valentine
With falsehood, cowardice and poor descent,
Three things that women highly hold in hate.

_Duke._ Ay, but she'll think that it is spoke in hate.

_Pro._ Ay, if his enemy deliver it: 35
Therefore it must with circumstance be spoken
By one whom she esteemeth as his friend.

_Duke._ Then you must undertake to slander him.

_Pro._ And that, my lord, I shall be loath to do:
'Tis an ill office for a gentleman, 40
Especially against his very friend.

_Duke._ Where your good word cannot advantage him,
Your slander never can endamage him;
Therefore the office is indifferent,