d neglecting the company of the wise and learned lords
with whom he used to associate, he was now all day long conversing
with young Cesario. Unmeet companion no doubt his grave courtiers
thought Cesario was for their once noble master, the great duke
Orsino.

It is a dangerous matter for young maidens to be the confidants of
handsome young dukes; which Viola too soon found to her sorrow,
for all that Orsino told her he endured for Olivia, she presently
perceived she suffered for the love of him: and much it moved her
wonder, that Olivia could be so regardless of this her peerless lord
and master, whom she thought no one should behold without the deepest
admiration, and she ventured gently to hint to Orsino that it was pity
he should affect a lady who was so blind to his worthy qualities; and
she said, "If a lady were to love you, my lord, as you love Olivia
(and perhaps there may be one who does), if you could not love her in
return, would you not tell her that you could not love, and must not
she be content with this answer?" But Orsino would not admit of this
reasoning, for he denied that it was possible for any woman to love as
he did. He said, no woman's heart was big enough to hold so much love,
and therefore it was unfair to compare the love of any lady for him,
to his love for Olivia. Now though Viola had the utmost deference for
the duke's opinions, she could not help thinking this was not quite
true, for she thought her heart had full as much love in it as
Orsino's had; and she said, "Ah, but I know, my lord."--"What do you
know, Cesario?" said Orsino. "Too well I know," replied Viola, "what
love women may owe to men. They are as true of heart as we are. My
father had a daughter loved a man, as I perhaps, were I a woman,
should love your lordship." "And what is her history?" said Orsino.
"A blank, my lord," replied Viola: "she never told her love, but let
concealment, like a worm in the bud, prey on her damask cheek. She
pined in thought, and with a green and yellow melancholy, she sat
like Patience on a monument, smiling at grief." The duke enquired if
this lady died of her love, but to this question Viola returned an
evasive answer; as probably she had feigned the story, to speak words
expressive of the secret love and silent grief she suffered for
Orsino.

While they were talking, a gentleman entered whom the duke had sent to
Olivia, and he said, "So please you, my lord, I might not be admitted
to the la