All's Well That Ends Well: Act 4, Scene 5 Translation

Enter Fool, Countess, and Lafew.

LAFEW No, no, no, your son was misled with a
snipped-taffeta fellow there, whose villainous saffron
would have made all the unbaked and doughy
youth of a nation in his color. Your daughter-in-law
had been alive at this hour, and your son here 5
at home, more advanced by the King than by that
red-tailed humble-bee I speak of.

COUNTESS I would I had not known him. It was the
death of the most virtuous gentlewoman that ever
nature had praise for creating. If she had partaken 10
of my flesh and cost me the dearest groans of a
mother, I could not have owed her a more rooted
love.

LAFEW ’Twas a good lady, ’twas a good lady. We may
pick a thousand salads ere we light on such another 15
herb.

FOOL Indeed, sir, she was the sweet marjoram of the
salad, or rather the herb of grace.

LAFEW They are not herbs, you knave. They are
nose-herbs. 20

FOOL I am no great Nebuchadnezzar, sir. I have not
much skill in grass.

LAFEW Whether dost thou profess thyself, a knave or a
fool?

FOOL A fool, sir, at a woman’s service, and a knave at a 25
man’s.

LAFEW Your distinction?

FOOL I would cozen the man of his wife and do his
service.

LAFEW So you were a knave at his service indeed. 30

FOOL And I would give his wife my bauble, sir, to do
her service.

LAFEW I will subscribe for thee, thou art both knave
and fool.

FOOL At your service. 35

LAFEW No, no, no.

FOOL Why, sir, if I cannot serve you, I can serve as
great a prince as you are.

LAFEW Who’s that, a Frenchman?

FOOL Faith, sir, he has an English name, but his 40
phys’nomy is more hotter in France than there.

LAFEW What prince is that?

FOOL The black prince, sir, alias the prince of darkness,
alias the devil.

LAFEW, giving him money Hold thee, there’s my 45
purse. I give thee not this to suggest thee from thy
master thou talk’st of. Serve him still.

FOOL I am a woodland fellow, sir, that always loved a
great fire, and the master I speak of ever keeps a
good fire. But sure he is the prince of the world; let 50
his Nobility remain in ’s court. I am for the house
with the narrow gate, which I take to be too little
for pomp to enter. Some that humble themselves
may, but the many will be too chill and tender, and
they’ll be for the flow’ry way that leads to the 55
broad gate and the great fire.

LAFEW Go thy ways. I begin to be aweary of thee. And
I tell thee so before because I would not fall out
with thee. Go thy ways. Let my horses be well
looked to, without any tricks. 60

FOOL If I put any tricks upon ’em, sir, they shall be
jades’ tricks, which are their own right by the law
of nature.

He exits.

LAFEW A shrewd knave and an unhappy.

COUNTESS So he is. My lord that’s gone made himself 65
much sport out of him. By his authority he
remains here, which he thinks is a patent for his
sauciness, and indeed he has no pace, but runs
where he will.

LAFEW I like him well. ’Tis not amiss. And I was about 70
to tell you, since I heard of the good lady’s death
and that my lord your son was upon his return
home, I moved the King my master to speak in the
behalf of my daughter, which in the minority of
them both his Majesty out of a self-gracious 75
remembrance did first propose. His Highness hath
promised me to do it, and to stop up the displeasure
he hath conceived against your son there is
no fitter matter. How does your Ladyship like it?

COUNTESS With very much content, my lord, and I 80
wish it happily effected.

LAFEW His Highness comes post from Marseilles, of
as able body as when he numbered thirty. He will
be here tomorrow, or I am deceived by him that in
such intelligence hath seldom failed. 85

COUNTESS It rejoices me that, I hope, I shall see him
ere I die. I have letters that my son will be here
tonight. I shall beseech your Lordship to remain
with me till they meet together.

LAFEW Madam, I was thinking with what manners I 90
might safely be admitted.

COUNTESS You need but plead your honorable
privilege.

LAFEW Lady, of that I have made a bold charter. But I
thank my God it holds yet. 95

Enter Fool.

FOOL O madam, yonder’s my lord your son with a
patch of velvet on ’s face. Whether there be a scar
under ’t or no, the velvet knows, but ’tis a goodly
patch of velvet. His left cheek is a cheek of two pile
and a half, but his right cheek is worn bare. 100

LAFEW A scar nobly got, or a noble scar, is a good liv’ry
of honor. So belike is that.

FOOL But it is your carbonadoed face.

LAFEW Let us go see your son, I pray you. I long to talk
with the young noble soldier. 105

FOOL ’Faith, there’s a dozen of ’em, with delicate fine
hats, and most courteous feathers which bow the
head and nod at every man.

They exit.