William Shakespeare: All's Well That Ends Well

ACT III. SCENE 2. Rousillon. A room in the COUNTESS'S palace. (continued)

FIRST GENTLEMAN.
Ay, madam.

COUNTESS.
And to be a soldier?

FIRST GENTLEMAN.
Such is his noble purpose: and, believe 't,
The duke will lay upon him all the honour
That good convenience claims.

COUNTESS.
Return you thither?

SECOND GENTLEMAN.
Ay, madam, with the swiftest wing of speed.

HELENA.
[Reads.] 'Till I have no wife, I have nothing in France.'
'Tis bitter.

COUNTESS.
Find you that there?

HELENA.
Ay, madam.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.
'Tis but the boldness of his hand haply,
Which his heart was not consenting to.

COUNTESS.
Nothing in France until he have no wife!
There's nothing here that is too good for him
But only she; and she deserves a lord
That twenty such rude boys might tend upon,
And call her hourly mistress. Who was with him?

SECOND GENTLEMAN.
A servant only, and a gentleman
Which I have sometime known.

COUNTESS.
Parolles, was it not?

SECOND GENTLEMAN.
Ay, my good lady, he.

COUNTESS.
A very tainted fellow, and full of wickedness.
My son corrupts a well-derived nature
With his inducement.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.
Indeed, good lady,
The fellow has a deal of that too much
Which holds him much to have.

COUNTESS.
You are welcome, gentlemen.
I will entreat you, when you see my son,
To tell him that his sword can never win
The honour that he loses: more I'll entreat you
Written to bear along.

FIRST GENTLEMAN.
We serve you, madam,
In that and all your worthiest affairs.

COUNTESS.
Not so, but as we change our courtesies.
Will you draw near?