William Shakespeare: All's Well That Ends Well

ACT IV. SCENE 3. The Florentine camp. (continued)

BERTRAM.
Nothing of me, has he?

SECOND LORD.
His confession is taken, and it shall be read to his face; if
your lordship be in't, as I believe you are, you must have the
patience to hear it.

[Re-enter Soldiers, with PAROLLES.]

BERTRAM.
A plague upon him! muffled! he can say nothing of me; hush, hush!

FIRST LORD.
Hoodman comes! Porto tartarossa.

FIRST SOLDIER.
He calls for the tortures: what will you say without 'em?

PAROLLES.
I will confess what I know without constraint; if ye pinch me
like a pasty I can say no more.

FIRST SOLDIER.
Bosko chimurcho.

FIRST LORD.
Boblibindo chicurmurco.

FIRST SOLDIER.
You are a merciful general:--Our general bids you answer to what
I shall ask you out of a note.

PAROLLES.
And truly, as I hope to live.

FIRST SOLDIER.
'First demand of him how many horse the duke is strong.' What say
you to that?

PAROLLES.
Five or six thousand; but very weak and unserviceable: the troops
are all scattered, and the commanders very poor rogues, upon my
reputation and credit, and as I hope to live.

FIRST SOLDIER.
Shall I set down your answer so?

PAROLLES.
Do; I'll take the sacrament on 't, how and which way you will.

BERTRAM.
All's one to him. What a past-saving slave is this!

FIRST LORD.
You are deceived, my lord; this is Monsieur Parolles, the gallant
militarist (that was his own phrase),that had the whole theoric
of war in the knot of his scarf, and the practice in the chape of
his dagger.