A side-by-side translation of Act 4, Scene 3 of All's Well That Ends Well from the original Shakespeare into modern English.
Original Text |
Translated Text |
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Source: Folger Shakespeare Library | |
Enter the two French Lords and some two FIRST LORD You have not given him his mother’s SECOND LORD I have delivered it an hour since. There FIRST LORD He has much worthy blame laid upon him SECOND LORD Especially he hath incurred the everlasting FIRST LORD When you have spoken it, ’tis dead, and I SECOND LORD He hath perverted a young gentlewoman FIRST LORD Now God delay our rebellion! As we are SECOND LORD Merely our own traitors. And, as in the FIRST LORD Is it not meant damnable in us to be trumpeters SECOND LORD Not till after midnight, for he is dieted to 30 FIRST LORD That approaches apace. I would gladly SECOND LORD We will not meddle with him till he FIRST LORD In the meantime, what hear you of these SECOND LORD I hear there is an overture of peace. FIRST LORD Nay, I assure you, a peace concluded. SECOND LORD What will Count Rossillion do then? FIRST LORD I perceive by this demand you are not altogether 45 SECOND LORD Let it be forbid, sir! So should I be a FIRST LORD Sir, his wife some two months since fled SECOND LORD How is this justified? FIRST LORD The stronger part of it by her own letters, SECOND LORD Hath the Count all this intelligence? FIRST LORD Ay, and the particular confirmations, point SECOND LORD I am heartily sorry that he’ll be glad of 65 FIRST LORD How mightily sometimes we make us SECOND LORD And how mightily some other times we FIRST LORD The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, Enter a Servant. How now? Where’s your master? | Over at the soldiers’ camp, two Lords talk trash about Bertram for seducing Diana and giving her his family ring. They think Bertram has trashed his reputation and brought dishonor to his whole family. Meanwhile, Parolles is still blindfolded and tied up. The Lords are going to wait for Bertram to show up so they can show him that Parolles is a fake and a coward. Since the Lords have so much time to kill, they share the latest gossip about Helen. Word on the street is that, after she went to the shrine of St. Jaques, she died of a broken heart. The Lords think that the rumors are true because Helen wrote letters to her friends and family saying that she was sick. Also, an official at the shrine of St. Jaques sent out a death certificate. |
SERVANT He met the Duke in the street, sir, of whom SECOND LORD They shall be no more than needful Enter Bertram Count Rossillion. Here’s his Lordship now.—How now, my lord? Is ’t BERTRAM I have tonight dispatched sixteen businesses, SECOND LORD If the business be of any difficulty, and BERTRAM I mean the business is not ended as fearing SECOND LORD Bring him forth. Has sat i’ th’ stocks all BERTRAM No matter. His heels have deserved it in SECOND LORD I have told your Lordship already: the BERTRAM Nothing of me, has he? SECOND LORD His confession is taken, and it shall be | Apparently, Bertram has heard the news of Helen's "death" and is pretty psyched about it. He shows up and brags that he's been a very busy guy that night: he said goodbye to the duke of Florence, arranged his transportation back to France, mourned for his dead wife, wrote a letter to his mom saying that he was coming home, and made arrangements to get it on with Diana. Bertram brags to his boys that he still has some business with Diana later that night (wink, wink). Before Bertram can go to bed with Diana, they have to finish playing a mean trick on Parolles. The Second Lord says that Parolles has been in the stocks all night, crying his eyes out. |
Enter Parolles, blindfolded, with his Interpreter, BERTRAM A plague upon him! Muffled! He can say FIRST LORD, aside to Bertram Hush, hush. Hoodman FIRST SOLDIER, to Parolles He calls for the tortures. PAROLLES I will confess what I know without constraint. FIRST SOLDIER Bosko Chimurcho. FIRST LORD Boblibindo chicurmurco. FIRST SOLDIER You are a merciful general.—Our general PAROLLES And truly, as I hope to live. FIRST SOLDIER, as if reading a note "First, demand of PAROLLES Five or six thousand, but very weak and 140 FIRST SOLDIER Shall I set down your answer so? PAROLLES Do. I’ll take the Sacrament on ’t, how and 145 BERTRAM, aside All’s one to him. What a past-saving FIRST LORD, aside to Bertram You’re deceived, my SECOND LORD, aside I will never trust a man again for FIRST SOLDIER, to Parolles Well, that’s set down. PAROLLES “Five or six thousand horse,” I said—I will FIRST LORD, aside He’s very near the truth in this. BERTRAM, aside But I con him no thanks for ’t, in the PAROLLES “Poor rogues,” I pray you say. FIRST SOLDIER Well, that’s set down. 165 PAROLLES I humbly thank you, sir. A truth’s a truth. FIRST SOLDIER, as if reading a note "Demand of him of PAROLLES By my troth, sir, if I were to live but this BERTRAM, aside What shall be done to him? FIRST LORD, aside Nothing but let him have thanks. FIRST SOLDIER, to Parolles Well, that’s set down. Pretending PAROLLES I beseech you let me answer to the particular FIRST SOLDIER Do you know this Captain Dumaine? PAROLLES I know him. He was a botcher’s prentice in BERTRAM, aside to First Lord Nay, by your leave, hold FIRST SOLDIER Well, is this captain in the Duke of PAROLLES Upon my knowledge he is, and lousy. FIRST LORD, aside to Bertram Nay, look not so upon FIRST SOLDIER What is his reputation with the Duke? PAROLLES The Duke knows him for no other but a 210 FIRST SOLDIER Marry, we’ll search. They search Parolles’ pockets. PAROLLES In good sadness, I do not know. Either it is 215 FIRST SOLDIER Here ’tis; here’s a paper. Shall I read it to PAROLLES I do not know if it be it or no. 220 BERTRAM, aside Our interpreter does it well. FIRST LORD, aside Excellently. FIRST SOLDIER reads "Dian, the Count’s a fool and full PAROLLES That is not the Duke’s letter, sir. That is an 225 FIRST SOLDIER Nay, I’ll read it first, by your favor. 230 PAROLLES My meaning in ’t, I protest, was very honest BERTRAM, aside Damnable both-sides rogue! FIRST SOLDIER reads | The Lords bring Parolles in, cuffed, blindfolded, and shaking in his boots because he thinks he's been captured by Russian soldiers. They all pretend to speak to Parolles in Russian while an interpreter pretend-translates what they say into English. Parolles begs for his life, gives up a boatload of military intelligence about the Duke's Florentine army, and then starts to talk smack about Bertram. He says Bertram preys on virgins, and that he, Parolles, wanted to write to Diana to warn her. The Lords find a letter in Parolles' pocket. It's addressed to Diana and warns her not to sleep with Bertram because he'll never keep his promise to marry her. |
BERTRAM, aside He shall be whipped through the SECOND LORD, aside This is your devoted friend, sir, BERTRAM, aside I could endure anything before but a FIRST SOLDIER, to Parolles I perceive, sir, by our 255 PAROLLES My life, sir, in any case! Not that I am afraid FIRST SOLDIER We’ll see what may be done, so you confess PAROLLES He will steal, sir, an egg out of a cloister. For FIRST LORD, aside I begin to love him for this. BERTRAM, aside For this description of thine honesty? 280 FIRST SOLDIER What say you to his expertness in war? PAROLLES Faith, sir, has led the drum before the English FIRST LORD, aside He hath out-villained villainy so BERTRAM, aside A pox on him! He’s a cat still. FIRST SOLDIER His qualities being at this poor price, PAROLLES Sir, for a cardecu he will sell the fee-simple FIRST SOLDIER What’s his brother, the other Captain SECOND LORD, aside Why does he ask him of me? FIRST SOLDIER What’s he? PAROLLES E’en a crow o’ th’ same nest: not altogether 305 FIRST SOLDIER If your life be saved, will you undertake PAROLLES Ay, and the captain of his horse, Count FIRST SOLDIER I’ll whisper with the General and know 315 PAROLLES, aside I’ll no more drumming. A plague of FIRST SOLDIER There is no remedy, sir, but you must PAROLLES O Lord, sir, let me live, or let me see my 330 FIRST SOLDIER That shall you, and take your leave of BERTRAM Good morrow, noble captain. 335 SECOND LORD God bless you, Captain Parolles. FIRST LORD God save you, noble captain. SECOND LORD Captain, what greeting will you to my FIRST LORD Good captain, will you give me a copy of 340 Bertram and Lords exit. FIRST SOLDIER You are undone, captain—all but your PAROLLES Who cannot be crushed with a plot? FIRST SOLDIER If you could find out a country where He exits. | We can practically see the steam coming out of Bertram's ears. He curses Parolles. Parolles then disses the First Lord again, calling him a rapist, a liar, a drunk, a bribe-taker, and a coward. And his brother the Second Lord? He's twice as evil. When the Lords tell Parolles they're going to cut off his head, he shouts for them to either spare him or at least take off his blindfold so he can see the sword coming. They tear off his blindfold and reveal themselves, then one by one they say goodbye and good riddance to him. They're going back to France, and he's not invited. |
PAROLLES He exits. | Alone on stage, Parolles has an a-ha moment. He admits to himself and the audience that he's a braggart who's going to live in shame for the rest of his life...but hey—he's going to live. And probably pretty comfortably at that since he won't be sent off to war again. His shame has saved him! He runs after his former friends, hoping to catch them. |