Читать книгу The Complete Works of Shakespeare онлайн

243 страница из 942

Duke.

Nay then no matter; stay with me a while;

I am to break with thee of some affairs

That touch me near, wherein thou must be secret.

’Tis not unknown to thee that I have sought

To match my friend Sir Thurio to my daughter.

Val.

I know it well, my lord, and sure the match

Were rich and honorable; besides, the gentleman

Is full of virtue, bounty, worth, and qualities

Beseeming such a wife as your fair daughter.

Cannot your Grace win her to fancy him?

Duke.

No, trust me, she is peevish, sullen, froward,

Proud, disobedient, stubborn, lacking duty,

Neither regarding that she is my child,

Nor fearing me as if I were her father;

And may I say to thee, this pride of hers

(Upon advice) hath drawn my love from her,

And where I thought the remnant of mine age

Should have been cherish’d by her child-like duty,

I now am full resolv’d to take a wife,

And turn her out to who will take her in:

Then let her beauty be her wedding-dow’r,

For me and my possessions she esteems not.

Val.

What would your Grace have me to do in this?