Читать книгу The Complete Works of Shakespeare онлайн

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“Love like a shadow flies when substance love pursues,

Pursuing that that flies, and flying what pursues.”

Fal. Have you receiv’d no promise of satisfaction at her hands?

Ford. Never.

Fal. Have you importun’d her to such a purpose?

Ford. Never.

Fal. Of what quality was your love then?

Ford. Like a fair house built on another man’s ground, so that I have lost my edifice by mistaking the place where I erected it.

Fal. To what purpose have you unfolded this to me?

Ford. When I have told you that, I have told you all. Some say that, though she appear honest to me, yet in other places she enlargeth her mirth so far that there is shrewd construction made of her. Now, Sir John, here is the heart of my purpose: you are a gentleman of excellent breeding, admirable discourse, of great admittance, authentic in your place and person, generally allow’d for your many war- like, court-like, and learned preparations.

Fal. O sir!

Ford. Believe it, for you know it. There is money, spend it, spend it; spend more; spend all I have; only give me so much of your time in exchange of it, as to lay an amiable siege to the honesty of this Ford’s wife. Use your art of wooing; win her to consent to you; if any man may, you may as soon as any.