Page 222 - Shakespeare - Vol. 4

Neither of these are so bad as thou art,
Since they do better thee in their command.
Thou holdest a place [160]
For which the pained’st fiend of hell

Would not in reputation change. Thou art
The damnèd doorkeeper to every custrel
That comes inquiring for his Tib.
To the choleric fisting of every rogue

Thy ear is liable. Thy food is such [165]
As hath been belched on by infected lungs.

BOULT
What would you have me do? go to the wars, would you? where a man may
serve seven years for the loss of a leg, and have not money enough in the
end to buy him a wooden one? [170]

MARINA
Do anything but this
Thou doest. Empty old receptacles
Or common shores of filth;
Serve by indenture to the common hangman.

Any of these ways are yet better than this, [175]
For what thou professest, a baboon, could he speak,
Would own a name too dear. That the gods
Would safely deliver me from this place!

Here, here’s gold for thee.
If that thy master would gain by me, [180]
Proclaim that I can sing, weave, sew, and dance,
With other virtues which I’ll keep from boast,

And I will undertake all these to teach.
I doubt not but this populous city will
Yield many scholars. [185]

BOULT
But can you teach all this you speak of?

MARINA
Prove that I cannot, take me home again