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Alarm, excursions. Enter PISTOL, FRENCH SOLDIER, and BOY |
Sounds of battle. PISTOL, a FRENCH SOLDIER, and the BOY enter. |
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PISTOL
Yield, cur. |
PISTOL
Surrender, dog! |
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FRENCH SOLDIER
Je pense que vous êtes gentilhomme de bonne qualité. |
FRENCH SOLDIER
(speaking in French) You seem like a gentleman of high rank. |
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PISTOL
Qualtitie calmie custure me. Art thou a gentleman? What is thy name? Discuss. |
PISTOL
Qualtitie calmie custure me! Are you a gentleman? What is your name? Expound. |
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FRENCH SOLDIER
Ô Seigneur Dieu! |
FRENCH SOLDIER
(speaking in French) Oh, God above! |
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PISTOL
O Seigneur Dew should be a gentleman. Perpend my words, O Seigneur Dew, and mark: O Seigneur Dew, thou diest on point of fox, except, O Seigneur, thou do give to me egregious ransom. |
PISTOL
This man, one O. Signieur Dew, must be a gentleman. Consider my words, O. Signieur Dew, and take note: O. Signieur Dew, you’ll be killed with my sword unless you pay me an absurd amount of money for your ransom. |
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FRENCH SOLDIER
Ô, prenez miséricorde! Ayez pitié de moi! |
FRENCH SOLDIER
(speaking in French) Oh, have mercy! Take pity on me! |
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PISTOL
Moy shall not serve. I will have forty moys, or I will fetch thy rim out at thy throat in drops of crimson blood. |
PISTOL
(mistaking moi, the French word for “me,” as a unit of money) One moy is not enough. I must have forty moys, or I will reach into your throat and pull out some moys, along with a lot of blood. |
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FRENCH SOLDIER
Est-il impossible d’Échapper la force de ton bras? |
FRENCH SOLDIER
(speaking in French) Is it impossible to escape your mighty arm? |
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PISTOL
Brass, cur? Thou damned and luxurious mountain goat, offer’st me brass? |
PISTOL
(mishearing bras,the French word for “arm,” as “brass”) Brass, you dog! You damned lazy mountain goat, do you offer me brass? |
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FRENCH SOLDIER
Ô, pardonnez-moi! |
FRENCH SOLDIER
(speaking in French) Oh, spare me! |
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PISTOL
Say’st thou me so? Is that a ton of moys?—Come hither, boy. Ask me this slave in French what is his name. |
PISTOL
Really? Is that a lot of moys? Come over here, boy and ask this slave in French what his name is. |
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BOY
Écoutez. Comment êtes-vous appelé? |
BOY
(speaking in French) Look, what’s your name? |
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FRENCH SOLDIER
Monsieur le Fer. |
FRENCH SOLDIER
(speaking in French) Monsieur le Fer. |
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BOY
He says his name is Master Fer. |
BOY
He says his name is Master Fer. |
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PISTOL
Master Fer. I’ll fer him, and firk him, and ferret him. Discuss the same in French unto him. |
PISTOL
Master Fer! I’ll fer him, and firk him, and ferret him: expound as much to him in French. |
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BOY
I do not know the French for “fer,” and “ferret,” and “firk.” |
BOY
I do not know the French for “fer,” and “ferret,” and “firk.” |
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PISTOL
Bid him prepare, for I will cut his throat. |
PISTOL
Tell him to prepare himself for death, for I’m going to cut his throat. |
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FRENCH SOLDIER
(to the BOY) Que dit-il, monsieur?* |
FRENCH SOLDIER
(speaking in French, to the BOY) What is he saying, sir? |
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BOY
Il me commande à vous dire que vous faites vous prêt, car ce soldat ici est disposé tout à cette heure de couper votre gorge. |
BOY
(speaking in French) He told me to tell you to prepare to die, for this soldier here is of a mind to cut your throat without delay. |
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PISTOL
Owy, cuppele gorge, permafoy, peasant, unless thou give me crowns, brave crowns, or mangled shalt thou be by this my sword. |
PISTOL
(trying to speak French) Yes, cut your throat, by God, you peasant, unless you give me gold coins, good gold coins. If not, you’ll be mangled by this sword of mine. |
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FRENCH SOLDIER
Ô, je vous supplie, pour l’amour de Dieu, me pardoner. Je suis gentilhomme de bonne maison. Gardez ma vie, et je vous donnerai deux cents écus |
FRENCH SOLDIER
(speaking in French) Oh, I beseech you, for the love of God, spare me! I am a gentleman of good family: spare me and I will give you two hundred écus. |
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PISTOL
What are his words? |
PISTOL
What does he say? |
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BOY
He prays you to save his life. He is a gentleman of a good house, and for his ransom he will give you two hundred crowns. |
BOY
He begs you to spare his life. He is a gentleman of a good family, and for his ransom, he will give you two hundred crowns. |
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PISTOL
Tell him my fury shall abate, and I the crowns will take. |
PISTOL
Tell him my fury will abate, and I’ll take the crowns. |
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FRENCH SOLDIER
Petit monsieur, que dit-il? |
FRENCH SOLDIER
(speaking in French) Young sir, what does he say? |
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BOY
Encore qu’il est contre son jurement de pardoner aucun prisonnier; néanmoins, pour les écus que vous lui avez promis, il est content à vous donner la liberté, le franchisement. |
BOY
(speaking in French) Once again, that it would be breaking his oath to pardon any prisoner. Nevertheless, for the crowns that you’ve promised him, he is willing to give you freedom, liberty. |
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FRENCH SOLDIER
Sur mes genoux je vous donne mille remercîments, et je m’estime heureux que j’ai tombé entre les mains d’un chevalier, je pense, le plus brave, vaillant, et très distingué seigneur d’Angleterre. |
FRENCH SOLDIER
(speaking in French) On my knees I thank you again and again. And I consider myself fortunate to have fallen into the hands of a knight—to my mind, the noblest, most valiant, and most distinguished gentleman of England. |
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PISTOL
Expound unto me, boy. |
PISTOL
Explain, boy. |
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BOY
He gives you upon his knees a thousand thanks, and he esteems himself happy that he hath fall’n into the hands of one, as he thinks, the most brave, valorous, and thrice- worthy seigneur of England. |
BOY
He thanks you on his knees many times and considers himself fortunate to have fallen into the hands of one, as he thinks, who is the bravest, most valorous, and thrice-worthy gentleman of England. |
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PISTOL
As I suck blood, I will some mercy show. Follow me. |
PISTOL
As I get to leech him, I will show some mercy. Follow me. |
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BOY
Suivez-vous le grand capitaine. |
BOY
(speaking in French) Follow the mighty captain. |
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Exeunt PISTOL and FRENCH SOLDIER |
PISTOL and the FRENCH SOLDIER exit. |
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I did never know so full a voice issue from so empty a heart. But the saying is true: “The empty vessel makes the greatest sound.” Bardolph and Nym had ten times more valor than this roaring devil i’ th’ old play, that everyone may pare his nails with a wooden dagger, and they are both hanged, and so would this be if he durst steal any thing adventurously. I must stay with the lackeys with the luggage of our camp. The French might have a good prey of us if he knew of it, for there is none to guard it but boys. |
I never heard so loud a voice issue from such an empty heart. It’s true what they say: “The empty vessel makes the greatest sound.” Bardolph and Nym had ten times more courage than this roaring stage villain, whose nails any Joe could cut with a wooden dagger, but they are both hanged. So would this man if he had the nerve to steal anything bravely. I have to stay with the servants, who are with our camp’s luggage. We’re sitting ducks for the French, if they only knew it, for there is no one guarding it but boys. |
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Exit |
He exits. |