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Nay, good my lord, put him to’t; let him have his way.
No, my lord, let him go for it; let him do as he wants.
If your lordship find him not a hilding, hold me no more in your respect.
If you don’t think he’s a coward, then don’t think of me as your equal.
On my life, my lord, a bubble.
I swear, my lord, he’s just a joke.
Do you think I am so far deceived in him?
Do you think I’m that easily fooled by him?
Believe it, my lord, in mine own direct knowledge, without any malice, but to speak of him as my kinsman, he’s a most notable coward, an infinite and endless liar, an hourly promise-breaker, the owner of no one good quality worthy your lordship’s entertainment.
Believe me, my lord, from what I know for sure, with no ill intentions, but just to speak of him as my relative, he’s a huge coward, a terrible and endless liar, a constant promise-breaker, with no good qualities worthy of your noble attention.
It were fit you knew him; lest, reposing too far in his virtue, which he hath not, he might at some great and trusty business in a main danger fail you.
It’s important you know this; otherwise, if you rely too much on his nonexistent virtue, he might let you down in some critical, trustworthy situation.
I would I knew in what particular action to try him.
I wish I knew the right situation to test him.
None better than to let him fetch off his drum, which you hear him so confidently undertake to do.
There’s no better way than to let him go get his drum, which he claims he can easily bring back.
I, with a troop of Florentines, will suddenly surprise him; such I will have, whom I am sure he knows not from the enemy: we will bind and hoodwink him so, that he shall suppose no other but that he is carried into the leaguer of the adversaries, when we bring him to our own tents. Be but your lordship present at his examination: if he do not, for the promise of his life and in the highest compulsion of base fear, offer to betray you and deliver all the intelligence in his power against you, and that with the divine forfeit of his soul upon oath, never trust my judgment in any thing.
I, with a group of Florentines, will surprise him; I’ll choose men he won’t recognize as the enemy: we’ll tie him up and blindfold him, making him think he’s being taken to the enemy’s camp, when we’ll actually bring him to our own tents. Just be there when we question him: if he doesn’t, to save his own life and out of pure fear, try to betray you and give away everything he knows about you, swearing an oath on his soul, never trust my judgment in anything.
O, for the love of laughter, let him fetch his drum; he says he has a stratagem for’t: when your lordship sees the bottom of his success in’t, and to what metal this counterfeit lump of ore will be melted, if you give him not John Drum’s entertainment, your inclining cannot be removed. Here he comes.
Oh, for the love of laughter, let him go get his drum; he says he has a plan for it: when your lordship sees the truth of how successful he is, and what kind of person this fake hero really is, if you still want to give him the respect of a soldier, you won’t be able to change my mind. Here he comes.
[Aside to BERTRAM] O, for the love of laughter, hinder not the honour of his design: let him fetch off his drum in any hand.
[Aside to BERTRAM] Oh, for the love of laughter, don’t ruin the fun of his plan: let him go get his drum any way.
How now, monsieur! this drum sticks sorely in your disposition.
Well now, monsieur! this drum is really bothering you, isn’t it?
A pox on’t, let it go; ’tis but a drum.
Damn it, let it go; it’s just a drum.
’But a drum’! is’t ’but a drum’? A drum so lost! There was excellent command,--to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers!
"Just a drum!" Is it just a drum? A drum that’s been lost! There was excellent leadership -- to charge in with our cavalry and attack our own soldiers!
That was not to be blamed in the command of the service: it was a disaster of war that Caesar himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.
That wasn’t the fault of the leadership: it was a military mishap that even Caesar couldn’t have stopped, had he been there to lead.
Well, we cannot greatly condemn our success: some dishonour we had in the loss of that drum; but it is not to be recovered.
Well, we can’t really blame ourselves too much for our success: some dishonor came from losing that drum, but it’s not something we can fix.
It might have been recovered.
It could have been recovered.
It might; but it is not now.
It could have been, but it’s too late now.
It is to be recovered: but that the merit of service is seldom attributed to the true and exact performer, I would have that drum or another, or ’hic jacet.’
It can be fixed: but because true and exact service is rarely recognized, I’d prefer that drum or another, or ’here lies.’
Why, if you have a stomach, to’t, monsieur: if you think your mystery in stratagem can bring this instrument of honour again into his native quarter, be magnanimous in the enterprise and go on; I will grace the attempt for a worthy exploit: if you speed well in it, the duke shall both speak of it. and extend to you what further becomes his greatness, even to the utmost syllable of your worthiness.
Well, if you’re determined, go ahead, sir: if you think your skill in tricks can bring this symbol of honour back to its rightful place, be bold in the task and go for it; I’ll support your effort as a worthy one: if you succeed, the duke will talk about it. And he will reward you with whatever his rank requires, right up to the fullest recognition of your worth.
By the hand of a soldier, I will undertake it.
I swear, by the hand of a soldier, I’ll take it on.
But you must not now slumber in it.
But you can’t just sleep on it now.
I’ll about it this evening: and I will presently pen down my dilemmas, encourage myself in my certainty, put myself into my mortal preparation; and by midnight look to hear further from me.
I’ll start tonight: I’ll write down my thoughts, boost my confidence, prepare myself fully, and by midnight, expect to hear more from me.
May I be bold to acquaint his grace you are gone about it?
May I be bold enough to let his grace know you’re on it?
I know not what the success will be, my lord; but the attempt I vow.
I don’t know what the outcome will be, my lord; but I promise I’ll try.
I know thou’rt valiant; and, to the possibility of thy soldiership, will subscribe for thee. Farewell.
I know you’re brave; and based on your soldiering skills, I’ll back you up. Farewell.
I love not many words.
I don’t like talking too much.
No more than a fish loves water. Is not this a strange fellow, my lord, that so confidently seems to undertake this business, which he knows is not to be done; damns himself to do and dares better be damned than to do’t?
No more than a fish loves water. Isn’t this a strange guy, my lord, who confidently takes on a task he knows can’t be done; he condemns himself to try it, and dares to be damned for it rather than not do it?
You do not know him, my lord, as we do: certain it is that he will steal himself into a man’s favour and for a week escape a great deal of discoveries; but when you find him out, you have him ever after.
You don’t know him like we do, my lord: the truth is, he’ll worm his way into someone’s good graces and avoid being found out for a while; but once you do catch him, you’ll have him for good.
Why, do you think he will make no deed at all of this that so seriously he does address himself unto?
Do you really think he won’t actually do anything about this, despite how seriously he’s getting ready for it?
None in the world; but return with an invention and clap upon you two or three probable lies: but we have almost embossed him; you shall see his fall to-night; for indeed he is not for your lordship’s respect.
Not a thing; he’ll just come back with some story and tell you a couple of plausible lies: but we’ve nearly got him figured out; you’ll see his downfall tonight, because honestly, he’s not someone worthy of your respect.
We’ll make you some sport with the fox ere we case him. He was first smoked by the old lord Lafeu: when his disguise and he is parted, tell me what a sprat you shall find him; which you shall see this very night.
We’ll have some fun with the fox before we trap him. He was first exposed by the old lord Lafeu: once his disguise is gone, you’ll see what a small fish he really is; you’ll find out tonight.
I must go look my twigs: he shall be caught.
I’ve got to go check my traps: he’ll be caught.
Your brother he shall go along with me.
Your brother will come with me.
As’t please your lordship: I’ll leave you.
As you wish, my lord: I’ll leave you.
Now will I lead you to the house, and show you The lass I spoke of.
Now I’ll take you to the house and show you The girl I told you about.
But you say she’s honest.
But you say she’s honest.
That’s all the fault: I spoke with her but once And found her wondrous cold; but I sent to her, By this same coxcomb that we have i’ the wind, Tokens and letters which she did re-send; And this is all I have done. She’s a fair creature: Will you go see her?
That’s the problem: I spoke to her only once And found her very cold, but I sent her, Through this same fool we have with us, Tokens and letters which she sent back; And that’s all I’ve done. She’s a beautiful woman: Do you want to see her?
With all my heart, my lord.
With all my heart, my lord.