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VIOLA.

The captain that did bring me first on shore

Hath my maid's garments. He, upon some action,

Is now in durance, at Malvolio's suit,

A gentleman and follower of my lady's.

OLIVIA.

He shall enlarge him. Fetch Malvolio hither;

And yet, alas, now I remember me,

They say, poor gentleman, he's much distract.

Re-enter CLOWN, with a letter, and FABIAN

A most extracting frenzy of mine own

From my remembrance clearly banish'd his.

How does he, sirrah?

CLOWN.

Truly, madam, he holds Belzebub at the stave's end as well

as a man in his case may do. Has here writ a letter to you; I

should have given 't you to-day morning, but as a madman's

epistles are no gospels, so it skills not much when they are deliver'd.

OLIVIA.

Open't, and read it.

CLOWN.

Look then to be well edified when the fool delivers the

madman. [Reads madly ] 'By the Lord, madam-'

OLIVIA.

How now! Art thou mad?

CLOWN.

No, madam, I do but read madness. An your ladyship will have

it as it ought to be, you must allow vox.

OLIVIA.

Prithee read i' thy right wits.

CLOWN.

So I do, madonna; but to read his right wits is to read

thus; therefore perpend, my Princess, and give ear.

OLIVIA.

[To FABIAN] Read it you, sirrah.

FABIAN.

[Reads] 'By the Lord, madam, you wrong me, and the world

shall know it. Though you have put me into darkness and given

your drunken cousin rule over me, yet have I the benefit of my

senses as well as your ladyship. I have your own letter that

induced me to the semblance I put on, with the which I doubt not

but to do myself much right or you much shame. Think of me as you

please. I leave my duty a little unthought of, and speak out of my injury.

THE MADLY-US'D MALVOLIO'

OLIVIA.

Did he write this?

CLOWN.

Ay, Madam.

DUKE.

This savours not much of distraction.

OLIVIA.

See him deliver'd, Fabian; bring him hither.

Exit FABIAN

My lord, so please you, these things further thought on,

To think me as well a sister as a wife,

One day shall crown th' alliance on't, so please you,

Here at my house, and at my proper cost.

DUKE.

Madam, I am most apt t' embrace your offer.

[To VIOLA] Your master quits you; and, for your service done him,

So much against the mettle of your sex,

So far beneath your soft and tender breeding,

And since you call'd me master for so long,

Here is my hand; you shall from this time be

You master's mistress.

OLIVIA.

A sister! You are she.

Re-enter FABIAN, with MALVOLIO

DUKE.

Is this the madman?

OLIVIA.

Ay, my lord, this same.

How now, Malvolio!

MALVOLIO.

Madam, you have done me wrong,

Notorious wrong.

OLIVIA.

Have I, Malvolio? No.

MALVOLIO.

Lady, you have. Pray you peruse that letter.

You must not now deny it is your hand;

Write from it if you can, in hand or phrase;

Or say 'tis not your seal, not your invention;

You can say none of this. Well, grant it then,

And tell me, in the modesty of honour,

Why you have given me such clear lights of favour,

Bade me come smiling and cross-garter'd to you,

To put on yellow stockings, and to frown

Upon Sir Toby and the lighter people;

And, acting this in an obedient hope,

Why have you suffer'd me to be imprison'd,

Kept in a dark house, visited by the priest,

And made the most notorious geck and gul

That e'er invention play'd on? Tell me why.

OLIVIA.

Alas, Malvolio, this is not my writing,

Though, I confess, much like the character;

But out of question 'tis Maria's hand.

And now I do bethink me, it was she

First told me thou wast mad; then cam'st in smiling,

And in such forms which here were presuppos'd

Upon thee in the letter. Prithee, be content;

This practice hath most shrewdly pass'd upon thee,

But, when we know the grounds and authors of it,

Thou shalt be both the plaintiff and the judge

Of thine own cause.

FABIAN.

Good madam, hear me speak,

And let no quarrel nor no brawl to come

Taint the condition of this present hour,

Which I have wond'red at. In hope it shall not,

Most freely I confess myself and Toby

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