All's Well That Ends Well. William Shakespeare

your son. Fortune, she said, was no goddess, that had put such difference betwixt their two estates; Love no god, that would not extend his might only where qualities were level; Diana no queen of virgins, that would suffer her poor knight surpris’d, without rescue in the first assault or ransom afterward. This she deliver’d in the most bitter touch of sorrow that e’er I heard virgin exclaim in, which I held my duty speedily to acquaint you withal; sithence, in the loss that may happen, it concerns you something to know it.

      COUNTESS.

       You have discharg’d this honestly; keep it to yourself; many likelihoods inform’d me of this before, which hung so tottering in the balance that I could neither believe nor misdoubt. Pray you leave me; stall this in your bosom; and I thank you for your honest care. I will speak with you further anon.

      [Exit Steward.]

      Enter Helena.

      Even so it was with me when I was young;

       If ever we are nature’s, these are ours; this thorn

       Doth to our rose of youth rightly belong;

       Our blood to us, this to our blood is born;

       It is the show and seal of nature’s truth,

       Where love’s strong passion is impress’d in youth.

       By our remembrances of days foregone,

       Such were our faults, or then we thought them none.

       Her eye is sick on’t; I observe her now.

      HELENA.

       What is your pleasure, madam?

      COUNTESS.

       You know, Helen,

       I am a mother to you.

      HELENA.

       Mine honourable mistress.

      COUNTESS.

       Nay, a mother.

       Why not a mother? When I said a mother,

       Methought you saw a serpent. What’s in mother,

       That you start at it? I say I am your mother,

       And put you in the catalogue of those

       That were enwombed mine. ’Tis often seen

       Adoption strives with nature, and choice breeds

       A native slip to us from foreign seeds.

       You ne’er oppress’d me with a mother’s groan,

       Yet I express to you a mother’s care.

       God’s mercy, maiden! does it curd thy blood

       To say I am thy mother? What’s the matter,

       That this distempered messenger of wet,

       The many-colour’d Iris, rounds thine eye?

      —Why, that you are my daughter?

      HELENA.

       That I am not.

      COUNTESS.

       I say, I am your mother.

      HELENA.

       Pardon, madam;

       The Count Rossillon cannot be my brother.

       I am from humble, he from honoured name;

       No note upon my parents, his all noble,

       My master, my dear lord he is; and I

       His servant live, and will his vassal die.

       He must not be my brother.

      COUNTESS.

       Nor I your mother?

      HELENA.

       You are my mother, madam; would you were—

       So that my lord your son were not my brother—

       Indeed my mother! or were you both our mothers,

       I care no more for than I do for heaven,

       So I were not his sister. Can’t no other,

       But, I your daughter, he must be my brother?

      COUNTESS.

       Yes, Helen, you might be my daughter-in-law.

       God shield you mean it not! daughter and mother

       So strive upon your pulse. What! pale again?

       My fear hath catch’d your fondness; now I see

       The mystery of your loneliness, and find

       Your salt tears’ head. Now to all sense ’tis gross

       You love my son; invention is asham’d,

       Against the proclamation of thy passion

       To say thou dost not. Therefore tell me true;

       But tell me then, ’tis so; for, look, thy cheeks

       Confess it, t’one to th’other; and thine eyes

       See it so grossly shown in thy behaviours,

       That in their kind they speak it; only sin

       And hellish obstinacy tie thy tongue,

       That truth should be suspected. Speak, is’t so?

       If it be so, you have wound a goodly clew;

       If it be not, forswear’t: howe’er, I charge thee,

       As heaven shall work in me for thine avail,

       To tell me truly.

      HELENA.

       Good madam, pardon me.

      COUNTESS.

       Do you love my son?

      HELENA.

       Your pardon, noble mistress.

      COUNTESS.

       Love you my son?

      HELENA.

       Do not you love him, madam?

      COUNTESS.

       Go not about; my love hath in’t a bond

       Whereof the world takes note. Come, come, disclose

       The state of your affection, for your passions

       Have to the full appeach’d.

      HELENA.

       Then I confess,

       Here on my knee, before high heaven and you,

       That before you, and next unto high heaven,

       I love your son.

       My friends were poor, but honest; so’s my love.

       Be not offended; for it hurts not him

       That he is lov’d of me; I follow him not

       By any token of presumptuous suit,

       Nor would I have him till I do deserve him;

       Yet never know how that desert should be.

       I know I love in vain, strive against hope;

       Yet in this captious and inteemable sieve

       I still pour in the waters of my love

       And lack not to lose still. Thus, Indian-like,

       Religious in mine error, I adore

       The sun that looks upon his worshipper,

       But knows of him no more. My dearest madam,

       Let not your hate encounter with my love,

       For loving where you do; but if yourself,

       Whose aged honour cites a virtuous youth,

       Did ever, in so true a flame of liking,

       Wish chastely, and love dearly, that your Dian

       Was both herself and love; O then, give pity