All's Well That Ends Well: ACT III
Introduction ACT I ACT II ACT III SCENE I. Florence. The DUKE's palace. SCENE II. Rousillon. The COUNT's palace. SCENE III. Florence. Before the DUKE's palace. SCENE IV. Rousillon. The COUNT's palace. SCENE V. Florence. Without the walls. A tucket afar off. SCENE VI. Camp before Florence. SCENE VII. Florence. The Widow's house. ACT IV ACT V About the Play Feedback			Search: All the plays Hamlet Coriolanus Julius Caesar King Lear Macbeth Othello Romeo and Juliet Richard II Richard III Titus Andronicus Antony and Cleopatra Timon of Athens Henry IV Part 1 Henry IV Part 2 Henry the Fifth Henry VI Part 1 Henry VI Part 2 Henry VI Part 3 Henry VIII King John Pericles Troilus and Cressida All's Well... As You Like It The Comedy of Errors Cymbeline A Midsummer... Love's Labour's Lost Measure for Measure The Merry Wives... Much Ado about Nothing The Merchant of Venice Twelfth Night The Taming of... The Tempest The Two Gentlemen... The Winter's Tale    for: SCENE VII. Florence. The Widow's house. Enter HELENA and Widow HELENA       If you misdoubt me that I am not she,       I know not how I shall assure you further,       But I shall lose the grounds I work upon. Widow       Though my estate be fallen, I was well born, 5     Nothing acquainted with these businesses;       And would not put my reputation now       In any staining act. HELENA       Nor would I wish you.       First, give me trust, the count he is my husband, 10    And what to your sworn counsel I have spoken       Is so from word to word; and then you cannot,       By the good aid that I of you shall borrow,       Err in bestowing it. Widow       I should believe you: 15    For you have show'd me that which well approves       You're great in fortune. HELENA       Take this purse of gold,       And let me buy your friendly help thus far,       Which I will over-pay and pay again 20    When I have found it. The count he wooes your daughter,       Lays down his wanton siege before her beauty,       Resolved to carry her: let her in fine consent,       As we'll direct her how 'tis best to bear it.       Now his important blood will nought deny 25    That she'll demand: a ring the county wears,       That downward hath succeeded in his house       From son to son, some four or five descents       Since the first father wore it: this ring he holds       In most rich choice; yet in his idle fire, 30    To buy his will, it would not seem too dear,       Howe'er repented after. Widow       Now I see       The bottom of your purpose. HELENA       You see it lawful, then: it is no more, 35    But that your daughter, ere she seems as won,       Desires this ring; appoints him an encounter;       In fine, delivers me to fill the time,       Herself most chastely absent: after this,       To marry her, I'll add three thousand crowns 40    To what is passed already. Widow       I have yielded:       Instruct my daughter how she shall persever,       That time and place with this deceit so lawful       May prove coherent. Every night he comes 45    With musics of all sorts and songs composed       To her unworthiness: it nothing steads us       To chide him from our eaves; for he persists       As if his life lay on't. HELENA       Why then to-night 50    Let us assay our plot; which, if it speed,       Is wicked meaning in a lawful deed       And lawful meaning in a lawful act,       Where both not sin, and yet a sinful fact:       But let's about it. Exeunt Return to top of page ... or ... Go to next scene