All's Well That Ends Well: ACT IV
Introduction ACT I ACT II ACT III ACT IV SCENE I. Without the Florentine camp. SCENE II. Florence. The Widow's house. SCENE III. The Florentine camp. SCENE IV. Florence. The Widow's house. SCENE V. Rousillon. The COUNT's palace. 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 IV. Florence. The Widow's house. Enter HELENA, Widow, and DIANA HELENA       That you may well perceive I have not wrong'd you,       One of the greatest in the Christian world       Shall be my surety; 'fore whose throne 'tis needful,       Ere I can perfect mine intents, to kneel: 5     Time was, I did him a desired office,       Dear almost as his life; which gratitude       Through flinty Tartar's bosom would peep forth,       And answer, thanks: I duly am inform'd       His grace is at Marseilles; to which place 10    We have convenient convoy. You must know       I am supposed dead: the army breaking,       My husband hies him home; where, heaven aiding,       And by the leave of my good lord the king,       We'll be before our welcome. Widow 15    Gentle madam,       You never had a servant to whose trust       Your business was more welcome. HELENA       Nor you, mistress,       Ever a friend whose thoughts more truly labour 20    To recompense your love: doubt not but heaven       Hath brought me up to be your daughter's dower,       As it hath fated her to be my motive       And helper to a husband. But, O strange men!       That can such sweet use make of what they hate, 25    When saucy trusting of the cozen'd thoughts       Defiles the pitchy night: so lust doth play       With what it loathes for that which is away.       But more of this hereafter. You, Diana,       Under my poor instructions yet must suffer 30    Something in my behalf. DIANA       Let death and honesty       Go with your impositions, I am yours       Upon your will to suffer. HELENA       Yet, I pray you: 35    But with the word the time will bring on summer,       When briers shall have leaves as well as thorns,       And be as sweet as sharp. We must away;       Our wagon is prepared, and time revives us:       All's well that ends well; still the fine's the crown; 40    Whate'er the course, the end is the renown. Exeunt Return to top of page ... or ... Go to next scene