SCENE IV.[2728

Enter PIETRO, FERRARDO, PREPASSO, _and_ THREE PAGES.

_Fer._ The dogs are at a fault. _Cornets like horns._

_Pietro._ Would God nothing but the dogs were at it! Let the deer pursue safety,[2729] the dogs follow the game, and do you follow the dogs: as for me, ’t is unfit one beast should hunt another; (5) I ha’ one chaseth me: an ’t please you, I would be rid of ye a little.

_Fer._ Would your grief would, as soon as we, leave you to quietness!

_Pietro._ I thank you. 10 _Exeunt_ [FERRARDO _and_ PREPASSO]. Boy, what dost thou dream of now?

_1 Page._ Of a dry summer, my lord; for here’s a hot world towards: but, my lord, I had a strange dream last night.

_Pietro._ What strange dream? 15

_1 Page._ Why, methought I pleased you with singing, and then I dreamt that you gave me that short sword.

_Pietro._ Prettily begged: hold thee, I’ll prove thy dream true; take ’t. [_Giving sword._] 20

_1 Page._ My duty: but still I dreamt on, my lord; and methought, an ’t shall please your excellency, you would needs out of your royal bounty give me that jewel in your hat.

_Pietro._ O, thou didst but dream, boy; do (25) not believe it: dreams prove not always true; they may hold in a short sword, but not in a jewel. But now, sir, you dreamt you had pleased me with singing; make that true, as I ha’ made the other. 30

_1 Page._ Faith, my lord, I did but dream, and dreams, you say, prove not always true; they may hold in a good sword, but not in a good song. The truth is, I ha’ lost my voice.

_Pietro._ Lost thy voice! How? 35

_1 Page._ With dreaming, faith: but here ’s a couple of sirenical rascals shall enchant ye. What shall they sing, my good lord?

_Pietro._ Sing of the nature of women: and then the song shall be surely full of variety, (40) old crotchets, and most sweet closes; it shall be humorous, grave, fantastic, amorous, melancholy, sprightly, one in all, and all in one.

_1 Page._ All in one!

_Pietro._ By ’r lady, too many. Sing: my (45) speech grows culpable of unthrifty idleness:[2730] sing.

_Song_ [_by_ 2 _and_ 3 Pages].