The Florentine Camp.
 Enter BERTRAM and the TWO LORDS DUMAINE.

1st Dumaine	Nay, good my lord, put him to't. Let him have his way.

2nd Dumaine	If your lordship find him not a hilding, hold me no more in 
	your respect.

1st Dumaine	On my life, my lord, a bubble.

Bertram	Do you think I am so far deceived in him?

1st Dumaine	Believe it, my lord, in mine own direct knowledge, without 
	any malice, but to speak of him as my kinsman, he's a most 
	notable coward, an infinite and endless liar, an hourly 
	promise-breaker, the owner of no one good quality worthy 
	your lordship's entertainment.

2nd Dumaine	It were fit you knew him, lest, reposing too far in his 
	virtue - which he hath not - he might at some great and 
	trusty business in a main danger fail you.

Bertram	I would I knew in what particular action to try him.

2nd Dumaine	None better than to let him fetch off his drum, which you 
	hear him so confidently undertake to do.

1st Dumaine	I, with a troop of Florentines, will suddenly surprise him; 
	such I will have whom I am sure he knows not from the 
	enemy. We will bind and hoodwink him so, that he shall 
	suppose no other but that he is carried into the leaguer of 
	the adversaries when we bring him to our own tents. Be but 
	your lordship present at his examination: if he do not, for 
	the promise of his life, and in the highest compulsion of 
	base fear, offer to betray you and deliver all the 
	intelligence in his power against you, and that with the 
	divine forfeit of his soul upon oath, never trust my 
	judgment in anything.

2nd Dumaine	O, for the love of laughter, let him fetch his drum; he 
	says he has a stratagem for't. When your lordship sees the 
	bottom of his success in't, and to what metal this 
	counterfeit lump of ore will be melted, if you give him not 
	John Drum's entertainment, your inclining cannot be 
	removed. Here he comes.

                             Enter PAROLLES.

1st Dumaine	O, for the love of laughter, hinder not the honour of his 
	design; let him fetch off his drum in any hand.

Bertram	How now, monsieur! This drum sticks sorely in your 
	disposition.

2nd Dumaine	A pox on't! Let it go - 'tis but a drum.

Parolles	But a drum! Is't but a drum? A drum so lost! There was 
	excellent command: to charge in with our horse upon our own 
	wings and to rend our own soldiers!

2nd Dumaine	That was not to be blamed in the command of the service; it 
	was a disaster of war that Caesar himself could not have 
	prevented if he had been there to command.

Bertram	Well, we cannot greatly condemn our success. Some dishonour 
	we had in the loss of that drum, but it is not to be 
	recovered.

Parolles	It might have been recovered.

Bertram	It might; but it is not now.

Parolles	It is to be recovered. But that the merit of service is 
	seldom attributed to the true and exact performer, I would 
	have that drum or another, or hic jacet.

Bertram	Why, if you have a stomach, to't, monsieur. If you think 
	your mystery in stratagem can bring this instrument of 
	honour again into his native quarter, be magnanimous in the 
	enterprise and go on; I will grace the attempt for a worthy 
	exploit. If you speed well in it, the duke shall both speak 
	of it and extend to you what further becomes his greatness, 
	even to the utmost syllable of your worthiness.

Parolles	By the hand of a soldier, I will undertake it.

Bertram	But you must not now slumber in it.

Parolles	I'll about it this evening, and I will presently pen down 
	my dilemmas, encourage myself in my certainty, put myself 
	into my mortal preparation; and by midnight look to hear 
	further from me.

Bertram	May I be bold to acquaint his grace you are gone about it?

Parolles	I know not what the success will be, my lord, but the 
	attempt I vow.

Bertram	I know thou'rt valiant; and to the possibility of thy 
	soldiership will subscribe for thee. Farewell.

Parolles	I love not many words.
												[Exit.

1st Dumaine	No more than a fish loves water. Is not this a strange 
	fellow, my lord, that so confidently seems to undertake 
	this business, which he knows is not to be done; damns 
	himself to do, and dares better be damned than to do't?

2nd Dumaine	You do not know him, my lord, as we do. Certain it is that 
	he will steal himself into a man's favour, and for a week 
	escape a great deal of discoveries; but when you find him 
	out you have him ever after.

Bertram	Why, do you think he will make no deed at all of this that 
	so seriously he does address himself unto?

1st Dumaine	None in the world, but return with an invention, and clap 
	upon you two or three probable lies. But we have almost 
	embossed him, you shall see his fall tonight; for, indeed, 
	he is not for your lordship's respect.

2nd Dumaine	We'll make you some sport with the fox ere we case him. He 
	was first smoked by the old Lord Lafeu. When his disguise 
	and he is parted tell me what a sprat you shall find him; 
	which you shall see this very night.

1st Dumaine	I must go look my twigs: he shall be caught.

Bertram	Your brother, he shall go along with me.

1st Dumaine	As't please your lordship. I'll leave you.
												[Exit.

Bertram	Now will I lead you to the house and show you
	The lass I spoke of.

2nd Dumaine						But you say she's honest.

Bertram	That's all the fault. I spoke with her but once,
	And found her wondrous cold; but I sent to her,
	By this same coxcomb that we have i'th' wind,
	Tokens and letters which she did re-send;
	And this is all I have done. She's a fair creature;
	Will you go see her?

2nd Dumaine	With all my heart, my lord.
												[Exeunt.
