TWELFTH NIGHT
TWELFTH NIGHT
Orsino, the Duke of Illyria, was deeply in love with a
beautiful Countess named Olivia. Yet was all his love in vain, for she
disdained his suit; and when her brother died, she sent back a messenger from
the Duke, bidding him tell his master that for seven years she would not let
the very air behold her face, but that, like a nun, she would walk veiled; and
all this for the sake of a dead brother's love, which she would keep fresh and
lasting in her sad remembrance.
The Duke longed for someone to whom he could tell his
sorrow, and repeat over and over again the story of his love. And chance
brought him such a companion. For about this time a goodly ship was wrecked on
the Illyrian coast, and among those who reached land in safety were the captain
and a fair young maid, named Viola. But she was little grateful for being
rescued from the perils of the sea, since she feared that her twin brother was
drowned, Sebastian, as dear to her as the heart in her bosom, and so like her
that, but for the difference in their manner of dress, one could hardly be told
from the other. The captain, for her comfort, told her that he had seen her
brother bind himself "to a strong mast that lived upon the sea," and
that thus there was hope that he might be saved.
Viola now asked in whose country she was, and learning that
the young Duke Orsino ruled there, and was as noble in his nature as in his
name, she decided to disguise herself in male attire, and seek for employment with
him as a page.
In this she succeeded, and now from day to day she had to
listen to the story of Orsino's love. At first she sympathized very truly with
him, but soon her sympathy grew to love. At last it occurred to Orsino that his
hopeless love-suit might prosper better if he sent this pretty lad to woo
Olivia for him. Viola unwillingly went on this errand, but when she came to the
house, Malvolio, Olivia's steward, a vain, officious man, sick, as his mistress
told him, of self-love, forbade the messenger admittance.
Viola, however (who was now called Cesario), refused to take
any denial, and vowed to have speech with the Countess. Olivia, hearing how her
instructions were defied and curious to see this daring youth, said,
"We'll once more hear Orsino's embassy."
When Viola was admitted to her presence and the servants had
been sent away, she listened patiently to the reproaches which this bold
messenger from the Duke poured upon her, and listening she fell in love with
the supposed Cesario; and when Cesario had gone, Olivia longed to send some
love-token after him. So, calling Malvolio, she bade him follow the boy.
"He left this ring behind him," she said, taking
one from her finger. "Tell him I will none of it."
Malvolio did as he was bid, and then Viola, who of course
knew perfectly well that she had left no ring behind her, saw with a woman's
quickness that Olivia loved her. Then she went back to the Duke, very sad at
heart for her lover, and for Olivia, and for herself.
It was but cold comfort she could give Orsino, who now
sought to ease the pangs of despised love by listening to sweet music, while
Cesario stood by his side.
"Ah," said the Duke to his page that night,
"you too have been in love."
"A little," answered Viola.
"What kind of woman is it?" he asked.
"Of your complexion," she answered.
"What years, i' faith?" was his next question.
To this came the pretty answer, "About your years, my
lord."
"Too old, by Heaven!" cried the Duke. "Let
still the woman take an elder than herself."
And Viola very meekly said, "I think it well, my
lord."
By and by Orsino begged Cesario once more to visit Olivia
and to plead his love-suit. But she, thinking to dissuade him, said--
"If some lady loved you as you love Olivia?"
"Ah! that cannot be," said the Duke.
"But I know," Viola went on, "what love woman
may have for a man. My father had a daughter loved a man, as it might be,"
she added blushing, "perhaps, were I a woman, I should love your
lordship."
"And what is her history?" he asked.
"A blank, my lord," Viola answered. "She
never told her love, but let concealment like a worm in the bud feed on her
damask cheek: she pined in thought, and with a green and yellow melancholy she
sat, like Patience on a monument, smiling at grief. Was not this love
indeed?"
"But died thy sister of her love, my boy?" the
Duke asked; and Viola, who had all the time been telling her own love for him
in this pretty fashion, said--
"I am all the daughters my father has and all the
brothers-- Sir, shall I go to the lady?"
"To her in haste," said the Duke, at once
forgetting all about the story, "and give her this jewel."
So Viola went, and this time poor Olivia was unable to hide
her love, and openly confessed it with such passionate truth, that Viola left
her hastily, saying--
"Nevermore will I deplore my master's tears to
you."
But in vowing this, Viola did not know the tender pity she
would feel for other's suffering. So when Olivia, in the violence of her love,
sent a messenger, praying Cesario to visit her once more, Cesario had no heart
to refuse the request.
But the favors which Olivia bestowed upon this mere page
aroused the jealousy of Sir Andrew Aguecheek, a foolish, rejected lover of
hers, who at that time was staying at her house with her merry old uncle Sir
Toby. This same Sir Toby dearly loved a practical joke, and knowing Sir Andrew
to be an arrant coward, he thought that if he could bring off a duel between
him and Cesario, there would be rare sport indeed. So he induced Sir Andrew to
send a challenge, which he himself took to Cesario. The poor page, in great
terror, said--
"I will return again to the house, I am no
fighter."
"Back you shall not to the house," said Sir Toby,
"unless you fight me first."
And as he looked a very fierce old gentleman, Viola thought
it best to await Sir Andrew's coming; and when he at last made his appearance,
in a great fright, if the truth had been known, she tremblingly drew her sword,
and Sir Andrew in like fear followed her example. Happily for them both, at this
moment some officers of the Court came on the scene, and stopped the intended
duel. Viola gladly made off with what speed she might, while Sir Toby called
after her--
"A very paltry boy, and more a coward than a
hare!"
Now, while these things were happening, Sebastian had
escaped all the dangers of the deep, and had landed safely in Illyria, where he
determined to make his way to the Duke's Court. On his way thither he passed
Olivia's house just as Viola had left it in such a hurry, and whom should he meet
but Sir Andrew and Sir Toby. Sir Andrew, mistaking Sebastian for the cowardly
Cesario, took his courage in both hands, and walking up to him struck him,
saying, "There's for you."
"Why, there's for you; and there, and there!" said
Sebastian, bitting back a great deal harder, and again and again, till Sir Toby
came to the rescue of his friend. Sebastian, however, tore himself free from
Sir Toby's clutches, and drawing his sword would have fought them both, but
that Olivia herself, having heard of the quarrel, came running in, and with
many reproaches sent Sir Toby and his friend away. Then turning to Sebastian,
whom she too thought to be Cesario, she besought him with many a pretty speech
to come into the house with her.
Sebastian, half dazed and all delighted with her beauty and
grace, readily consented, and that very day, so great was Olivia's baste, they
were married before she had discovered that he was not Cesario, or Sebastian
was quite certain whether or not he was in a dream.
Meanwhile Orsino, hearing how ill Cesario sped with Olivia,
visited her himself, taking Cesario with him. Olivia met them both before her
door, and seeing, as she thought, her husband there, reproached him for leaving
her, while to the Duke she said that his suit was as fat and wholesome to her
as howling after music.
"Still so cruel?" said Orsino.
"Still so constant," she answered.
Then Orsino's anger growing to cruelty, he vowed that, to be
revenged on her, he would kill Cesario, whom he knew she loved. "Come,
boy," he said to the page.
And Viola, following him as he moved away, said, "I, to
do you rest, a thousand deaths would die."
A great fear took hold on Olivia, and she cried aloud,
"Cesario, husband, stay!"
"Her husband?" asked the Duke angrily.
"No, my lord, not I," said Viola.
"Call forth the holy father," cried Olivia.
And the priest who had married Sebastian and Olivia, coming
in, declared Cesario to be the bridegroom.
"O thou dissembling cub!" the Duke exclaimed.
"Farewell, and take her, but go where thou and I henceforth may never
meet."
At this moment Sir Andrew came up with bleeding crown,
complaining that Cesario had broken his head, and Sir Toby's as well.
"I never hurt you," said Viola, very positively;
"you drew your sword on me, but I bespoke you fair, and hurt you
not."
Yet, for all her protesting, no one there believed her; but
all their thoughts were on a sudden changed to wonder, when Sebastian came in.
"I am sorry, madam," he said to his wife, "I
have hurt your kinsman. Pardon me, sweet, even for the vows we made each other
so late ago."
"One face, one voice, one habit, and two persons!"
cried the Duke, looking first at Viola, and then at Sebastian.
"An apple cleft in two," said one who knew
Sebastian, "is not more twin than these two creatures. Which is
Sebastian?"
"I never had a brother," said Sebastian. "I
had a sister, whom the blind waves and surges have devoured." "Were
you a woman," he said to Viola, "I should let my tears fall upon your
cheek, and say, 'Thrice welcome, drowned Viola!'"
Then Viola, rejoicing to see her dear brother alive,
confessed that she was indeed his sister, Viola. As she spoke, Orsino felt the
pity that is akin to love.
"Boy," he said, "thou hast said to me a
thousand times thou never shouldst love woman like to me."
"And all those sayings will I overswear," Viola
replied, "and all those swearings keep true."
"Give me thy hand," Orsino cried in gladness.
"Thou shalt be my wife, and my fancy's queen."
