Audition for Olivia and Viola

Audition for Olivia and Viola

VIOLA (as Cesario)

Good madam, let me see your face.

OLIVIA

Have you any commission from your lord to negotiate with my face? You are now out of your text: but we will draw the curtain and show you the picture. Look you, sir, is't not well done?

Unveiling

VIOLA

Excellently done, if God did all.

OLIVIA

'Tis in grain, sir; 'twill endure wind and weather.

VIOLA

'Tis beauty truly blent, whose red and white Nature's own sweet and cunning hand laid on: Lady, you are the cruell'st she alive, if you will lead these graces to the grave and leave the world no copy.

OLIVIA

O, sir, I will not be so hard-hearted; I will give out divers schedules of my beauty: it shall be inventoried, and every particle and utensil labelled to my will: as, item, two lips, indifferent red; item, two grey eyes, with lids to them; item, one neck, one chin, and so forth.

Were you sent hither to praise me?

VIOLA

I see you what you are, you are too proud;

My lord and master loves you!

OLIVIA

How does he love me?

VIOLA

With adorations, fertile tears, with groans that thunder love, with sighs of fire.

OLIVIA

Your lord does know my mind; I cannot love him:

Yet I suppose him virtuous, know him noble,

Of great estate, of fresh and stainless youth;

A gracious person: but yet I cannot love him;

He might have took his answer long ago.

VIOLA

If I did love you in my master's flame,

In your denial I would find no sense;

I would not understand it.

OLIVIA

Why, what would you?

VIOLA

Make me a willow cabin at your gate,

And call upon my soul within the house;

Write loyal cantons of contemned love

And sing them loud even in the dead of night;

Halloo your name to the reverberate hills

And make the babbling gossip of the air

Cry out 'Olivia!'

OLIVIA

You might do much. What is your parentage?

VIOLA

Above my fortunes, yet my state is well:

I am a gentleman.

OLIVIA

Get you to your lord;

I cannot love him: let him send no more;

Unless, perchance, you come to me again,

To tell me how he takes it. Fare you well:

I thank you for your pains: spend this for me.

VIOLA

I am no fee'd post, lady; keep your purse:

My master, not myself, lacks recompense.

Farewell, fair cruelty.

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