Henry V

by William Shakespeare

Act IV, Scene IV

The field of battle.

Alarum. Excursions. Enter PISTOL, French Soldier, and Boy

Yield, cur!

Je pense que vous etes gentilhomme de bonne qualite.

Qualtitie calmie custure me! Art thou a gentleman?
what is thy name? discuss.

O Seigneur Dieu!

O, Signieur Dew should be a gentleman:
Perpend my words, O Signieur Dew, and mark;
O Signieur Dew, thou diest on point of fox,
Except, O signieur, thou do give to me
Egregious ransom.

O, prenez misericorde! ayez pitie de moi!

Moy shall not serve; I will have forty moys;
Or I will fetch thy rim out at thy throat
In drops of crimson blood.

Est-il impossible d'echapper la force de ton bras?

Brass, cur!
Thou damned and luxurious mountain goat,
Offer'st me brass?

O pardonnez moi!

Say'st thou me so? is that a ton of moys?
Come hither, boy: ask me this slave in French
What is his name.

Ecoutez: comment etes-vous appele?

Monsieur le Fer.

He says his name is Master Fer.

Master Fer! I'll fer him, and firk him, and ferret
him: discuss the same in French unto him.

I do not know the French for fer, and ferret, and firk.

Bid him prepare; for I will cut his throat.

Que dit-il, monsieur?

Il me commande de vous dire que vous faites vous
pret; car ce soldat ici est dispose tout a cette
heure de couper votre gorge.

Owy, cuppele gorge, permafoy,
Peasant, unless thou give me crowns, brave crowns;
Or mangled shalt thou be by this my sword.

O, je vous supplie, pour l'amour de Dieu, me
pardonner! Je suis gentilhomme de bonne maison:
gardez ma vie, et je vous donnerai deux cents ecus.

What are his words?

He prays you to save his life: he is a gentleman of
a good house; and for his ransom he will give you
two hundred crowns.

Tell him my fury shall abate, and I the crowns will take.

Petit monsieur, que dit-il?

Encore qu'il est contre son jurement de pardonner
aucun prisonnier, neanmoins, pour les ecus que vous
l'avez promis, il est content de vous donner la
liberte, le franchisement.

Sur mes genoux je vous donne mille remercimens; et
je m'estime heureux que je suis tombe entre les
mains d'un chevalier, je pense, le plus brave,
vaillant, et tres distingue seigneur d'Angleterre.

Expound unto me, boy.

He gives you, upon his knees, a thousand thanks; and
he esteems himself happy that he hath fallen into
the hands of one, as he thinks, the most brave,
valorous, and thrice-worthy signieur of England.

As I suck blood, I will some mercy show.
Follow me!

Suivez-vous le grand capitaine.

Exeunt PISTOL, and French Soldier

I did never know so full a voice issue from so
empty a heart: but the saying is true 'The empty
vessel makes the greatest sound.' Bardolph and Nym
had ten times more valour than this roaring devil i'
the old play, that every one may pare his nails with
a wooden dagger; and they are both hanged; and so
would this be, if he durst steal any thing
adventurously. I must stay with the lackeys, with
the luggage of our camp: the French might have a
good prey of us, if he knew of it; for there is
none to guard it but boys.

Exit

Next Scene

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