Back to main page
The Two Noble Kinsmen - Act 3, scene 2
Cite
Download The Two Noble Kinsmen
Last updated: Fri, Jul 31, 2015
- PDF Download as PDF
- DOC (for MS Word, Apple Pages, Open Office, etc.) without line numbers Download as DOC (for MS Word, Apple Pages, Open Office, etc.) without line numbers
- DOC (for MS Word, Apple Pages, Open Office, etc.) with line numbers Download as DOC (for MS Word, Apple Pages, Open Office, etc.) with line numbers
- HTML Download as HTML
- TXT Download as TXT
- XML Download as XML
- TEISimple XML (annotated with MorphAdorner for part-of-speech analysis) Download as TEISimple XML (annotated with MorphAdorner for part-of-speech analysis)
Navigate this work
The Two Noble Kinsmen - Act 3, scene 2Act 3, scene 2
Scene 2
Synopsis:
The jailer’s daughter, unable to find Palamon, fearing that he has been eaten by wild animals and that her father will be hanged for Palamon’s escape, falls into despair.
Enter Jailer’s Daughter, alone.DAUGHTER
1454 He has mistook the ⌜brake⌝ I meant, is gone
1455 After his fancy. ’Tis now well-nigh morning.
1456 No matter; would it were perpetual night,
1457 And darkness lord o’ th’ world. Hark, ’tis a wolf!
1458 5 In me hath grief slain fear, and but for one thing,
1459 I care for nothing, and that’s Palamon.
1460 I reck not if the wolves would jaw me, so
p.
111
1461
He had this file. What if I hallowed for him?1462 I cannot hallow. If I whooped, what then?
1463 10 If he not answered, I should call a wolf,
1464 And do him but that service. I have heard
1465 Strange howls this livelong night; why may ’t not be
1466 They have made prey of him? He has no weapons;
1467 He cannot run; the jingling of his gyves
1468 15 Might call fell things to listen, who have in them
1469 A sense to know a man unarmed and can
1470 Smell where resistance is. I’ll set it down
1471 He’s torn to pieces; they howled many together,
1472 And then they ⌜fed⌝ on him; so much for that.
1473 20 Be bold to ring the bell. How stand I then?
1474 All’s chared when he is gone. No, no, I lie.
1475 My father’s to be hanged for his escape;
1476 Myself to beg, if I prized life so much
1477 As to deny my act, but that I would not,
1478 25 Should I try death by dozens. I am moped;
1479 Food took I none these two days;
1480 Sipped some water. I have not closed mine eyes
1481 Save when my lids scoured off their brine. Alas,
1482 Dissolve, my life! Let not my sense unsettle,
1483 30 Lest I should drown, or stab, or hang myself.
1484 O state of nature, fail together in me,
1485 Since thy best props are warped! So, which way now?
1486 The best way is the next way to a grave;
1487 Each errant step beside is torment. Lo,
1488 35 The moon is down, the crickets chirp, the screech
1489 owl
1490 Calls in the dawn. All offices are done
1491 Save what I fail in. But the point is this—
1492 An end, and that is all.
She exits.