He can come no other way but by this hedge-corner. When you sally upon him, speak what terrible language you will; though you understand it not yourselves, no matter; for we must not seem to understand him, unless someone among us, whom we must produce for an interpreter.

Good captain, let me be th’ interpreter.

Art not acquainted with him? Knows he not thy voice?

No sir, I warrant you.

But what linsey-woolsey has thou to speak to us again?

E’en such as you speak to me.

He must think us some band of strangers i’ the adversary’s entertainment. Now he hath a smack of all neighbouring languages, therefore we must every one be a man of his own fancy; not to know what we speak one to another, so we seem to know, is to know straight our purpose: choughs’ language, gabble enough, and good enough. As for you, interpreter, you must seem very politic. But couch, ho! Here he comes; to beguile two hours in a sleep, and then to return and swear the lies he forges.

Ten o’clock. Within these three hours ’twill be time enough to go home. What shall I say I have done? It must be a very plausive invention that carries it. They begin to smoke me, and disgraces have of late knock’d too often at my door. I find my tongue is too foolhardy, but my heart hath the fear of Mars before it, and of his creatures, not daring the reports of my tongue.

[Aside.] This is the first truth that e’er thine own tongue was guilty of.

What the devil should move me to undertake the recovery of this drum, being not ignorant of the impossibility, and knowing I had no such purpose? I must give myself some hurts, and say I got them in exploit; yet slight ones will not carry it. They will say “Came you off with so little?” and great ones I dare not give. Wherefore, what’s the instance? Tongue, I must put you into a butter-woman’s mouth, and buy myself another of Bajazet’s mule, if you prattle me into these perils.

[Aside.] Is it possible he should know what he is, and be that he is?

I would the cutting of my garments would serve the turn, or the breaking of my Spanish sword.

[Aside.] We cannot afford you so.

Or the baring of my beard, and to say it was in stratagem.

[Aside.] ’Twould not do.

Or to drown my clothes, and say I was stripped.

[Aside.] Hardly serve.

Though I swore I leap’d from the window of the citadel,—

[Aside.] How deep?

Thirty fathom.

[Aside.] Three great oaths would scarce make that be believed.

I would I had any drum of the enemy’s; I would swear I recover’d it.

[Aside.] You shall hear one anon.

A drum now of the enemy’s!

Throca movousus, cargo, cargo, cargo.

Cargo, cargo, cargo, villianda par corbo, cargo.

O, ransom, ransom! Do not hide mine eyes.

Boskos thromuldo boskos.

Boskos vauvado. I understand thee, and can speak thy tongue. Kerelybonto. Sir, Betake thee to thy faith, for seventeen poniards are at thy bosom.

O!

Oscorbidulchos volivorco.

But wilt thou faithfully?

If I do not, damn me.

Captain, I will.

So I will, sir.

Till then I’ll keep him dark, and safely lock’d.