Cel. Which he will put on us, as pigeons feed
their young.
Ros. Then we shall be news-cramm'd.
Cel. All the better; we shall be more market-
able. 104
Bon jour, Monsieur Le Beau: what's the news?
Le Beau. Fair princess, you have lost much
good sport.
Cel. Sport! Of what colour? 108
Le Beau. What colour, madam! How shall
I answer you?
Ros. As wit and fortune will.
Touch. Or as the Destinies decree. 112
Cel. Well said: that was laid on with a trowel.
Touch. Nay, if I keep not my rank,—
Ros. Thou losest thy old smell.
Le Beau. You amaze me, ladies: I would
have told you of good wrestling, which you have
lost the sight of. 118
Ros. Yet tell us the manner of the wrestling.
Le Beau. I will tell you the beginning; and,
if it please your ladyships, you may see the end,
for the best is yet to do; and here, where you
are, they are coming to perform it. 123
Cel. Well, the beginning, that is dead and
buried.
Le Beau. There comes an old man and his
three sons,— 127
Cel. I could match this beginning with an
old tale.
100 put on: force on
103 marketable: i.e., 'because we shall be like pigeons fattened for market'
108 Sport; cf. n.
112 Destinies; cf. n.
113 laid . . . trowel: i.e., 'spread thickly'
114 rank; cf. n.
116 amaze: bewilder
129 old tale: i.e., because Le Beau's words resemble the opening line of many old fairy tales
