Arm. Fetch hither the swain: he must carry 52
me a letter.
Moth. A message well sympathized: a horse
to be ambassador for an ass.
Arm. Ha, ha! what sayest thou? 56
Moth. Marry, sir, you must send the ass upon
the horse, for he is very slow-gaited. But I go.
Arm. The way is but short: away!
Moth. As swift as lead, sir. 60
Arm. The meaning, pretty ingenious?
Is not lead a metal heavy, dull, and slow?
Moth. Minime, honest master; or rather, master, no.
Arm. I say, lead is slow.
Moth. You are too swift, sir, to say so. 64
Is that lead slow which is fir'd from a gun?
Arm. Sweet smoke of rhetoric!
He reputes me a cannon; and the bullet, that's he:
I shoot thee at the swain.
Moth. Thump, then, and I flee. 68
[Exit.]
Arm. A most acute juvenal; volable and free of grace!
By thy favour, sweet welkin, I must sigh in thy face:
Most rude melancholy, valour gives thee place.
My herald is return'd. 72
Enter Page [Moth] and Clown [Costard].
Moth. A wonder, master! here's a costard broken in a shin.
Arm. Some enigma, some riddle: come, thy l'envoy; begin.
Cost. No egma, no riddle, no l'envoy; no salve
54 well sympathized: i.e. the message is well suited to the bearer
63 Minime: by no means
68 Thump: bang!
69 volable: quick of wit
70 welkin: sky
73 costard: head
