All's Well That Ends Well (20 page)

Lines 64–223:
Lafew tells the King that a young woman has arrived who believes she can cure him. The King agrees to see her. Helen enters and Lafew leaves them alone. Helen explains that she's the only child of Gerard de Narbon and that on his death he left her his secret medical recipes. The King is initially reluctant but Helen eventually convinces him to let her try, guaranteeing that he will be cured within forty-eight hours and if he isn't, she's prepared to die. If she succeeds she asks only that she may be allowed to choose her own husband, promising not to choose one of royal blood. The King agrees to her terms.

A short comic scene between the Countess and Lavatch, in which he boasts that he has an answer for all questions and occasions and she goes along with him, playing his stooge. His fit-all response turns out to be “O lord, sir!” Finally she sends him off with a letter for Helen and greetings to Bertram.

Lines 1–149:
Lafew, Bertram, and Parolles are discussing the King's recovery in terms of miracle versus science. The King, now cured,
enters with Helen. He confirms the bargain they struck and has his young lords line up for Helen to choose a husband. She rejects the other young men and selects Bertram who is shocked and resentful, complaining that he wishes to choose his own wife. He knows Helen well and believes marriage to her would bring him social disgrace. The King says if that's his only objection, he can ennoble her, and goes on to point out that she is “young, wise, fair,” all qualities that breed “honour,” which should be derived from the individual's acts rather than noble ancestry.

Lines 150–260:
When she realizes that Bertram doesn't want to marry her, Helen offers to give up the agreement, but the King insists, believing his own “honour” is “at the stake.” Bertram submits to his authority and agrees to the marriage. Everyone but Parolles and Lafew leaves to witness the ceremony. Lafew compliments Parolles' “lord and master” on his “recantation,” by agreeing to the King's wishes. Parolles objects to these terms to describe himself and says he'd challenge Lafew for insulting him if he weren't so old. Lafew now realizes Parolles is a fool, which he'd suspected from his showy clothes and, continuing to insult him, leaves. Parolles vows he'll be revenged, however old and however much a lord Lafew is, when the opportunity presents itself. Lafew returns to say that Bertram is married and Parolles now has a “new mistress.” Parolles, however, claims that while Bertram is his “good lord,” he serves the one “above,” but Lafew says it's not God he serves but the devil. He tells Parolles he's a worthless “vagabond” and leaves.

Lines 261–96:
Bertram returns, complaining that he's ruined and determined that even though he's married to Helen, he'll go to the wars and “never bed her.” Parolles encourages him in his decision, calling France a “dog-hole” and saying that to gain honor a man should go to the wars to fight rather than hug his “kicky-wicky [wife] here at home.” Bertram says he'll send Helen back to his mother, telling her how much he hates Helen, and spend the money given him by the King to equip himself for the war, since war is preferable to a “dark house” and “detested wife.” Parolles tells him it's the right decision: “A young man married is a man that's marred.”

Helen is reading the letter delivered by Lavatch from the Countess. He gives a riddling response to Helen's inquiries about her. Parolles arrives and after a comic exchange with Lavatch tells Helen that she is to return to the Countess at once since Bertram is detained on “very serious business.” She says she'll do whatever Bertram wishes.

Lines 1–51:
Lafew is discussing Parolles with Bertram who assures him that Parolles is a “valiant” soldier. Lafew is unconvinced and continues to mock Parolles. Bertram asks if Helen is going away as he has ordered her to and Parolles confirms that she is. Bertram says he will leave for the wars himself then. Parolles denies that there is any ill feeling between himself and Lafew and Bertram is convinced that Lafew is mistaken in his estimate of his friend. Lafew's opinion is that “The soul of this man is his clothes” though, and he warns Bertram not to trust him in important matters. Parolles dismisses Lafew as an “idle lord” and Bertram agrees. Seeing Helen coming toward him, Bertram exclaims: “Here comes my clog.”

Lines 52–98:
Helen says she has spoken to the King who has given her permission to leave, but he wishes to speak to Bertram. Bertram says he'll do as he asks. He then excuses himself, saying he wasn't prepared for “such a business” and is “unsettled.” He asks her to go home and gives her a letter for his mother. He'll see her in two days. She repeats that she knows she isn't worthy but would ask a small thing of him. She changes her mind and then says, “Strangers and foes do sunder, and not kiss,” but he tells her to hurry. After she's gone, he vows he'll never go home while he can “shake [his] sword or hear the drum.”

The Duke of Florence has explained the cause of the war to the two French lords. They agree that it seems a just war on his part but cannot say why the French king refused to ally France with Florence,
however they are sure that the young French knights will all want to fight with him. The Duke says they will be welcome and he will honor them.

Lines 1–29:
Lavatch has told the Countess about recent events in Paris. She's delighted with the way things have turned out, except that Bertram hasn't returned with Helen. Lavatch describes him as “a very melancholy man.” The Countess reads the letter from her son while Lavatch explains that he no longer wishes to marry, having seen the women at court. He leaves and, now alone, the Countess reads Bertram's letter aloud in which he says that he's “wedded” but not “bedded” Helen and never intends to. He has “run away” and wants her to know the truth from him first. She's disgusted by his impetuous, immature behavior, which shows contempt for the King's favor and Helen's virtue.

Lines 30–64:
Lavatch returns to tell the Countess that Helen and two lords have returned with bad news. Helen says Bertram has run away and the lords confirm that he has gone to fight for the Duke of Florence. Helen relates Bertram's letter to her which says he'll never be her husband until she can “get the ring upon my finger” and prove that she's pregnant by him: “show me a child begotten of thy body that I am father to.” The Countess tells Helen to cheer up—half the griefs are hers since he's her son, but now she washes her hands of him and Helen is her only child.

Lines 65–132:
The Countess inquires if Bertram has gone to Florence to be a soldier and the lords confirm it and assure her that the Duke of Florence will honor him. Helen bitterly quotes another line from Bertram's letter which says, “Till I have no wife I have nothing in France.” The lords try to make light of the words, but the Countess exclaims that there's nothing in France too good for him except Helen, who deserves a lord that twenty such “rude boys” might serve. She asks who is with Bertram, if it's Parolles, and when the lords admit it is, calls him “A very tainted fellow, and full of wickedness.” He is a bad influence on Bertram. She gives them a message
for her son, to say that he can never win “The honour that he loses” by his sword. She asks them to take a letter from her. Alone, Helen repeats Bertram's words and is shocked that her presence has driven him away to war, where he may be hurt or killed. Fearful for his safety, she decides that she must leave France that night.

The Duke of Florence promotes Bertram to “general of our horse.” Bertram says it is too great an honor but he'll try to live up to it. The Duke wishes him well and he says he will follow Mars, love war and hate love.

The Countess questions why Reynaldo took the letter from Helen, since he must have known what she would do. She asks him to read it again. In her letter Helen says she has decided to tread the pilgrim way of Saint Jaques to repent her sin of “Ambitious love” and begs the Countess to write that her own departure has brought Bertram back safe from the war. She asks the Countess to beg Bertram's forgiveness. He is too good to die and she would prefer her own death to set him free. The Countess says Reynaldo should have brought her the letter last night so that Helen could be persuaded against this course of action, but he replies that Helen has written that pursuit would be in vain. The Countess does not believe her son—“this unworthy husband”—can thrive except through Helen's prayers. She asks Reynaldo to write to Bertram telling him of Helen's worth and her departure, in the hope that he may return and Helen may also out of “pure love.” She cannot say which of the two she loves best and is overcome with sorrow.

Lines 1–80:
The Widow and her daughter, Diana, are discussing the French count's valor in the war. Mariana warns her against him and the Widow explains how she has been “solicited” by his friend. Mariana
says she knows who Diana means, “One Parolles,” a “filthy officer,” and again warns Diana to beware of them. Diana reassures her that she has no need to worry on her account. Helen enters, disguised as a pilgrim, asking where the “palmers” (pilgrims) lodge, and the Widow confirms it's at her house. They guess she's from France and tell her that one of her countrymen has fought valiantly in the war and name the Count of Rossillion. Helen says she knows him by name only. They report that he left France because he had been married against his will and ask Helen if she knows anything about it. Helen says she knows the lady and Diana says that Parolles speaks “but coarsely of her.” Helen says the lady is chaste and honest and the women pity her. The Widow says her daughter could do the lady a “shrewd” (malicious) turn if she chose and Helen guesses that he has tried to seduce Diana. The Widow says her daughter is able to defend herself against his advances.

Lines 81–112:
Bertram, Parolles, and the whole army pass across the stage. As they parade by, the Widow points out who is who and Diana points to Bertram. She asks Helen whether he is not “a handsome gentleman” and Helen replies, “I like him well.” They point out Parolles—“That jackanapes with scarves”—who is muttering about “Los[ing] our drum!” When they have passed by the Widow says she will show Helen where she is to lodge. Helen thanks her and invites mother and daughter to eat with her, at her expense, and she will give Diana some advice. They agree and go off together.

The two French lords are trying to convince Bertram that he is deceived about Parolles, who is nothing but a coward and a liar. Bertram wonders how it can be proved and the French lords hatch a plot for him to go and recover his drum. They meanwhile will capture and blindfold him, pretending to be the enemy, and they are convinced that if Bertram is present at his interrogation, he'll soon change his opinion of his friend. They convince Bertram to encourage Parolles to attempt to recover the drum. Parolles enters still complaining about the loss of the drum and volunteers to go and get it back.
One of the lords goes after Parolles while the other goes with Bertram to see Diana, whose only “fault” he says is that “she's honest.”

Helen has explained her true identity to the Widow, who explains that though she's poor, she's honest and was “well born.” Helen reassures her that she will not be involved in anything that might damage her or Diana's reputation but begs their help in winning her husband. She wants Diana to ask Bertram for his ring and then to make an assignation with him, which she herself will keep rather than Diana. Helen has already given them money and agrees to give Diana a further “three thousand crowns” when she marries. The Widow agrees, and Helen justifies the deceit as “wicked meaning in a lawful deed / And lawful meaning in a lawful act.”

Lines 1–59:
The French lord and soldiers plan to trap Parolles. They must speak in some “terrible language” so that he can't understand them. One of the soldiers, whose voice Parolles doesn't know, volunteers to act as “interpreter.” Parolles enters, meditating with himself what he will say when he returns. He fears that his tongue has been “too foolhardy” and has run away with him but he is too frightened to carry out his boasts. He cannot understand how he volunteered for this mission, which they all knew was impossible. He will have to pretend to have been hurt, but they'll scorn small injuries and he daren't give himself larger ones. He decides he'll have to keep his tongue quiet in future if it gets him into trouble. Parolles works through a list of the things he might do to prove that he's been wounded, dismissing each. The soldiers meanwhile comment in satirical asides on his character.

Lines 60–94:
An “Alarum” (call to arms) sounds and the soldiers jump and blindfold a terrified Parolles. They talk nonsense to him. He says he'll tell them what he knows and the soldier who volunteered to be “interpreter” conducts a comic dialogue, pretending to
interpret their gobbledygook. He says he'll tell them “all the secrets of our camp.” They lead him off still blindfolded and send for Bertram to witness his interrogation.

Lines 1–46:
Bertram is trying to persuade Diana that she should sleep with him, arguing that virginity is no use to the dead, that she should be like her mother, when Diana was conceived. Diana counters that her mother was doing her duty since she was married and that Bertram owes such a duty to his wife. He objects that he was forced to marry against his will but it's Diana he loves and vows he will always love and serve her. Diana says that men say that to gain their sexual desires but then such vows mean nothing. Bertram continues to try to convince her to lose her virginity to him but she refuses him, saying that men only try to trap women. Then she asks for his ring.