And feed upon the shadow of perfection.
Except I be by Silvia in the night,
There is no music in the nightingale;
Unless I look on Silvia in the day, 180
There is no day for me to look upon:
She is my essence; and I leave to be,
If I be not by her fair influence
Foster'd, illumined, cherish'd, kept alive.
I fly not death, to fly his deadly doom: 185
Tarry I here, I but attend on death:
But, fly I hence, I fly away from life.

_Enter PROTEUS and LAUNCE._

_Pro._ Run, boy, run, run, and seek him out.

_Launce._ Soho, soho!

_Pro._ What seest thou? 190

_Launce._ Him we go to find: there's not a hair on's
head but 'tis a Valentine.

_Pro._ Valentine?

_Val._ No.

_Pro._ Who then? his spirit? 195

_Val._ Neither.

_Pro._ What then?

_Val._ Nothing.

_Launce._ Can nothing speak? Master, shall I strike?

_Pro._ Who wouldst thou strike? 200

_Launce._ Nothing.

_Pro._ Villain, forbear.

_Launce._ Why, sir, I'll strike nothing: I pray you,--

_Pro._ Sirrah, I say, forbear. Friend Valentine, a word.

_Val._ My ears are stopt, and cannot hear good news, 205
So much of bad already hath possess'd them.

_Pro._ Then in dumb silence will I bury mine,
For they are harsh, untuneable, and bad.

_Val._ Is Silvia dead?

_Pro._ No, Valentine. 210

_Val._ No Valentine, indeed, for sacred Silvia.
Hath she forsworn me?

_Pro._ No, Valentine.

_Val._ No Valentine, if Silvia have forsworn me.
What is your news? 215

_Launce._ Sir, there is a proclamation that you are vanished.

_Pro._ That thou art banished--O, that's the news!--
From hence, from Silvia, and from me thy friend.

_Val._ O, I have fed upon this woe already,
And now excess of it will make me surfeit. 220
Doth Silvia know that I am banished?

_Pro._ Ay, ay; and she hath offer'd to the doom--
Which, unreversed, stands in effectual force--
A sea of melting pearl, which some call tears:
Those at her father's churlish feet she tender'd; 225
With them, upon her knees, her humble self;
Wringing her hands, whose whiteness so became them
As if but now they waxed pale for woe:
But neither bended knees, pure hands held up,
Sad si