ario one of his pages that being the office Viola
wished to obtain: and she so well fulfilled the duties of her new
station, and showed such a ready observance and faithful attachment to
her lord, that she soon became his most favoured attendant. To Cesario
Orsino confided the whole history of his love for the lady Olivia. To
Cesario he told the long and unsuccessful suit he had made to one who,
rejecting his long services, and despising his person, refused to admit
him to her presence; and for the love of this lady who had so unkindly
treated him, the noble Orsino, forsaking the sports of the held and all
manly exercises in which he used to delight, passed his hours in
ignoble sloth, listening to the effeminate sounds of soft music, gentle
airs, and passionate love-songs; and neglecting the company of the wise
and learned lords with whom he used to associate, he was now all day
long conversing with young Cesario. Unmeet companion no doubt his grave
courtiers thought Cesario was for their once noble master, the great
duke Orsino.

It is a dangerous matter for young maidens to be the confidants of
handsome young dukes; which Viola too soon found to her sorrow, for all
that Orsino told her he endured for Olivia, she presently perceived she
suffered for the love of him; and much it moved her wonder, that Olivia
could be so regardless of this her peerless lord and master, whom she
thought no one could behold without the deepest admiration, and she
ventured gently to hint to Orsino, that it was a pity he should affect
a lady who was so blind to his worthy qualities; and she said: 'If a
lady were to love you, my lord, as you love Olivia (and perhaps there
may be one who does), if you could not love her in return, would you
not tell her that you could not love, and must she not be content with
this answer?' But Orsino would not admit of this reasoning, for he
denied that it was possible for any woman to love as he did. He said,
no woman's heart was big enough to hold so much love, and therefore it
was unfair to compare the love of any lady for him, to his love for
Olivia. Now, though Viola had the utmost deference for the duke's
opinions, she could not help thinking this was not quite true, for she
thought her heart had full as much love in it as Orsino's had; and she
said: 'Ah, but I know, my lord.' 'What do you know, Cesario?' said
Orsino. 'Too well I know,' replied Viola, 'what love women may owe to
men. They are as true of