Rey. Ay, my lord,[579][580]
I would know that.[579]
Pol. Marry, sir, here's my drift,
And I believe it is a fetch of warrant:[581]
You laying these slight sullies on my son,[582]
As 'twere a thing a little soil'd i' the working,[583] 40
Mark you,[584][585]
Your party in converse, him you would sound,[584][586]
Having ever seen in the prenominate crimes[587]
The youth you breathe of guilty, be assured[588]
He closes with you in this consequence;[589] 45
'Good sir,' or so, or 'friend,' or 'gentleman,'[590]
According to the phrase or the addition[591]
Of man and country.
Rey. Very good, my lord.
Pol. And then, sir, does he this—he does—what was I[592][593]
about to say? By the mass, I was about to say something:[592][594] 50
where did I leave?[592]
Rey. At 'closes in the consequence,' at 'friend or so,'[595]
and 'gentleman.'[595]
Pol. At 'closes in the consequence,' ay, marry;[596]
He closes with you thus: 'I know the gentleman;[597] 55
I saw him yesterday, or t'other day,[598]
Or then, or then, with such, or such, and, as you say,[599]
There was a' gaming, there o'ertook in's rouse,[600]
There falling out at tennis:' or perchance,[601]
'I saw him enter such a house of sale,'[602] 60
Videlicet, a brothel, or so forth.[603]
See you now;[603]
Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth:[604]
And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,
With windlasses and with assays of bias,[605] 65
By indirections find directions out:[606]
So, by my former lecture and advice,[607]
Shall you my son. You have me, have you not?
Rey. My lord, I have.
Pol. God be wi' ye; fare ye well.[608]
Rey. Good my lord![609] 70
Pol. Observe his inclination in yourself.[610]