All's Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare Read Free Book Online

past deeds in the future. She ambiguously claims that he has “won / A wife of me.” He believes he has won “A heaven on earth” and leaves. Diana reflects that her mother told her just what he’d say and do and for herself she’d rather stay single; however, she doesn’t think it’s a sin to deceive him in this way since he would cheat her.
ACT 4 SCENE 3
    Lines 1–68: The French lords are discussing Bertram and his reaction to a letter from his mother. They say he is blamed for his treatmentof Helen which has displeased the king. The first lord confides how Bertram has seduced “a young gentlewoman” in Florence and given her his ring. He will be back after midnight and they decide to postpone their interrogation of Parolles till then so that Bertram can see for himself how poor his judgment has been. In the meanwhile, peace has been concluded between the combatants. They question what Bertram will do now, whether he will continue his travels or return to France. He has been told of Helen’s flight and pilgrimage to Saint Jaques and that she is now dead. They think it a pity that he will be glad of such news and reflect on the paradox that his valor as a soldier is countermanded by his domestic shame, reflecting further that “The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together.”
    Lines 69–106: Bertram’s servant appears and they ask where his master is. He replies that he is saying farewell to the Duke of Florence since he is going to France in the morning. Bertram then enters and explains that he has been busy saying farewell to the Duke and his friends, burying and mourning a wife, writing to his mother, organizing his return, and “many nicer deeds,” concluding that the last was the “greatest” but isn’t yet finished. He’s now ready for the “dialogue between the fool and the soldier.” Parolles, who has been in the stocks all night, is sent for. He has been weeping like a woman and has confessed everything right up to the present. Bertram is concerned about what Parolles has said of him.
    Lines 107–309: They interrogate the still-blindfolded Parolles in a comic nonsense language with one soldier interpreting throughout. Parolles immediately betrays all the secrets of the army. Bertram is shocked and disgusted by his former friend and mentor’s performance. They search him for letters and find a “sonnet” from Parolles to Diana about Bertram, calling him a “dangerous and lascivious boy” and advising her not to trust him. They threaten him with hanging and Parolles begs for his life, to live under any conditions. They ask him about the characters of the French lords and of Bertram and he betrays and insults them all. They finally remove his blindfold and Parolles sees that he has been duped and asks plaintively, “Who cannot be crushed with a plot?” They leave him promising to reveal his impudence in France. Parolles is undaunted, claiming he doesn’tcare. He’s glad and won’t be a captain any longer. He’ll just be himself: “Simply the thing I am / Shall make me live.”
ACT 4 SCENE 4
    Helen assures the Widow and Diana that she has not wronged them and says that they must go and kneel before the King who is at Marseille. They willingly agree to do as she asks. Helen reflects on the strangeness of men who can “such sweet use make of what they hate.” She regrets that Diana will have more to suffer for her sake but believes that her end is justified.
ACT 4 SCENE 5
    Lafew and the Countess are discussing recent events with Lavatch present. Lafew claims that Bertram was led astray by Parolles. The Countess says her grief is for the death of Helen whom she could not have loved more if she’d been Helen’s real mother. Lafew and Lavatch continue a conversation full of the Clown’s witty banter until Lafew sends him away. The Countess