All's Well That Ends Well Read Online Free PDF Page B

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.
ACT 2 SCENE 2
    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.
ACT 2 SCENE 3
    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.”
ACT 2 SCENE 4
    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