Marry, sir, they praise me and make an ass of me, now my
foes tell me plainly I am an ass. So that by my foes, sir I
profit in the knowledge of myself, and by my friends, I am
abused. So that, conclusions to be as kisses, if your four
negatives make your two affirmatives, why then the worse
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for my friends and the better for my foes.
FOOL
Well, my friends praise me and make me look like an idiot, while my enemies tell me straightforwardly that I am an idiot. My enemies help me understand myself better, which is an advantage, and my friends help me lie about myself, which is a disadvantage. So if four negatives make two affirmatives, I'm worse off because of my friends and better off because of my foes.
ORSINO
Why, this is excellent.
ORSINO
That's excellent.
FOOL
By my troth, sir, no—though it please you to be one of my
friends.
FOOL
Don't say that—unless you want to be one of my friends.
ORSINO
(giving a coin)
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Thou shalt not be the worse for me: there's gold.
ORSINO
(he gives him a coin) You won't be worse off because of me: here's some money.
FOOL
But that it would be double-dealing, sir, I would you could
make it another.
FOOL
That's a nice hand you dealt me. But if it's not double-dealing, sir, I wish you'd deal me another.
ORSINO
O, you give me ill counsel.
ORSINO
Oh, you're a naughty one, encouraging double-dealing.
FOOL
Put your grace in your pocket, sir, for this once, and let your
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flesh and blood obey it.
FOOL
Ignore your virtue and nobility just this once, sir, go ahead.
ORSINO
Well, I will be so much a sinner, to be a double-dealer.
There's another. (giving a coin)
ORSINO
Well, I'll commit the sin of double-dealing, and deal you a second coin. Here it is. (he gives him another coin)
FOOL
Primo, secundo, tertio is a good play, and the old saying is,
the third pays for all. The triplex, sir, is a good tripping
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measure, or the bells of Saint Bennet, sir, may put you in
mind—one, two, three.
FOOL
And maybe a third? You know, there's a game called “third time's the charm,” which is fun to play, and they always say that three's a magic number. The three-beat rhythm is a good for dancing, and the church bells chime—one, two, three.
