[Enter PAROLLES guarded, and First Soldier]
BERTRAM A plague upon him! muffled! he can say nothing of
me: hush, hush!
First Lord Hoodman comes! Portotartarosa
First Soldier He calls for the tortures: what will you say
without 'em?
PAROLLES I will confess what I know without constraint: if
ye pinch me like a pasty, I can say no more.
First Soldier Bosko chimurcho.
First Lord Boblibindo chicurmurco.
First Soldier You are a merciful general. Our general bids you
answer to what I shall ask you out of a note.
PAROLLES And truly, as I hope to live.
First Soldier [Reads] 'First demand of him how many horse the
duke is strong.' What say you to that?
PAROLLES Five or six thousand; but very weak and
unserviceable: the troops are all scattered, and
the commanders very poor rogues, upon my reputation
and credit and as I hope to live.
First Soldier Shall I set down your answer so?
PAROLLES Do: I'll take the sacrament on't, how and which way you will.
BERTRAM All's one to him. What a past-saving slave is this!
First Lord You're deceived, my lord: this is Monsieur
Parolles, the gallant militarist,--that was his own
phrase,--that had the whole theoric of war in the
knot of his scarf, and the practise in the chape of
his dagger.
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