COUNTESS

In saying goodbye to my son, it's like I'm losing another husband.

BERTRAM

And for me, in leaving, mother, I mourn my father's death all over again, but I must serve at the
king's command, since I am now his subject and eternally in servitude to him.

LAFEU

Your family has been so important to him that you'd bring out the generosity in him even if he was
miserable—since he is generous, there's no way he won't share that kindness with you.

COUNTESS

How likely is it that his majesty will recover?

LAFEU

He's given up on his doctors, madam. He's wasted a lot of time and hope following their orders, and
all he's getting out of it is gradually losing hope over time.

COUNTESS

[Gesturing to HELENA] This young woman had a father—oh, that word "had!" What a sad word it
is!—and his skill was only outshined by his goodness. If he'd had the chance, he could have made
men immortal. Death would have been out of business. If only he were living now, for the king's
sake! I think he would cure the king's illness.

LAFEU

What was the name of this man you speak of, madam?

COUNTESS

He was famous in his line of work, sir, and he absolutely deserved that fame: Gerard de Narbon.

LAFEU

He was excellent indeed, madam. The king only recently was talking admiringly and sadly about him.
Narbon had enough skill to keep himself alive, if only you could fight mortality with brilliance.

BERTRAM

What exactly is the king's sickness, my good lord?

LAFEU

A fistula, my lord.

BERTRAM

I haven't heard of that before.

LAFEU

Don't let the word get out. So this woman was the daughter of Gerard de Narbon?
COUNTESS

His only child, my lord, and left to my care. I have high hopes that she'll live up to the education she's
received. She got her lovely personality from her father—that makes good-looking women even
better-looking. If a sinful mind accompanies a woman with many skills, those skills are praiseworthy
but also regrettable—they're virtues but also traitors. In Helena, though, these virtues are stronger
because she is so pure. She gets her honesty from her father and earns her goodness herself.

LAFEU

I can see the proof of your praises in her tears, madam.

COUNTESS

It's the best salt water a maiden can wash her praises in. As soon as she remembers her father, the
cruelty of her sorrow takes all the joy out of her cheeks. No more of this, Helena. Come on, no more.
You don't want people to think that you're performing sorrow rather than genuinely feeling it.

HELENA

I do perform my sorrow, but I genuinely feel it too.

LAFEU

Moderate mourning is what we owe to the dead, but excessive grief is an enemy to the living.

COUNTESS

If the living be enemy to the grief, the excess

makes it soon mortal.

COUNTESS

If the living is an enemy to grief, too much grief will kill the mourners.

BERTRAM

Madam, I desire your blessing.

COUNTESS

Be blessed, Bertram, and follow your father in behavior as well as in looks! Your blood and your
manners are fighting for power inside of you, so let your goodness take the side of your noble blood!
Be good to all, trust a few, don't wrong anyone. Win over your enemies by holding power, not by
abusing it, and value your friends as much as you value your own life. Be scolded for being silent but
don't talk so much that you make yourself a nuisance. Otherwise, I hope you'll be blessed with
whatever heaven wants to supply you with, to make you better and to answer my prayers! Farewell,
my lord. [To LAFEU] He's an untrained nobleman. Advise him, my lord.

LAFEU

He'll have only the best advice from me.

COUNTESS

Heaven bless him! Farewell, Bertram.

The COUNTESS exits

[To HELENA] I wish the best for you that you can imagine! Take care of my mother, your mistress, and
keep her well.

LAFEU

Farewell, pretty lady: you must maintain the reputation of your father.

BERTRAM and LAFEU exit.

SCENE 2 HELENA CONFESSES HER LOVE TO COUNTESS

HELENA

Why did you summon me, madam?

COUNTESS

You know, Helena, I am a mother to you.

HELENA

My honorable mistress.

COUNTESS

No, a mother. Why not a mother? When I said "a mother," I thought you saw a snake. What's in
"mother" that so startles you? I say, I am your mother, and I put you in the list of my children that
came out of my womb. It's often the case that adopted children feel as close to us as natural children
and the family that we choose feel as familiar to us even though they came from another family tree.
You never put me through labor pains, but I still tell you I have a mother's love for you. By god, lady!
Does it boil your blood to hear me say I am your mother? What's the matter, that Iris, the rainbow-
goddess messenger of the rain clouds, brings tears to your eye? Why? Because you are my daughter?

HELENA

Because I am not your daughter.

COUNTESS

I say, I am your mother.

HELENA

I'm sorry, madam. The Count Rousillon cannot be my brother. I come from humble origins, he from
an honorable family. My parents are nobodies, his are nobles. He's my master, my dear lord. And I
live as his servant and will die as his subject. He must not be my brother.

COUNTESS

And I must not be your mother?

HELENA

You are my mother, madam. I wish you were—if only my lord your son were not then my brother—
indeed, my mother! Even if you were both our mothers, I'd rather die, as long as I'm not his sister. Is
there no way for me to be your daughter without him being my brother?

COUNTESS
Do you love my son?

HELENA:

(Determined) Yes, and I want to win his love

COUNTESS

(Supportive) You have my blessings and support, Helena. Do what you must.

SCENE 3 ; HELENA CURES KING’S DISEASE AND DEMANDS TO MARRY BETRAM

KING

Helena, you've been helping me get better. What can I do to repay you?

HELENA

Your Majesty, all I ask is a favor. I want to be allowed to pick my future husband from among the
people at court.

KING

That's a big request, Helena. But I believe in you. You have my permission.

HELENA

Thank you, Your Majesty. Your support means the world to me.

[To BERTRAM] I dare not say that I take you. But I give myself and my service, as long as I live, into
your guiding power.

[To the KING] This is the man.

KING

Why, then, young Bertram, take her, she's your wife.

BERTRAM

My wife, my lord! I will plead with your highness that in such a business I can use my own eyes to
make my choice.

KING

Don't you know what she's done for me, Bertram?

BERTRAM

Yes, my good lord, but I don't have a clue why I should marry her.

KING

You know that she has raised me from my sickbed.

BERTRAM

But does it make sense, my lord, that I must be brought down because you've been raised up? I know
her well. She was brought up in my father's court. A poor physician's daughter as my wife! I'd rather
be hated forever!

King: Bertram, I understand your hesitation, but I believe Helena is a worthy match for you.
Bertram: Your Majesty, I'm not sure if I can love her as she deserves.

King: Love can grow over time, my boy. Helena has proven her devotion to you. Give her a chance,
and you might find happiness together.

Bertram: (Reluctantly) I will do as you say, Your Majesty, for the sake of your wishes.

King: That's the spirit, Bertram. I believe this union will bring blessings to both of you and to our
kingdom.