Father, come. I’ll take my leave of the Jew in the 166 twinkling.
LANCELET
Father, in. I cannot get a service , no! I have 155
ne’er a tongue in my head! Well, < studying his palm > 156
if any man in Italy have a fairer table which doth 157
offer to swear upon a book—I shall have good 158
fortune, go to ! Here’s a simple line of life . Here’s a 159
small trifle of wives—alas, fifteen wives is nothing; 160
eleven widows and nine maids is a simple coming-161
in for one man—and then to ’scape drowning 162
thrice, and to be in peril of my life with the edge of a 163
featherbed ! Here are simple ’ scapes . Well, if For-164
tune be a woman, she’s a good wench for this gear . 165
Father, come. I’ll take my leave of the Jew in the 166 twinkling . 167
< Lancelet and old Gobbo > exit.
[Act 2 Scene 2]
Footnotes
155 . service: position as a servant
157 . table: palm of the hand (See picture.) The “table” of the hand. ( 2.2.157 ) From Johannes ab Indagine, The book of palmestry . . . (1666).
159 . go to: expression of impatience; line of life: a line used by palmists (Lancelet begins reading his palm.)
161 –62. simple coming-in: humble beginning
163 –64. to . . . featherbed: a reference perhaps to the danger of marriage or of a sexual encounter
164 . scapes: transgressions 164 –65. Fortune: i.e., the goddess Fortuna (See note to 2.1.37 .)
165 . for this gear: for this business
167 . twinkling: instant ( twinkling of an eye)
