VALENTINE    Forgive me that I do not dream on thee

Because thou seest me dote upon my love.

My foolish rival, that her father likes

Only for his possessions are so huge,

Is gone with her along, and I must after;

For love, thou know’st, is full of jealousy.

PROTEUS       But she loves you?

VALENTINE Ay, and we are betrothed. Nay, more, our marriage hour

With all the cunning manner of our flight,

Determined of – how I must climb her window,

The ladder made of cords, and all the means

Plotted, and ’greed on for my happiness.  (2.4.164-175)

Forgive me that I do not dream on thee: you must be taken aback, even upset that I’m not entirely overcome with delight at seeing you, that I’m not giving you the effusive welcome you imagined, given that you’re my best friend and everything. But you can see that I dote upon my love; she’s all I think about, all I’ve got room for in my head and heart. And—more to the point—my foolish rival, that her father likes only for his possessions are so huge (the other guy, the idiot—he’s an idiot—but the duke thinks he’s great, because he’s LOADED)—he’s with her even now, my Silvia, he’s gone with her along and temporarily got her to himself, and I must after. I’ve got to get there as quickly as I can, catch up with them. For love, thou know’st, is full of jealousy. I can’t bear the thought of her being with anyone else, and I can’t help being suspicious every moment she’s out of my sight; that’s what love means. (Hmmmm.)

Proteus is still digesting this, and needs something cleared up quickly. But she loves you? Not the other guy? And, also, she loves you back? (Are you sure?) So Valentine drops his bombshell. Ay, and we are betrothed. She loves me! We’re getting married! Nay, more, our marriage hour, with all the cunning manner, determined of. It’s all planned, when we’re getting married, and how we can do it in secret—not least how I must climb her window—get up to her balcony—with a ladder made of cords (and yes it’s just like the one in Romeo and Juliet, and probably borrowing from the same source; here it sounds as if it’s been specially made). All the means are plotted—we’ve worked it all out exactly, everything that we need to do—and everything is ’greed on for my happiness. This is it! Everything’s agreed! This is the beginning of the rest of my life, and it’s going to be amazing!