VALENTINE    Good Proteus, go with me to my chamber,

In these affairs to aid me with thy counsel.

PROTEUS       Go on before. I shall inquire you forth.

I must unto the road, to disembark

Some necessaries that I needs must use,

And then I’ll presently attend you.

VALENTINE Will you make haste?

PROTEUS I will.

Exit [Valentine]                                   (2.4.176-183)

A little transitional moment: Valentine’s revealed that he and Silvia are totally in love and are planning to elope, apparently imminently, and now he’s taken his old friend Proteus into his confidence, he needs his help: good Proteus, go with me to my chamber, in these affairs to aid me with thy counsel. Come with me so that we can talk this over in private? I need your advice. Oh, you go ahead, says Proteus; go on before, and I shall inquire you forth. I’ll get someone to give me directions to your room, or else come and get you. I’ve just got a few things to do first: I must unto the road, to disembark some necessaries that I needs must use, and then I’ll presently attend you. It’s just that I’ve got to go back to the gatehouse? the station? the port? to pick up some—stuff? Things. Things I really need, right now, and then I’ll be with you, right away, soon as I can. Will you make haste? Hurry, please!!? says Valentine, possibly a tiny bit puzzled, even put out, that Proteus isn’t straight away onside, one-hundred-percent committed to the plan? Yes, of course I will is Proteus’s response, perhaps with a reassuring smile, a hug. Exit Valentine.

But there’s a big revelation incoming…