[Enter Host and Julia disguised as a boy, who stand apart]

HOST  Now, my young guest, methinks you’re allycholly. I pray you, why is it?

JULIA  Marry, mine host, because I cannot be merry.

HOST Come, we’ll have you merry. I’ll bring you where you shall hear music, and see the gentleman that you asked for.

JULIA But shall I hear him speak?

HOST Ay, that you shall.

JULIA That will be music.

HOST Hark, hark.

JULIA Is he among these?

HOST Ay. But peace, let’s hear ’em. (4.2.26-36)

Finally: Julia, disguised as a page boy, with an innkeeper; it’s a reminder that this is a city scene, and that Silvia’s room looks out over a city street, where there are neighbours and passersby. There’s no sense, really, of how long Julia’s been in Milan; long enough to be friendly with the host and, perhaps, to become sad, the state that the host wants to alter: now, my young guest, methinks you’re allycholly. (He—or indeed she—means melancholy, it’s a hilarious malapropism.) I pray you, why is it? What’s up? Marry, mine host, because I cannot be merry. I’m sad because I can’t be happy, replies Julia, neatly framing her proverb with marry and merry (and while marry is a conventional oath, so mild as to be unremarkable, here it does also suggest marriage, perhaps). The host is in the cheering-up business, and knows just the thing: come, we’ll have you merry. I’ll bring you where you shall hear music, and see the gentleman you asked for. Ah. So perhaps news of Thurio’s planned serenade has spread, at least as far as the local pub, and Proteus is also known by sight. (And is known as a gentleman.) But shall I hear him speak? That’s the crucial bit for Julia, hearing his beloved voice, being able to recognise him once and for all, and being close enough to do so. Oh, absolutely, no question. Ay, that you shall. That will be music: Proteus’s voice will be music to my ears, says Julia, plaintively, dreamily. (Does she suspect anything yet? Probably not?) Hark, hark, says the music-loving host. Shhhh, they’re starting. But Julia persists: is he among them? Is—my man—there among the musicians? Ay. But peace, let’s hear ’em. Shut up and listen.