PROTEUS Look to the boy!
VALENTINE Why, boy?
Why, wag, how now? What’s the matter? Look up. Speak.
JULIA O good sir, my master charged me to deliver a ring to Madam Silvia, which out of my neglect was never done.
PROTEUS Where is that ring, boy?
JULIA [giving a ring] Here ’tis. This is it.
PROTEUS How? Let me see. Why, this is the ring I gave to Julia.
JULIA O, cry you mercy, sir. I have mistook.
[She gives another ring]
This is the ring you sent to Silvia.
PROTEUS But how cam’st thou by this ring? At my depart
I gave this unto Julia. (5.4.85-95)
Look to the boy! cries Proteus, as the disguised Julia perhaps faints, or otherwise exhibits extreme distress. Do something! But it’s Valentine who’s more immediately sympathetic: why, boy? what’s up? why, wag, how now?what’s going on, lad? What’s the matter? Look up. Speak. Come on, don’t be shy, look at me and let us know what’s wrong.
Julia gulps, decides to stay in character, perhaps looking at Valentine rather than Proteus, perhaps failing to manage that. O good sir, my master charged me to deliver a ring to Madam Silvia, which out of my neglect was never done. I am a faithful servant and I have failed in my duties! Er, that’s why I’m incredibly upset! Now Proteus intervenes: where is that ring, boy? is he going to be cross, or just puzzled? Here ’tis. This is it. It’s a bit lame as a plot point, as a catalyst for the final denouement: how? what’s going on? Let me see, let me have a good look. Why this is the ring I gave to Julia! Ooops! Intentional—or not??? O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook. SORRY, WRONG RING. (Shakespeare will get better at rings in later plays. Posies and inscriptions help, but they’re always annoyingly invisible on stage.) This is the right one, this is the ring you sent to Silvia.
Proteus is puzzled, and perhaps—wishful thinking?—just a wee bit guilt-stricken, reminded that he’d been trying to give the ring Julia gave him to Silvia? But how cam’st thou by this ring? At my depart I gave this unto Julia. I don’t understand?
There’s a LOT Proteus doesn’t understand. But much is about to be revealed…