[Enter] Silvia [and] Outlaws

FIRST OUTLAW         Come, come – be patient. We must bring you to our captain.

SILVIA A thousand more mischances than this one

Have learned me how to brook this patiently.

SECOND OUTLAW     Come, bring her away.

FIRST OUTLAW Where is the gentleman that was with her?

THIRD OUTLAW        Being nimble-footed, he hath outrun us;

But Moses and Valerius follow him.

Go thou with her to the west end of the wood –

There is our captain. We’ll follow him that’s fled.

The thicket is beset, he cannot scape.

[Exeunt Second and Third Outlaws]

FIRST OUTLAW Come, I must bring you to our captain’s cave.

Fear not. He bears an honourable mind,

And will not use a woman lawlessly.

SILVIA O Valentine – this I endure for thee!

Exeunt             (5.3.1-15)

 

Well, it had to happen: here’s Silvia, taken captive by the outlaws. She might be struggling against bonds or against the person restraining her: whatever, the first outlaw is (probably) quite polite (although they could be violent, properly threatening): come, come—be patient. No point putting up a fight. We must bring you to our captain—we’ve got to take you to our leader! (Aha. Will all the audience twig at this stage, as to the identity of said captain??) Silvia’s stoic: a thousand more mischances than this one have learned me how to brook this patiently. Well, this is obviously the last straw, she observes, but—given the absolute shit I’ve been dealing with, it’s not like I’m not used to putting up with things. Come, bring her away. Time to go. But where is the gentleman that was with her? where’s the gallant Sir Eglamour, paragon of courtesy? Has he deserted a damsel in her hour of need? Apparently so. Necessary for The Plot, and it would be distracting and unnecessary for him to be slain in her defence. Being nimble-footed, he hath outrun us, confesses the third outlaw: he absolutely legged it! (Silvia could roll her eyes here; if there’s a woman among the outlaws—not uncommon for the scandalously underused actor playing Lucetta to be there—there can be an expressive glance of sisterly understanding.) Moses and Valerius follow him (it’s a nicely diverse troop of outlaws)—so, the first outlaw is to take Silvia to the west end of the wood, where the captain is to be found. The second and third outlaws will follow him that’s fled, Eglamour, and they’re confident they’ll catch him. The thicket—into which Eglamour has plunged, to conceal himself at least—is beset, he cannot scape. He’s surrounded! He’s not going anywhere! Off they go, leaving the first outlaw to reassure Silvia: come, I must bring you to our captain’s cave. She might look visibly distressed at this, swallow, back away, despite her earlier defiance and stoicism. Fear not, though, he bears an honourable mind. He’s a gentleman, our captain! He will not use a woman lawlessly. Your honour is safe with him! O Valentine, she cries, this I endure for thee! It’s only for you that I’ve put myself in harm’s way, undertaken such a dangerous adventure!

And the stage is set for the play’s denouement and its final scene.