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he’ll soon change his opinion of his friend. They convince Bertram to encourage Parolles to attempt to recover the drum. Parolles enters still complaining about the loss of the drum and volunteers to go and get it back.One of the lords goes after Parolles while the other goes with Bertram to see Diana, whose only “fault” he says is that “she’s honest.”
ACT 3 SCENE 7
    Helen has explained her true identity to the Widow, who explains that though she’s poor, she’s honest and was “well born.” Helen reassures her that she will not be involved in anything that might damage her or Diana’s reputation but begs their help in winning her husband. She wants Diana to ask Bertram for his ring and then to make an assignation with him, which she herself will keep rather than Diana. Helen has already given them money and agrees to give Diana a further “three thousand crowns” when she marries. The Widow agrees, and Helen justifies the deceit as “wicked meaning in a lawful deed / And lawful meaning in a lawful act.”
ACT 4 SCENE 1
    Lines 1–59: The French lord and soldiers plan to trap Parolles. They must speak in some “terrible language” so that he can’t understand them. One of the soldiers, whose voice Parolles doesn’t know, volunteers to act as “interpreter.” Parolles enters, meditating with himself what he will say when he returns. He fears that his tongue has been “too foolhardy” and has run away with him but he is too frightened to carry out his boasts. He cannot understand how he volunteered for this mission, which they all knew was impossible. He will have to pretend to have been hurt, but they’ll scorn small injuries and he daren’t give himself larger ones. He decides he’ll have to keep his tongue quiet in future if it gets him into trouble. Parolles works through a list of the things he might do to prove that he’s been wounded, dismissing each. The soldiers meanwhile comment in satirical asides on his character.
    Lines 60–94: An “Alarum” (call to arms) sounds and the soldiers jump and blindfold a terrified Parolles. They talk nonsense to him. He says he’ll tell them what he knows and the soldier who volunteered to be “interpreter” conducts a comic dialogue, pretending tointerpret their gobbledygook. He says he’ll tell them “all the secrets of our camp.” They lead him off still blindfolded and send for Bertram to witness his interrogation.
ACT 4 SCENE 2
    Lines 1–46: Bertram is trying to persuade Diana that she should sleep with him, arguing that virginity is no use to the dead, that she should be like her mother, when Diana was conceived. Diana counters that her mother was doing her duty since she was married and that Bertram owes such a duty to his wife. He objects that he was forced to marry against his will but it’s Diana he loves and vows he will always love and serve her. Diana says that men say that to gain their sexual desires but then such vows mean nothing. Bertram continues to try to convince her to lose her virginity to him but she refuses him, saying that men only try to trap women. Then she asks for his ring.
    Lines 47–86: Bertram says he can’t give her the ring since it’s a family heirloom and it would be shameful to lose it. Diana counters his argument, saying that her honor’s “such a ring,” that her “chastity’s the jewel of our house,” and that it would be equally shameful to lose that. He is persuaded and gives her the ring and vows his “house,” “honour,” and “life” are all hers and he’ll do what she asks. She tells him to come to her at midnight. After giving him her virginity, he can only remain one hour and he must not speak to her. She will explain her reasons when his ring is returned to him and she will give him a ring which will be a token of