'If a lady were to love you, my lord, as you love Olivia, if you could not love her in return, would you not tell her that you could not love, and must she not be content with this answer', asked Viola. Orsino remained unmoved. He could not think of the possibility that anyone could love a person as he did. For him, a mere woman's heart could never be big enough to have room for so much of love and hence, comparison of love was ruled out. Viola hated to believe this, but the word was out.

She wanted to reveal that her heart was not so small as he thought. 'Ah, but I know, my lord,' she said. 'What do you know, Cesario?' said Orsino. 'Too well I know,' replied Viola, 'what love women may owe to men. They are as true of heart as we are. My father had a daughter who loved a man, as I perhaps, were I a woman, should love your lordship.'

'And what is her history?' said Orsino. 'A blank, my lord,' replied Viola: 'she never told her love, but let concealment, like a worm in the bud, feed on her damask cheek. She pined in thought, and with a green and yellow melancholy, she sat like patience on a monument, smiling at Grief.' The duke inquired if this lady died of her love. To this question Viola gave an elusive answer; as probably she had insincered the story, to speak words expressive of the secret love and silent grief she suffered for Orsino.

The conversation was interrupted, by a gentleman, sent by the Duke to Olivia. 'So please you, my lord, I might not be admitted to the lady, but by her handmaid she returned you this answer: Until seven years hence, the element itself shall not behold her face; but like a cloistress she will walk veiled, watering her chamber with her tears for the sad remembrance of her dead brother.'

On hearing this, the duke exclaimed: 'O she, that has a heart of this fine frame, to pay this debt of love to a dead brother, how will she love, when the rich golden shaft has touched her heart!' And then he said to Viola: 'You know, Cesario, I have told you all the secrets of my heart; therefore, good youth, go to Olivia's house. Be not denied access; stand at her doors, and tell her, there your fixed foot shall grow till you have audience.'

'And if I do speak to her, my lord, what then?' said Viola. 'O then,' replied Orsino, 'unfold to her the passion of my love. Make a long discourse to her of my dear faith. It will well become you to act my woes, for she will attend more to you than to one of graver aspect.'

Sad... for the lady who loved the Duke. Pity she had to convince another woman into accept her own love. Most unwillingly, she agreed to honour the words of the Duke. She had to lure a woman to marry the person she loved herself, which was not quite enterprising. Fidelity dragged her to the doorstep of Olivia and soon she found herself facing the servant, insisting on meeting her.

'I told him that you were sick, said the servant to Olivia. 'He said he knew you were, and therefore he came to speak with you. I told him that you were asleep. He seemed to have a foreknowledge of that too, and said, that therefore he must speak with you. What is to be said to him, lady? For he seems well prepared for all denials, and will speak with you, whether you will or no.'

Olivia was curious to see such an authoritative messenger might be and signaled for him to be admitted to her presence. Viola, entering, put on the most manly air she could assume, and affecting the fine courtier language of great men's pages, she said to the veiled lady: 'Most radiant, exquisite, and matchless beauty, I pray you tell me if you are the lady of the house; for I should be sorry to cast away my speech upon another; for besides that it-is excellently well penned, I have taken great pains to learn it.' 'Whence come you, sir?' said Olivia. 'I can say little more than I have studied,' replied Viola; 'and that question is out of my part.'

'Are you a comedian?' said Olivia. 'No,' replied Viola; 'and yet I am not that which I play' meaning that she, being a woman, pretended herself to be a man. And again she asked Olivia if she were the lady of the house. Olivia nodded. Viola concentrated hard on her rival's features trying to figure out the subtle differences that made her more likable.

'Good madam, let me see your face.' A bold request that was and Olivia didn't show a single sign of hesitation. She fell for humble Cesario, the supposed page. When Viola asked to see her face, Olivia said, 'Have you any commission from your lord and master to negotiate with my face?' And then, forgetting her determination to go veiled for seven long years, she drew aside her veil, saying, 'But I will draw the curtain and show the picture. Is it not well done?'

Viola replied, 'It is beauty truly mixed, the red and white upon your cheeks is by nature's own cunning hand laid on. You are the most cruel lady living, if you will lead these graces to the grave, and leave the world no copy.' 'O, sir,' replied Olivia, 'I will not be so cruel. The world may have an inventory of my beauty. As, item, two lips, indifferent red; item, two grey eyes, with lids to them; one neck; one chin; and so forth. Were you sent here to praise me?' Viola replied: 'I see what you are: you are too proud, but you are fair.

My lord and master loves you. 0 such a love could but be recompensed, though you were crowned the queen of beauty: for Orsino loves you with adoration and with tears, with groans that thunder love, and sighs of fire.'

'Your lord,' said Olivia, 'knows well my mind. I cannot love him; yet I doubt not he is virtuous; I know him to be noble and of high estate, of fresh and spotless youth. All voices proclaim him learned, courteous, and valiant; yet I cannot love him, he might have taken his answer long ago.' 'If I did love you as my master does,' said Viola, 'I would make me a willow cabin at your gates, and call upon your name, I would write complaining sonnets on Olivia, and sing them in the dead of the night; your name should sound among the hills, and I would make Echo, the babbling gossip of the air, cry out Olivia. 0 you should not rest between the elements of earth and air, but you should pity me.