SHAKESPEARE ON DISK.

     ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.

Copyright (c) 1990 Interconnection Publications Inc.

     DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

HELENA.
          A gentlewoman.

BERTRAM.
          Count of Rousillon.

COUNTESS OF ROUSILLON.
          Mother of Bertram, protectress of Helena.

KING OF FRANCE.

LAFEU.
          An old lord.

PAROLLES.
          A follower of Bertram.

TWO YOUNG FRENCH LORDS.
          Serving with Bertram in the Florentine war.

DIANA.
          A Florentine.

A WIDOW.
          Mother of Diana.

LAVACHE, A CLOWN.

STEWARD.
          Servant of the Countess of Rousillon.

FIRST SOLDIER.

DUKE OF FLORENCE.

GENTLEMAN, A STRANGER.

TWO GENTLEMEN.

VIOLENTA.
          Neighbour and friend of the Widow.

MARIANA.
          Neighbour and friend of the Widow.

A PAGE.

LORDS ATTENDING ON THE KING; OFFICERS, SOLDIERS, etc., 
FRENCH and FLORENTINE.


     SYNOPSIS.

1/1  Rousillon. A hall in the house of the Countess.
     The COUNTESS bids farewell to BERTRAM, who is leaving 
-- accompanied by LAFEU -- to be a courtier; HELENA is 
introduced to LAFEU; the COUNTESS blesses BERTRAM, and 
exits; BERTRAM takes leave of HELENA, and exits with LAFEU; 
HELENA vents her love for Bertram.
     PAROLLES enters; HELENA and he banter; A PAGE enters 
briefly, summoning PAROLLES; after more badinage, PAROLLES 
exits; HELENA plots to win Bertram.

1/2  Paris. A room in the King's palace.
     The KING and TWO LORDS discuss the Florentine war and 
the KING's ailment. BERTRAM, LAFEU, and PAROLLES enter; 
BERTRAM and the KING converse.

1/3  Rousillon. A room in the house of the Countess.
     The COUNTESS and the CLOWN banter; the CLOWN exits.
     The STEWARD tells the COUNTESS of Helena's bent; he 
exits, and the COUNTESS recalls her youth.
     HELENA enters; the COUNTESS wrings all from her, then 
supports her plan to go to Paris.

2/1  Paris. A room in the King's palace.
     The KING, with BERTRAM and PAROLLES present, bids 
farewell to the TWO LORDS, then exits; the LORDS speak to 
BERTRAM, who laments being kept at court; after a word with 
PAROLLES, the LORDS exit; as the KING re-enters, BERTRAM and 
PAROLLES exit, at PAROLLES' urging, to catch up with the 
lords.
     LAFEU enters and asks the KING to receive Helena; LAFEU 
exits briefly, returning with HELENA, then exits again; 
HELENA convinces the KING to take her cure; the KING 
promises her any man she chooses, if she can heal him.

2/2  Rousillon. A room in the house of the Countess.
     The COUNTESS and the CLOWN banter; the COUNTESS sends 
the CLOWN with a letter for Helena.

2/3  Paris. A room in the King's palace.
     LAFEU and PAROLLES converse; the KING, HELENA, and 
ATTENDANTS enter; the KING sends an ATTENDANT to summon the 
lords.
     BERTRAM and several LORDS enter; after questioning FOUR 
LORDS, HELENA chooses BERTRAM to be her husband.
     BERTRAM objects strongly, but is forced by the KING to 
accept HELENA; all exit, except LAFEU and PAROLLES.
     LAFEU berates PAROLLES, then exits, returning with with 
news that Bertram and Helena are married; he berates 
PAROLLES further, then exits.
     BERTRAM enters; he and PAROLLES resolve to join the war 
to avoid consummating the marriage.

2/4  Paris. The King's palace.
     HELENA and the CLOWN banter; PAROLLES enters, banters 
with the CLOWN, then gives HELENA orders from Bertram that 
she return home; she bows to them.

2/4  Paris. The King's palace.
     BERTRAM and LAFEU talk of PAROLLES, who then enters; 
BERTRAM and PAROLLES confirm their plans; LAFEU denounces 
PAROLLES, then exits.
     HELENA enters; BERTRAM gives her a letter for his 
mother; with an icy farewell from BERTRAM, HELENA exits.
     BERTRAM vows never to return home.

3/1  Florence. A room in the Duke's palace.
     The DUKE OF FLORENCE and TWO FRENCH LORDS briefly 
discuss the dispute with Florence.

3/2  Rousillon. A room in the house of the Countess.
    With some jibes at Bertram, the CLOWN hands Bertram's 
letter to the COUNTESS, then exits; the COUNTESS reads the 
letter, dismayed; the CLOWN re-enters, announcing Helena's 
approach, then exits.
     HELENA and TWO GENTLEMEN enter; Bertram's misbehavior 
is discussed; after the COUNTESS and GENTLEMEN exit, HELENA 
decides to leave Rousillon.

3/3  Florence. Before the Duke's palace.
     BERTRAM, having joined the army, is sent into battle by 
the DUKE OF FLORENCE, along with PAROLLES and other 
SOLDIERS.

3/4  Rousillon. A room in the house of the Countess.
     The STEWARD reads the COUNTESS a letter from Helena, 
saying she has gone on pilgrimage; the COUNTESS asks the 
STEWARD to inform Bertram.

3/5  Without the walls of Florence. 
     The WIDOW, DIANA, VIOLENTA, MARIANA, and other 
CITIZENS, wait to catch sight of Bertram.
     HELENA enters, and arranges for lodging with the WIDOW; 
Bertram and Parolles, and their attentions to DIANA, are 
discussed.
     BERTRAM, PAROLLES enter with the entire army; the women 
comment; BERTRAM, PAROLLES, and the army exit.
     HELENA invites the WIDOW and DIANA to dinner.

3/6  Camp before Florence.
     BERTRAM and the TWO LORDS plan to unmask Parolles.
     PAROLLES enters; encouraged to recover his drum, he 
exits; the three nobles plot further.
     After the FIRST LORD exits, the SECOND LORD accepts 
BERTRAM's invitation to view Diana.

3/7  Florence. A room in the widow's house.
     HELENA wins the WIDOW's trust, and they lay plans to 
entrap Bertram.

4/1  Without the Florentine camp.
     The FIRST LORD and SOLDIERS lay in ambush for PAROLLES; 
the LORD and the FIRST SOLDIER plan their ruse.
     PAROLLES enters, devising lies to cover his cowardice; 
the SOLDIERS, pretending to be foreign troops, seize and 
blindfold him; PAROLLES offers to trade military secrets for 
his life; he exits, with the FIRST SOLDIER. 
     The FIRST LORD sends the SECOND SOLDIER to inform 
Bertram.

4/2  Florence. A room in the widow's house.
     DIANA feigns a weak resolve as she is wooed and 
seemingly won by BERTRAM; BERTRAM gives her his family ring, 
then exits; DIANA comments on male predictability, then 
exits.
4/3  The Florentine Camp.
     The TWO LORDS, accompanied by SOLDIERS, discuss 
Bertram's untenable situation; the FIRST LORD reports Helena 
dead.
     A MESSENGER enters briefly, with news of Bertram's 
plans to return home; BERTRAM enters with an account of his 
hectic evening.
     SOLDIERS are sent to fetch Parolles, as BERTRAM and the 
SECOND LORD discuss his treasonous behavior; PAROLLES, still 
blindfolded, and the SOLDIERS enter; the FIRST SOLDIER 
interrogates PAROLLES, who betrays the army and denigrates 
BERTRAM and the TWO LORDS.
     The FIRST SOLDIER uncovers PAROLLES' eyes; BERTRAM and 
the TWO LORDS mock him, then exit; the SOLDIERS do the same; 
PAROLLES takes his humiliation philosophically.

4/4  Florence. A room in the widow's house.
     HELENA, the WIDOW, and DIANA confirm their plans.

4/5  Rousillon. A room in the house of the Countess.
     The COUNTESS, LAFEU and the CLOWN mourn Helena; LAFEU 
and the CLOWN banter; the CLOWN exits, sent out by LAFEU.
     The COUNTESS accepts a proposal by LAFEU to marry his 
daughter to Bertram.
     The CLOWN enters, describing the approach of Bertram 
and his companions.

5/1  Marseilles. A street.
     HELENA, the WIDOW, and DIANA enter, weary with 
traveling. 
     A GENTLEMAN, A STRANGER enters; HELENA accosts him, and 
discovers he is going to Rousillon, where he will see the 
King; HELENA gives him a letter for the King.

5/2  Rousillon. Before the house of the Countess.
     The CLOWN derides PAROLLES, who asks him to take a 
letter to Lafeu.
     LAFEU enters; the CLOWN exits after a final salvo; 
PAROLLES begs for charity from LAFEU; it is readily 
extended.

5/3  Rousillon. A room in the house of the Countess.
     Among LORDS, GENTLEMEN, GUARDS, and others, the 
COUNTESS, the KING, and LAFEU eulogize Helena.
     The KING sends the FIRST GENTLEMAN to fetch Bertram; 
LAFEU confirms the engagement of his daughter with Bertram; 
BERTRAM enters, with the GENTLEMAN.
     BERTRAM says he loves LAFEU's daughter, and gives LAFEU 
a ring; despite BERTRAM's denials, the ring is identified as 
one given by the KING to Helena; BERTRAM is seized; he 
exits, guarded.
     The STRANGER enters, presenting Helena's missile, which 
is a petition from DIANA; LAFEU breaks the engagement; the 
STRANGER exits, with ATTENDANTS; BERTRAM enters, guarded.
     The STRANGER re-enters with the WIDOW and DIANA; DIANA 
insists BERTRAM marry her; BERTRAM defames her; DIANA shows 
them BERTRAM's ring, and affirms she gave the other ring to 
BERTRAM; PAROLLES enters, with an ATTENDANT, and is 
identified by DIANA; questioned, PAROLLES confirms DIANA's 
story.
     DIANA refuses to reveal the source of the first ring; 
the KING arrests her; the WIDOW exits, sent for "bail" by 
DIANA; DIANA cryptically reveals that Helena is pregnant.
     HELENA enters, with the WIDOW; BERTRAM begs forgiveness 
and attests his love for HELENA, who accepts him.
     The KING promises a dowry to DIANA.

Epilogue.
     The audience is invited to applaud.