Rosalind then shifts her tactics. She tells Orlando that she is in a good mood – “a holiday humour” – and is therefore in an agreeable state. She asks Orlando to speak to her as a lover should.
Orlando states that he would rather kiss first and speak later, but Rosalind argues that a successful lover will speak first and kiss when he runs out of words to say. She compares the speech of the lover to that of an orator (or public speaker). Rosalind states that the orator will sputter or spit when he cannot think of what to say next (at line 65). Rosalind then suggests that the lover should kiss (rather than sputter) when words fail him.
Orlando asks what he should do if his love refuses to kiss him. Rosalind quickly responds then that her refusal will give him new subject matter to discuss: they can talk about her refusal.
Orlando then asks, “Who could be out, being before his beloved mistress?” (71). He is asking who could be out of words, who could be speechless, when he is before the woman he adores. Orlando is thereby declaring that he will never be at a loss for words as long as Rosalind is in his sight.
Rosalind responds with a risqué remark, a witty double entendre:
Marry, that should you if I were your mistress, or I should think my honesty ranker than my wit. (72-73)