And on my eyelids shall conjecture hang, To turn all beauty into thoughts of harm, And never shall it more be gracious. Leon. Hath no man's dagger here a point for me? [HERO Swoons. Beat. Why, how now, cousin? wherefore sink you down?! D. John. Come, let us go; these things, come thus to light, Smother her spirits up. [Exeunt Don PEDRO, Don Joux, and CLAUDIO. Bene. How doth the lady? Beat. Dead, I think-help, uncle;Hero! why, Hero!-Uncle !-Signior Benedick! friar! Which with experimental seal dotn warrant Friar. Lady, what man is he you are accus'd of? none: If I know more of any man alive, Than that which maiden modesty doth warrant, Let all my sins lack mercy!-O my father, Prove you that any man with me convers'd cousin Hero? At hours unmeet, or that I yesternight Maintain'd the change of words with any creature, Refuse me, hate me, torture me to death. Leon. O fate, take not away thy heavy hand! Hath drops too few to wash her clean again; Bene. Sir, sir, be patient: For my part, I am so attir'd in wonder, I know not what to say. Beat O, on my soul, my cousin is belied! For I have only been silent so long, 2 Sullied. Friar. There is some strange misprision in the princes. Bene. Two of them have the very bent of honor; And if their wisdoms be misled in this, The practice of it lives in John the bastard, Whose spirits toil in frame of villanies. Leon. I know not; If they speak but truth of her, Nor fortune made such havoc of my means, Friar. Leon. What shall become of this? What will this do? Friar. Marry, this, well carried, shall on her be Change slander to remorse; that is some good: Into the eye and prospect of his soul, Beat. I am gone, though I am here:-There is Than when she liv'd indeed :-then shall he mourn, no love in you:-Nay, I pray you, let me go. (If ever love had interest in his liver,) Out of all eyes, tongues, minds, and injuries. Bene. Beatrice, Beat. In faith, I will go. Bene. We'll be friends first. Beat. You dare easier be friends with me, thẳn fight with mine enemy. Bene. Is Claudio thine enemy? Beat. Is he not approved in the height a villain, that hath slandered, scorned, dishonored my kinswoman?-0, that I were a man!-What! bear her in hand until they come to take hands; and then with public accusation, uncovered slander, unmitigated rancor,-O God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the market-place. Bene. Hear me, Beatrice; Beat. Talk with a man out at a window ?-a proper saying! Bene. Nay, but, Beatrice; Beat. Sweet Hero!-she is wronged, she is slandered, she is undone. Bene. Beat Beat. Princes and counties! Surely, a princely testimony, a goodly count-confect; a sweet gallant, surely! O, that I were a man for his sake! or that I had any friend would be a man for my sake! But manhood is melted into courtesies, valor into compliment, and men are only turned into tongue, and trim ones too: he is now as valiant as Hercules, that only tells a lie, and swears it:-I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving. Bene. Tarry, good Beatrice: By this hand, I love thee. Beat. Use it for my love some other way than Beat. You have no reason, I do it freely. Bene. Surely, I do believe your fair cousin is swearing by it. wrong'd. Bene. Think you in your soul the count Clau Beat. Ah, how much might the man deserve of dio hath wronged Hero? me, that would right her! Bene. Is there any way to show such friendship? Beat. It is a man's office, but not yours. Beat. As strange as the thing I know not: It were as possible for me to say, I love nothing so well as you: but believe me not; and yet I lie not; I confess nothing, nor, I deny nothing:-I am sorry for my cousin. Bene. By my sword, Beatrice, thou lovest me. Bene. I will swear by it, that you love me; and Bene. With no sauce that can be devised to it: I protest, I love thee. Beat. Why then, God forgive me! Bene. What offence, sweet Beatrice? Beat. You have staid me in a happy hour; I was about to protest, I loved you. Bene. And do it with all thy heart. Beat. I love you with so much of my heart, that none is left to protest. Bene. Come, bid me do any thing for thee. Bene. Ha! not for the wide world. Beat. You kill me to deny it: Farewell. • Intimacy. Beat. Yea, as sure as I have a thought, or a soul. Bene. Enough, I am engaged, I will challenge him; I will kiss your hand, and so leave you: By this hand, Claudio shall render me a dear account: As you hear of me, so think of me. Go, comfort your cousin: I must say, she is dead; and so, farewell. [Exeunt. SCENE II-A Prison. Enter DOG BERRY, VERGES, and Sexton, in gowns, Sexton. But which are the offenders that are to be Bora, Borachio. Dogb. Write down-that they hope they serve God-and write God first; for God defend but God should go before such villains!-Masters, it is proved already that you are little better than false knaves; and it will go near to be thought so shortly. How answer you for yourselves? Con. Marry, sir, we say we are none. Dogb. A marvellous witty fellow, I assure you; but I will go about with him.-Come you hither, sirrah: a word in your ear, sir; I say to you, it is thought you are false knaves. Bora. Sir, I say to you, we are none. Dogb. Well, stand aside.-'Fore God, they are both in a tale: Have you writ down-that they are none? Sexton. Master constable, you go not the way to examine: you must call forth the watch that are their accusers. Dogb. Yea, marry, that's the eftest way:-Let the watch come forth.-Masters, I charge you, in the prince's name, accuse these men. 1 Watch. This man said, sir, that don John, the prince's brother, was a villain. Dogb. Write down-prince John a villain: Why this is flat perjury, to call a prince's brother --villain. Bora. Master constable, Sexton. And this is more, masters, than you ca deny. Prince John is this morning secretly stolen away; Hero was in this manner accused, in this very manner refused, and upon the grief of this suddenly died.-Master constable, let these men be bound, and brought to Leonato's; I will go before, and show him their examination. [Exit. Dogb. Come, let them be opinioned. Dogb. God's my life! where's the sexton? let him write down-the prince's officer, coxcomb.Come, bind them:-Thou naughty varlet! Con. Away! you are an ass, you are an ass. Dogb. Dost thou not suspect my place? Dost thou not suspect my years?-O that he were here to write me down-an ass!-but, masters, remember, that I am an ass; though it be not written down, yet forget not that I am an ass:-No, thou villain, thou art full of piety, as shall be proved Dogb. Pray thee, fellow, peace; I do not like upon thee by good witness. I am a wise fellow; thy look, I promise thee. Sexton. What heard you him say else? 2 Watch. Marry, that he had received a thousand ducats of don John, for accusing the lady Hero wrongfully. Dogb. Flat burglary, as ever was committed. SCENE I-Before Leonato's House. Enter LEONATO and ANTONIO. and, which is more, an officer; and, which is more, a householder: and, which is more, as pretty a piece of flesh as any is in Messina; and one that knows the law, go to; and a rich fellow enough, go to; and a fellow that hath had losses; and one that hath two gowns, and every thing handsome about him-Bring him away. O, that I had been writ down-an ass. [Exeunt. ACT V. Ant. If you go on thus, you will kill yourself; And 'tis not wisdom, thus to second grief Against yourself. Leon. I pray thee, cease thy counsel, Measure his woe the length and breadth of mine, But there is no such man: For, brother, men No, no: 'tis all men's office to speak patience Ant. Therein do men from children nothing differ. Ant. Yet bend not all the harm upon yourself; Make those, that do offend you, suffer too. Leon. There thou speak'st reason: nay, I will do so: I fear thee not. Marry, beshrew my hand, If it should give your age such cause of fear: I say, thou hast belied mine innocent child; And she lies buried with her ancestors: D. Pedro. See, see; here comes the man we went to seek. Claud. Now, signior! what news? Bene. Good day, my lord. D. Pedro. Welcome, signior: You are almost come to part almost a fray Claud. We had like to have had our two noses snapped off with two old men without teeth. D. Pedro. Leonato and his brother: What think'st thou? Had we fought, I doubt we should have been too young for them. Bene. In a false quarrel there is no true valor. I came to seek you both. Claud. We have been up and down to seek thee; for we are high-proof melancholy, and would fain have it beaten away: Wilt thou use thy wit? Bene. It is in my scabbard; shall I draw it? D. Pedro. You say not right, old man. My lord, my lord, If thou kill'st me, boy, thou shalt kill a man. Ant. He shall kill two of us, and men indeed: Leon. Brother, Ant. Content yourself: God knows, I lov'd my And she is dead, slander'd to death by villains; them, yea, Leon. But, brother Antony,- D. Pedro. Gentlemen both, we will not wake My heart is sorry for your daughter's death; D. Pedro. As I am an honest man, he looks pale:-Art thou sick, or angry? Claud. What! courage, man! What though care killed a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care. Bene. Sir, I shall meet your wit in the career, an you charge it against me:-I pray you, choose another subject. Claud. Nay, then give him another staff; this last was broke cross. D. Pedro. By this light, he changes more and more; I think, he be angry indeed. Claud. If he be, he knows how to turn his girdle. Bene. Shall I speak a word in your ear? Claud. God bless me from a challange! Bene. You are a villain;-I jest not:-I will make it good how you dare, with what you dare, and when you dare:-Do me right, or I will protest your cowardice. You have killed a sweet lady, and her death shall fall heavy on you: Let me hear from you. Claud. Well, I will meet you, so I may have good cheer. D. Pedro. What a feast? a feast? Claud. I'faith, I thank him; he hath bid me to a calf's head and a capon; the which if I do not carve most curiously, say, my knife's naught.— Shall I not find a woodcock too? Bene. Sir, your wit ambles well; it goes easily. D. Pedro. I'll tell thee how Beatrice praised thy wit the other day: I said thou hadst a fine wit: True, says she, a fine little one: No, said I, a great wit; Right, says she, a great gross one: Nay, said I, a good wit, Just, said she, it hurts nobody: Nay, said I, the gentleman is wise; Certain, said she, a wise gentleman: Nay, said I, he hath the tongues; That I believe, said she, for he swore a thing to me on Monday night, which he forswore on Tuesday morning; there's a double-tongue; there's two tongues. Thus did she, an hour together, transshape thy particular virtues; yet, at last, she concluded | saw me court Margaret in Hero's garments; how with a sigh, thou wast the properest man in Italy Claud. For the which she wept heartily, and said she cared not. D. Pedro. Yea, that she did; but yet for all that, an if she did not hate him deadly, she would love him dearly: the old man's daughter told us all. Claud. All, all; and moreover, God saw him, when he was hid in the garden. D. Pedro. But when shall we set the savage bull's horns on the sensible Benedick's head? Claud. Yea, and text underneath, Here dwells Benedick the married man? Bene. Fare you well, boy; you know my mind; I will leave you now to your gossip-like humor: you break jests as braggarts do their blades, which, God be thanked, hurt not.-My lord, for your many courtesies, I thank you: I must discontinue your company: your brother, the bastard, is fled frour Messina: you have, among you, killed a sweet and innocent lady: For my lord lack-beard, there, he and I shall meet; and till then, peace be with him. [Exit BENEDICK. D. Pedro. He is in earnest. Claud. In most profound carnest; and, I'll warrant you, for the love of Beatrice. D. Pedro. And hath challenged thee. D. Pedro. What a pretty thing man is, when he goes in his doublet and hose, and leaves off his wit! Enter DOG BERRY, VERGES, and the Watch, with CONRADE and BORACHIO. Claud. He is then a giant to an ape: but then is an ape a doctor to such a man. D. Pedro. But, soft you, let be; pluck up, my heart, and be sad! Did he not say, my brother was fled? Dogb. Come, you, sir; if justi e cannot tame you, she shall ne'er weigh more reasons in her balance: nay, an you be a cursing hypocrite once, you must be looked to. D. Pedro. How now, two of my brother's men bound! Borachio, one! Claud. Hearken after their offence, my lord! D. Pedro. Officers, what offence have these men done? Dogb. Marry, sir, they have committed false report; moreover, they have spoken untruths; secondarily, they are slanders; sixth, and lastly, they have belied a lady; thirdly, they have verified unjust things; and, to conclude, they are lying knaves. D. Pedro. First, I ask thee what they have done; thirdly, I ask thee what's their offence; sixth and lastly, why they are committed; and, to conclude, what you lay to their charge? you disgraced her, when you should marry her: my villany they have upon record; which I had rather seal with my death, than repeat over to my shame: the lady is dead upon mine and my master's faise accusation; and, briefly, I desire nothing but the reward of a villain. D. Pedro. Runs not this speech like iron through your blood? Claud. I have drunk poison whiles he utter'd it. D. Pedro. But did my brother set thee on to this? Bora. Yea, and paid me richly for the practice of it. D. Pedro. He is compos'd and fram'd of treachery: And fled he is upon this villany. Dogb. Come, bring away the plaintiffs; by this time our sexton hath reformed signior Leonato of the matter. And, masters, do not forget to specify, when time and place shall serve, that I am an ass. Verg. Here, here comes master signior Leonato and the sexton too. Re-enter LEONATO and ANTONIO, with the Sexton. Leon. Which is the villain? Let me see his eyes; That when I note another man like him, I may avoid him: Which of these is he? Bora. If you would know your wronger, look on me. Leon. Art thou the slave, that with thy breath hast kill'd Mine innocent child? Bora. Yea, even I alone. Leon. No, not so, villain; thou bely'st thyself; Here stand a pair of honorable men, A third is fled, that had a hand in it :--I thank you, princes, for my daughter's death; Record it with your high and worthy deeds; "Twas bravely done, if you bethink you of it. Claud. I know not how to pray your patience, Yet I must speak: Choose your revenge yourself Impose me to what penance your invention Can lay upon my sin: yet sinn'd I not, But in mistaking. D. Pedro. By my soul, nor I; And yet, to satisfy this good old man, I would bend under any heavy weight That he'll enjoin me to. Leon. I cannot bid you bid my daughter live, That were impossible: but, I pray you both, Possess the people in Messina here How innocent she died: and, if your love Claud. Rightly reasoned, and in his own division; Can labor aught in sad invention, and, by my troth, there's one meaning well suited. Hang her an epitaph upon her tomb, D. Pedro. Whom have you offended, masters, And sing it to her bones; sing it to-night: that you are thus bound to your answer? this learn-To-morrow morning come you to my house; ed constable is too cunning to be understood: And since you could not be my son-in-law, What's your offence? Be yet my nephew: my brother hath a daughter, Almost the copy of my child that's dead, Bora. Sweet prince, let me go no further to mine answer; do you hear me, and let this count kill me. I have deceived even your very eyes; what your wisdoms could not discover, these shallow fools have brought to light; who, in the night, overheard me confessing to this man, how don John your brother incensed me to slander the lady Hero: how you were brought into the orchard, and And she alone is heir to both of us; : Give her the right you should have given her cousin And so dies my revenge. Claud. O, noble sir, Your over-kindness doth wring tears from me, I do embrace your offer; and dispose For henceforth of poor Claudio. • Acquaint. |