Will you Leon. As freely, son, as God did give her me. Claud. And what have I to give you back, whose worth May counterpoise this rich and precious gift? D. Pedro. Nothing, unless you render her again. Claud. Sweet prince, you learn me noble thankfulness. There, Leonato, take her back again; Give not this rotten orange to your friend; She's but the sign and semblance of her honour :- Comes not that blood, as modest evidence, Not to be married, Not to knit my soul to an approved wanton. Claud. I know what you would say; If I have You'll say, she did embrace me as a husband, And so extenuate the 'forehand sin: No, Leonato, I never tempted her with word too large *; 2 Lascivious. 3 i. e. ' if in your own trial.' R 4 Licentious. Hero. And seem'd I ever otherwise to you? Claud. Out on thy seeming! I will write against it: You seem to me as Dian in her orb; As chaste as is the bud ere it be blown; But you are more intemperate in your blood Hero. Is my lord well, that he doth speak so wide5? What should I speak? I stand dishonour'd, that have gone about To link my dear friend to a common stale. Leon. Are these things spoken? or do I but dream? D. John. Sir, they are spoken, and these things are true. Bene. This looks not like a nuptial. Hero. Claud. Leonato, stand I here? True, O God! Is this the prince? Is this the prince's brother? Leon. All this is so; But what of this, my lord? Claud. Let me but move one question to your daughter; And, by that fatherly and kindly power6 That you have in her, bid her answer truly. Leon. I charge thee do so, as thou art my child. Hero. O God, defend me! how am I beset!What kind of catechizing call you this? Claud. To make you answer truly to your name. Hero. Is it not Hero? Who can blot that name With any just reproach? 5 i. e. So remotely from the present business.' wide of the matter,' is a familiar phrase still in use. 'You are 6 i. e. 'natural power.' Kind is used for nature. So in The Induction to The Taming of the Shrew This do, and do it kindly, gentle sirs.' which here also signifies naturally. Claud. Marry, that can Hero; Hero itself can blot out Hero's virtue. Hero. I talk'd with no man at that hour, my lord. D. Pedro. Why, then are you no maiden.-Leonato, I am sorry you must hear; Upon mine honour, D. John. Fye, fye! they are Not to be nam'd, my lord, not to be spoke of; There is not chastity enough in language, Without offence, to utter them: Thus, pretty lady, I am sorry for thy much misgovernment. Claud. O Hero! what a Hero hadst thou been, If half thy outward graces had been placed About thy thoughts, and counsels of thy heart! But, fare thee well, most foul, most fair! farewell, Thou pure impiety, and impious purity! For thee I'll lock up all the gates of love, And on my eyelids shall conjecture hang, To turn all beauty into thoughts of harm, And never shall it more be gracious 8. Leon. Hath no man's dagger here a point for me? [HERO Swoons. 7 Liberal here, as in many places of these plays, means licentious beyond honesty or decency. This sense of the word is not peculiar to Shakspeare. 8 i. e. graced, favoured, countenanced. See vol. i. p. 148, note 22, and As You Like It, Act i. Sc. 2. 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 JOHN, and CLAUDIO. Bene. How doth the lady? Beat. Dead, I think;—help, uncle; Hero! why, Hero!-Uncle!-Signior Benedick! friar? Leon. O fate, take not away thy heavy hand! Death is the fairest cover for her shame, Leon. Wherefore? Why, doth not every earthly thing Cry shame upon her? Could she here deny 9 That is, which her blushes discovered to be true.' 10 Frame is order, contrivance, disposition of things. 11 See note 8, p. 172, ante. I might have said, No part of it is mine, Hath drops too few to wash her clean again 12; Bene. Beat. O, on my soul, my cousin is belied! Which was before barr'd up with ribs of iron! For I have only been silent so long, And given way unto this course of fortune, 12 The same thought is repeated in Macbeth: Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood |