that I would see, which will be merely a dumb-show. us send her to call him in to dinner. Let [Exeunt Don Pedro, Claudio, and Leonato. BENEDICK advances from the arbour. Bene. This can be no trick: the conference was sadly borne. They have the truth of this from Hero. They seem to pity the lady: it seems her affections have their full bent. Love me! why, it must be requited. I hear how I am censured: they say I will bear myself proudly, if I perceive the love come from her; they say too that she will rather die than give any sign of affection.—I did never think to marry : -I must not seem proud:-happy are they that hear their detractions, and can put them to mending. They say the lady is fair, 'tis a truth, I can bear them witness; and virtuous, 'tis so, I cannot reprove it; and wise, but for loving me, by my troth, it is no addition to her wit, nor no great argument of her folly, for I will be horribly in love with her. I may chance have some odd quirks and remnants of wit broken on me, because I have railed so long against marriage but doth not the appetite alter? a man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age. Shall quips and sentences, and these paper-bullets of the brain, awe a man from the career of his humour? no, the world must be peopled. When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I were married.-Here comes Beatrice. By this day, she's a fair lady: I do spy some marks of love in her. Enter BEATRICE. Beat. Against my will I am sent to bid you come in to dinner. Bene. Fair Beatrice, I thank you for your pains. Beat. I took no more pains for those thanks than you take pains to thank me: if it had been painful, I would not have come. Bene. You take pleasure, then, in the message? Beat. Yea, just so much as you may take upon a knife's point, and choke a daw withal. - You have no stomach, signior: fare you well. [Exit. Bene. Ha! "Against my will I am sent to bid you come in to dinner," there's a double meaning in that. "I took no more pains for those thanks than you took pains to thank me,"—that's as much as to say, Any pains that I take for you is as easy as thanks. If I do not take pity of her, I am a villain; if I do not love her, I am a Jew. I will go get her picture. [Exit. ACT III. SCENE I. LEONATO's garden. Enter HERO, MARGARET, and URSULA. Hero. Good Margaret, run thee to the parlour; Against that power that bred it :-there will she hide her, Bear thee well in it, and leave us alone. Marg. I'll make her come, I warrant you, presently. Hero. Now, Ursula, when Beatrice doth come, As we do trace this alley up and down, Our talk must only be of Benedick. When I do name him, let it be thy part To praise him more than ever man did merit : [Exit. Is little Cupid's crafty arrow made, Enter BEATRICE, behind. For look where Beatrice, like a lapwing, runs Urs. The pleasant'st angling is to see the fish Hero. Then go we near her, that her ear lose nothing Of the false sweet bait that we lay for it.— [They advance to the bower. No, truly, Ursula, she is too disdainful; Urs. Hero. So says the prince and my new-trothèd lord. And never to let Beatrice know of it. Doth not the gentleman Urs. Why did you so? As ever Beatrice shall couch upon? Hero. O god of love! I know he doth deserve As much as may be yielded to a man: But Nature never fram'd a woman's heart All matter else seems weak: she cannot love, And therefore certainly it were not good She knew his love, lest she make sport at it. Hero. Why, you speak truth. I never yet saw man, If speaking, why, a vane blown with all winds; So turns she every man the wrong side out; Urs. Sure, sure, such carping is not commendable. As Beatrice is, cannot be commendable: But who dare tell her so? If I should speak, She would mock me into air; O, she would laugh me Urs. Yet tell her of it: hear what she will say. Urs. O, do not do your cousin such a wrong! Always excepted my dear Claudio. Urs. I pray you, be not angry with me, madam, Speaking my fancy: Signior Benedick, Hero. Indeed, he hath an excellent good name. Hero. Why, every day;-to-morrow. Come, go in: Urs. [aside.] She's lim'd, I warrant you: we have caught Hero [aside]. If it prove so, then loving goes by haps: Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps. [Exeunt Hero and Ursula. BEATRICE advances. Beat. What fire is in mine ears? Can this be true? No glory lives behind the back of such. (12) [Exit. SCENE II. A room in LEONATO's house. Enter DON PEDRO, CLAUDIO, BENEDICK, and LEONATO. D. Pedro. I do but stay till your marriage be consummate, and then go I toward Arragon. Claud. I'll bring you thither, my lord, if you'll vouchsafe me. D. Pedro. Nay, that would be as great a soil in the new gloss of your marriage, as to show a child his new coat, and forbid him to wear it. I will only be bold with Benedick |