only his gift is in devising impossible slanders: none but libertines delight in him; and the commendation is not in his wit, but in his villany; for he both pleases men and angers them, and then they laugh at him and beat him. I am sure he is in the fleet: I would he had boarded me. 125 When I know the gentleman, I'll tell him what Bene. you say. Beat. Do, do: he'll but break a comparison or two on me; which, peradventure not marked or not laughed at, strikes him into melancholy; and then there's a partridge wing saved, for the fool will eat no supper that night. [Music.] We must follow the leaders. Bene. In every good thing. Beat. Nay, if they lead to any ill, I will leave them at the next turning. 135 [Dance. Then exeunt all except Don John, Borachio, and Claudio. D. John. Sure my brother is amorous on Hero, and hath withdrawn her father to break with him about it. The ladies follow her, and but one visor remains. Bora. And that is Claudio: I know him by his bearing. 140 D. John. Signior, you are very near my brother in his love he is enamoured on Hero; I pray you, dissuade him from her she is no equal for his birth: you may do the part of an honest man in it. Claud. How know you he loves her? 121 only his] his only Anon. conj. impossible] impassible Warburton. 123 pleases] Q. pleaseth Ff. 135 [Exit, led by Benedick. Capell MS. 145 [Dance......Claudio.] Dance exeunt. Q. [Exeunt. Musicke for the dance. Ff. [Exeunt. Manent Don J., B. and C. Warburton. [Dance: and Exeunt D. Pe. and Leo. conversing; Her. Bea. Mar. Urs. Ben. Bal. and Company. Capell. 136 SCENE III. Pope. 146 you] ye Theobald. D. John. I heard him swear his affection. Bora. So did I too; and he swore he would marry her to-night. D. John. Come, let us to the banquet. 150 [Exeunt Don John and Borachio. Claud. Thus answer I in name of Benedick, But hear these ill news with the ears of Claudio. 'Tis certain so; the prince wooes for himself. Friendship is constant in all other things Save in the office and affairs of love : Therefore all hearts in love use their own tongues; Let every eye negotiate for itself, And trust no agent; for beauty is a witch, Against whose charms faith melteth into blood. Which I mistrusted not. Farewell, therefore, Hero! 155 160 Bene. Even to the next willow, about your own business, county. What fashion will you wear the garland of? about your neck, like an usurer's chain? or under your arm, like a lieutenant's scarf? You must wear it one way, for the prince hath got your Hero. Claud. I wish him joy of her. 150 [Exeunt...] exeunt: manet Clau. 152 these] this F3F4 161 therefore] then Pope. 170 Re-enter...] Capell. Enter...Q Ff. 162 Claudio?] Rowe (ed. 2). Claudio. Q Ff. 167 county] Q. Count Ff. of QF of F1FF3. 4. 168 an] a F4. Bene. Why, that's spoken like an honest drovier; so they sell bullocks. But did you think the prince would have served you thus ? Claud. I pray you, leave me. 175 Bene. Ho! now you strike like the blind man; 'twas the boy that stole your meat, and you'll beat the post. Claud. If it will not be, I'll leave you. [Exit. Bene. Alas, poor hurt fowl! now will he creep into sedges. But, that my Lady Beatrice should know me, and not know me! The prince's fool! Ha? It may be I go under that title because I am merry. Yea, but so I am apt to do myself wrong; I am not so reputed: it is the base, though bitter, disposition of Beatrice that puts the world into her person, and so gives me out. Well, I'll be revenged as I may. Re-enter DON PEDRO. D. Pedro. Now, signior, where's the count? did him? 186 you see Bene. Troth, my lord, I have played the part of Lady Fame. I found him here as melancholy as a lodge in a warren: I told him, and I think I told him true, that your grace had got the good will of this young lady; and I offered him my company to a willow-tree, either to make him a garland, as being forsaken, or to bind him up a rod, as being worthy to be whipped. D. Pedro. To be whipped! What's his fault? 195 Bene. The flat transgression of a school-boy, who, being overjoyed with finding a birds' nest, shows it his companion, and he steals it. D. Pedro. Wilt thou make a trust a transgression? The transgression is in the stealer. 201 Bene. Yet it had not been amiss the rod had been made, and the garland too; for the garland he might have worn himself, and the rod he might have bestowed on you, who, as I take it, have stolen his birds' nest. 205 D. Pedro. I will but teach them to sing, and restore them to the owner. Bene. If their singing answer your saying, by my faith, you say honestly. D. Pedro. The Lady Beatrice hath a quarrel to you: the gentleman that danced with her told her she is much wronged by you. 212 Bene. O, she misused me past the endurance of a block! an oak but with one green leaf on it would have answered her; my very visor began to assume life and scold with her. She told me, not thinking I had been myself, that I was the prince's jester, that I was duller than a great thaw; huddling jest upon jest, with such impossible conveyance, 192 good] Q. om. Ff. this] the Rann. his Hudson (S. 194 up] Q. om. Ff. 198, 205 birds'] birds Q Ff. bird's Rowe (ed. 2). 214 but with] with but Capell conj. 217 that] Q. and that Ff. upon me, that I stood like a man at a mark, with a whole army shooting at me. She speaks poniards, and every word stabs if her breath were as terrible as her terminations, there were no living near her; she would infect to the north star. I would not marry her, though she were endowed with all that Adam had left him before he transgressed: she would have made Hercules have turned spit, yea, and have cleft his club to make the fire too. Come, talk not of her: you shall find her the infernal Ate in good apparel. I would to God some scholar would conjure her; for certainly, while she is here, a man may live as quiet in hell as in a sanctuary; and people sin upon purpose, because they would go thither; so, indeed, all disquiet, horror, and perturbation follows her. Re-enter CLAUDIO, BEATRICE, HERO, and LEONATO. 232 Bene. Will your grace command me any service to the world's end? I will go on the slightest errand now to the Antipodes that you can devise to send me on; I will fetch you a toothpicker now from the furthest inch of Asia; bring you the length of Prester John's foot; fetch you a hair off the great Cham's beard; do you any embassage to the Pigmies; rather than hold three words' conference with this harpy. You have no employment for me? 219 at] as Keightley conj. 220 me] him Keightley. 221 her terminations] Q. terminations Ff. her minations S. Walker conj. 222 to the north] the north Warburton conj. 224 left] lent Collier, ed. 2 (Collier MS.). before] after Keightley conj. 227 the infernal] in the infernal F3F4 230 as in] or in Staunton conj. 242 233 Re-enter...] Enter... Ff. Enter Claudio and Beatrice. Q. Reenter Beatrice and Claudio. Capell. 234 SCENE V. Pope. 239 off] of Collier. See note (x). any] an Collier MS. 241 You have] Have you Collier MS. |