Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

And counfel him to fight against his paffion,
And, truly, I'll devife fome honeft flanders
To ftain my coufin with; one doth not know
How much an ill word may impoifon liking.

Urf. O, do not do your coufin fuch a wrong.
She cannot be so much without true judgment,
(Having fo fwift and excellent a wit

As fhe is priz'd to have), as to refuse
So rare a gentleman as Benedick.

Hero. He is the only man of Italy,
Always excepted my dear Claudio.

Urf. I pray you be not angry with me, Madam,
Speaking my fancy; Signior Benedick,

For fhape, for bearing, argument, and valour,
Goes foremost in report through Italy.

Hero. Indeed he hath an excellent good name,
Urf. His excellence did earn it ere he had it.
When are you marry'd, Madam ?

Hero. Why, every day; to-morrow; come, go in, I'll fhew thee fome attires, and have thy counsel Which is the beft to furnish me to-morrow.

Urf. She's lim'd, I warrant you; we have caught her, Madam,

Hero. If it prove fo, then loving goes by haps; Some Cupids kill with arrows, fome with traps.

Beatrice, advancing.

[Exeunt.

Beat. What fire is in my ears? can this be true? Stand I condem'd for pride and scorn fo much? Contempt, farewel! and maiden-pride, adieu!

No glory lives behind the back of fuch.
And, Benedick, love on, I will requite thee;
Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand;
If thou doft love, thy kindnefs fhall incite thee
To bind our loves up in a holy band.
For others fay, thou doft deferve; and I
Believe it better than reportingly.

SCENE II.

[Exit.

Leonato's houfe.

Enter Don Pedro, Claudio, Benedick, and Leonato,

Pedro. I do but ftay till your marriage be confum

mate, and then go I toward Arragon.

Claud. I'll bring you thither my Lord, if you'll vouchfafe me.

Pedro. Nay, that would be as great a foil in the new glofs of your marriage, as to fhew a child his new coat, and forbid him to wear it. I will only be bold with Benedick for his company: for, from the crown of his head to the fole of his foot, he is all mirth; he hath twice or thrice cut Cupid's bow-ftring, and the little hangman dare not fhoot at him: he hath a heart as found as a bell, and his tongue is the clapper; for what his heart thinks, his tongue speaks.

Bene. Gallants, I am not as I have been.
Leon. So fay I; methinks you are fadder.
Claud. I hope he is in love.

Pedro. Hang him, truant, there's no true drop of blood in him, to be truly touch'd with love; if he be fad, he wants money.

Bene. I have the tooth-ach.

Pedro. Draw it.

Bene. Hang it.

Claud. You muft hang it firft, and draw it afterwards. Pedro. What! figh for the tooth-ach!

Leon. Which is but a humour, or a worm.

Bene. Well, every one can mafter a grief but he that has it.

66

[ocr errors]

Claud. Yet fay I, he is in love.

Pedro. "There is no appearance of fancy in him, « unless it be a fancy that he hath to ftrange difguifes; as to be a Dutchman to-day, a Frenchman to-morrow; or in the fhape of two countries at once; a "German from the wafte downward, all flops; and a Spaniard from the hip upward, no doublet." Unless he have a fancy to this foolery, as it appears he hath, he is no fool for fancy, as you would have it to appear he is.

་་

Claud. If he be not in love with fome woman, there is no believing old figns: he brushes his hat o'mornings; what fhould that bode?

Pedro. Hath any man seen him at the barber's?

Claud. No, but the barber's man hath been feen with him; and the old ornament of his cheek hath already ftuff'd tennis-balls.

Leon. Indeed he looks younger than he did by the lofs of a beard.

Pedro. Nay, he rubs himself with civet; can you fmell him out by that?

Claud. That's as much as to fay, the fweet youth's in love.

Pedro. The greatest note of it is his melancholy. Claud. And when was he wont to wafh his face? Pedro. Yea, or to paint himself? for the which, hear what they fay of him.

I

Claud. Nay, but his jefting fpirit, which is now crept into a lute-ftring, and now govern'd by ftops

Pedro. Indeed that tells a heavy tale for him.

clude he is in love.

Claud, Nay, but I know who loves him.

Con

Pedro. That would I know too: I warrant, one that knows him not.

Claud. Yes, and his ill conditions, and in defpight of all, dies for him.

Old

Pedro. She shall be bury'd with her face upwards. Bene. Yet is this no charm for the tooth-ach. Signior, walk afide with me; I have ftudy'd eight or nine wife words to fpeak to you, which thefe hobbyhorfes muft not hear. [Exeunt Benedick and Leonato. Pedro. For my life, to break with him about Beatrice.

Claud. 'Tis even fo. Hero and Margaret have by this play'd their parts with Beatrice; and then the two bears will not bite one another when they meet.

SCENE III.

Enter Don John.

John. My Lord and brother, God fave you.

Pedro. Good den, brother.

John. If your leifure ferv'd, I would speak with you.
Pedro. In private ?

John. If it please you; yet Count Claudio may hear; for what I would speak of, concerns him. Pedro. What's the matter?

John. Means your Lordship to be marry'd to-morrow? [To Claudio.

Pedro. You know he does.

John. I know not that, when he knows what I

know.

Claud. If there be any impediment, I pray you difcover it.

John. You may think I love you not; let that appear hereafter, and aim better at me by that I now will manifeft; for my brother, I think, he holds you well, and in dearnefs of heart hath holp to effect your enfuing marriage; furely, fuit ill fpent, and labour ill beftow'd!

Pedro. Why, what's the matter?

John. I came hither to tell you, and circumstances fhorten'd, (for fhe hath been too long a-talking of), the lady is difloyal.

Claud. Who? Hero?

John. Even fhe; Leonato's Hero, your Hero, every

man's Hero.

Claud. Difloyal ?

John. The word is too good to paint out her wickedness. I could fay fhe were worse; think you of a worfe title, and I will fit her to it; wonder not till further warrant; go but with me to-night, you fhall fee her chamber-window enter'd, even the night before her wedding-day. If you love her, then to-morrow wed her; but it would better fit your honour to change your mind.

Claud. May this be fo? Pedro. I will not think it.. John. If you dare not truft that you fee, confess not that you know; if you will follow me, I will fhew you enough; and when you have feen more and heard more, proceed accordingly.

Claud. If I fee any thing to-night why I should not marry her to-morrow; in the congregation, where I should wed, there will I fhame her.

Pedro. And as I wooed for thee to obtain her, I will join with thee to difgrace her.

John. I will difparage her no farther, till you are my witneffes; bear it coldly but till night, and let the iffue fhew itself.

Pedro. O day untowardly turn'd!

Claud. O mifchief ftrangely thwarting!

John. O plague right well prevented!

So you will fay, when you have feen the sequel.

[blocks in formation]

[Exeunt.

Changes to the fireet.

Enter Dogberry and Verges, with the watch.

Dogb. Are you good men and true?

Verg. Yea, or else it were pity but they should fuffer falvation, body and foul.

Dogb. Nay, that were a punishment too good for them, if they fhould have any allegiance in them, being chofen for the Prince's watch.

Verg. Well, give them their charge, neighbour Dogberry.

Dogb. Firft, who think you the most desartless man to be conftable?

1 Watch. Hugh Oatcake, Sir, or George Seacole; for they can write and read.

Dogb. Come hither, neighbour Seacole: God hath blefs'd you with a good name; and to be a well-favour'd man is the gift of fortune, but to write and read comes by nature.

2 Watch. Both which, Mafter Conftable

Dogb. You have: I knew, it would be your answer. Well, for your favour, Sir, why, give God thanks, and make no boaft of it; and for your writing and reading, let that appear when there is more need of fuch vanity : you are thought here to be the most fenfeless and fit man for the constable of the watch, therefore bear you the lanthorn; this is your charge: you fhall comprehend all vagrom men; you are to bid any man stand, in the Prince's name.

2 Watch. How if he will not ftand!

Dogb. Why, then take no note of him, but let him go; and prefently call the reft of the watch together, and thank God you are rid of a knave.

Verg. If he will not ftand when he is bidden, he is none of the Prince's fubjects.

Dogb. True, and they are to meddle with none but the Prince's fubjects. You fhall also make no noise in

« ZurückWeiter »