Abbess. Renowned duke, vouchsafe to take the pains Twenty-five years have I but gone in travail Antipholus of Syracuse. He speaks to me. I am your master, Dromio: Come, go with us; we'll look to that anon. Embrace thy brother there; rejoice with him. [Exeunt Antipholus of Syracuse and Ephesus, Adriana, and Luciana. Dromio of Syracuse. There is a fat friend at your master's house, That kitchen'd me for you to-day at dinner: She now shall be my sister, not my wife. Dromio of Ephesus. Methinks, you are my glass, and not my brother: I see by you I am a sweet-faced youth. Will you walk in to see their gossiping ? Dromio of Syracuse. Not I, sir; you are my elder. Dromio of Ephesus. That's a question: how shall we try it ? Dromio of Syracuse. We'll draw cuts for the senior till then, lead Dromio of Ephesus. board? thou first. Dromio, what stuff of mine hast thou embark'd? Nay, then thus: Dromio of Syracuse. We came into the world, like brother and brother; Your goods, that lay at host, sir, in the Cen- And now, let's go hand in hand, not one before taur. [Exeunt. another. ! Leonato. A victory is twice itself, when the achiever brings home full numbers. I find here, that Don Pedro hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine, called Claudio. Messenger. Much deserved on his part, and equally remembered by Don Pedro: he hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age, doing in the figure of a lamb the feats of a lion; he hath, indeed, better bettered expectation, than you must expect of me to tell you how. Leonato. Leonato. You must not, sir, mistake my niece. There is a kind of merry war betwixt signior Benedick and her: they never meet, but there's a skirmish of wit between them. Beatrice. Alas! he gets nothing by that. In our last conflict four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man governed with one; so that if he have wit enough to keep himself warm, let him bear it for a difference between himself and his horse; for it is all the wealth that he hath left to be known a reasonable creature. Who is his companion now? He He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very hath every month a new sworn brother. much glad of it. Messenger. I have already delivered him letters, and Did he break out into tears? In great measure. Leonato. Is't possible ? Messenger. Beatrice. Very easily possible: he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat, it ever changes with the next block. Messenger. I see, lady, the gentleman is not in your books. No; an he were, I would burn my study. But, I pray you, who is his companion? Is there no young squarer now, that will make a voyage with him to the devil? Messenger. He is most in the company of the right noble I pray you, is signior Montanto returned from Claudio. the wars, or no? Messenger. O Lord! he will hang upon him like a disease: I know none of that name, lady: there was he is sooner caught than the pestilence, and the none such in the army of any sort. taker runs presently mad. God help the noble Leonato. Claudio! if he have caught the Benedick, it will What is he that you ask for, niece? cost him a thousand pounds ere he be cured. Hero. My cousin means signior Benedick of Padua. Messenger. Messenger. You have it full, Benedick: we may guess by this what you are, being a man. Truly, the lady fathers herself. - Be happy, lady, for you are like an honourable father. Benedick. If signior Leonato be her father, she would not have his head on her shoulders for all Messina, as like him as she is. Beatrice. Benedick. I noted her not; but I looked on her. Claudio. Is she not a modest young lady? Benedick. Do you question me, as an honest man should do, for my simple true judgment; or would you have me speak after my custom, as being a pro I wonder that you will still be talking, signior fessed tyrant to their sex? Benedick: no body marks you. Beatrice. Claudio. No; I pray thee, speak in sober judgment. Benedick. Why, i'faith, methinks she's too low for a high praise, too brown for a fair praise, and too little for a great praise: only this commendation I can afford her; that were she other than she is, she were unhandsome, and being no other but as she is, I do not like her. Claudio. Thou thinkest, I am in sport: I pray thee, tell me truly how thou lik'st her. Benedick. Would you buy her, that you inquire after her? Can the world buy such a jewel? Yea, and a case to put it into. But speak you this with a sad brow, or do you play the flouting Jack, to tell us Cupid is a good hare-finder, and Vulcan a rare carpenter? Come, in what key shall a man take you, to go in the song? Claudio. In mine eye she is the sweetest lady that ever I looked on. Benedick. I can see yet without spectacles, and I see no such matter: there's her cousin, an she were not possessed with a fury, exceeds her as much in beauty, as the first of May doth the last of De A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of comber. But I hope, you have no intent to turn | I would your grace would constrain me to tell. Don Pedro. You hear, Count Claudio: I can be secret as a dumb man, I would have you think so; but on my allegiance,-mark you this, on my allegiance. -He is in love. With whom?-now that is your grace's part. - Mark, how short his answer is:-with Hero, Leonato's short daughter. Claudio. Like the old tale, my lord: it is not so, nor twas ! ! 1 That she is worthy, I know. That I neither feel how she should be loved, Thou wast ever an obstinate heretic in the despite of beauty. Claudio. Nay, mock not, mock not. The body of your discourse is sometime guarded with fragments, and the guards are but slightly basted on neither ere you flout old ends any farther, examine your conscience, and so I leave you. [Exit Benedick. Claudio. My liege, your highness now may do me good. My love is thine to teach: teach it but how, And never could maintain his part, but in the And thou shalt see how apt it is to learn force of his will. Benedick. Thou wilt be like a lover presently, Well, if ever thou dost fall from this faith, And I will break with her, and with her father, thou wilt prove a notable argument. Benedick. If I do, hang me in a bottle like a cat, and shoot at me; and he that hits me, let him be clapped on the shoulder, and called Adam. Don Pedro. Well, as time shall try: "In time the savage bull doth bear the yoke." Benedick. The savage bull may, but if ever the sensible Bencdick bear it, pluck off the bull's horns, and set them in my forehead; and let me be vilely painted, and in such great letters as they write, "Here is good horse to hire," let them signify under my sign, -" Here you may see Bencdick the married man." Claudio. And thou shalt have her. Was't not to this end, Claudio. How sweetly do you minister to love, Don Pedro. What need the bridge much broader than the The fairest grant is the necessity. [flood? Look, what will serve is fit: 'tis once, thou And I will fit thee with the remedy. [lovest, I know we shall have revelling to-night: I will assume thy part in some disguise, And tell fair Hero I am Claudio; And in her bosom I'll unclasp my heart, And take her hearing prisoner with the force, If this should ever happen, thou would'st be And strong encounter of my amorous tale: horn-mad. Then, after, to her father will I break: Aud No, no: we will hold it as a dream, till it appear itself; but I will acquaint my daughter withal, that she may be the better prepared for an answer, if peradventure this be true. Go you, and tell her of it. Several persons cross the stage.] Cousins, you know what you have to do. O, I cry you mercy, friend; go you with me, and I will use your skill. - Good cousin, have a care this busy time. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Another Room In Leonato's House. Enter John and Conrade What the good year, my lord! why are you thus out of measure sad? John. There is no measure in the occasion that breeds, therefore the sadness is without limit. Conrade. You should hear reason. John. You have of late stood out against your brother, and he hath ta'en you newly into his grace; where it is impossible you should take true root, but by the fair weather that you make yourself: it is needful that you frame the season for your own harvest. John. I had rather be a canker in a hedge, than a rose in his grace; and it better fits my blood to be disdained of all, than to fashion a carriage to rob love from any: in this, though I cannot be said to be a flattering honest man, it must not be denied but I am a plain-dealing villain. I am trusted with a muzzle, and enfranchised with a clog; therefore I have decreed not to sing in my cage. If I had my mouth, I would bite; if I had my liberty, I would do my liking: in the mean time, let me be that I am, and seek not to alter me. Conrade. A proper squire! way looks he? Borachto. John. And who, and who? which Borachto. Being entertained for a perfumer, as I was smoking a musty-room, comes me the prince and Claudio, hand in hand, in sad conference: I whipt me behind the arras, and there heard it agreed upon, that the prince should woo Hero John. And when I have heard it, what blessing for himself, and having obtained her, give her brings it? Conrade. If not a present remedy, at least a patient sufferance. John. I wonder, that thou being (as thou say'st thou art) born under Saturn, goest about to apply a moral medicine to a mortifying mischief. I cannot hide what I am I must be sad when I have cause, and smile at no man's jests; eat when I have stomach, and wait for no man's leisure; sleep when I am drowsy, and tend on to count Claudio. Come, come; let us thither: this may prove food to my displeasure. That young start-up hath all the glory of my overthrow: if I can cross him any way, I bless myself every way. You are both sure, and will assist me? Conrade. To the death, my lord. John. no man's business; laugh when I am merry, greater, that I am subdued. 'Would the cook and claw no man in his humour. Conrade. Yea; but you must not make the full show of this, till you may do it without controlment. |