PERSONS REPRESENTED. DON PEDRO, Prince of Arragon, Don Pedro. likewise to Don Pedro. Followers of Don John. Two foolish Officers. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. ACT I. SCENE I.-Before Leonato's House. Enter LEONATO, HERO, BEATRICE, and others, with a Messenger. Leon. I learn in this letter, that Don Pedro of Arragon comes this night to Messina. Dless. He is very near by this; he was not three leagues off, when I left him.' Leon. How many gentlemen have you lost in this action? Mess. But few of any sort, and none of name. Leon. A victory is twice itselr, when the achiever brings home full numbers. I find here that Don Pedro hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine, called Claudio. Mess. Much deserved on his part, and equally res beyond the promise of his age ; doing, in the figure appears Reat. of a lamb, the feats of a lion: he hath, indeed, better bettered expectation, than you must expect of me to tell you how. Leon. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of it. Mess. I have already delivered him letters, and there much joy in him; even so much, that joy could not shew itself modest enough without a badge of bitterness Leon. Did he break out into tears? Leon. A kind overflow of kindness: there are no faces truer than those that are so washed. How much better is it is it to weep at joy, than to joy at weeping! I pray you, is signior Montanto returned from the wars, or do Mess. I know none of that name, lady; there was none such in the army of any sort. Leon. What is he that you ask for, niece ? Beat. He set up his bills here in Messina, and challenged Cupid at the Night and my uncle's fool, reading the challenge, subscribed for Cupid, and challenged him at the bird-bolt.- 1 pray you, how many hath he killed and eaten in these wars But how many hath he killed ? for, indeed, I promised to eat all of his killing. Leon. Faith, niece, you tax bignior Benedick too much; but he'll be meei with you, I doubt it not. Mess. He hath dono good service, lady, in these wen. Beat. You had musty victual, and he hath holp to eat it: he is a very valiant trencher-man, he hath an excellent stomach. Mess. And a good soldier too, lady. Beat. And good soldier to & lady ;-But what is he to a lord ? Mess. A lord to a lord, a man to a man; stuffed with all honourable virtues. Beat. It is so, indeed; he is no less than a staffed man: but for the stuffing.-Well, we are all mortal. Leon. You must not, sir, mistake my niece: there is a kind of merry war betwixt signior Benedick and ber: they never meet, but there is a skirmish of wit Beat. Alas, he gets nothing by that. In our last |