Quin. Ay; or else one must come in with a bush of thorns and a lantern, and cay, he comes to disfigure, or to present, the person of moonshine. Then, there is another thing we must have a wall in the great chamber; for Pyramus and Thisby, says the story, did talk through the chink of a wall. Snug. You never can bring in a wall.-What say you, Bottom?! Bot. Some man or other must present wall: and let him have some plaster, or some loam, or some rough-cast about him, to signify wall; or let him hold his fingers thus, and through that cranny shall Pyramus and Thisby whisper. Quin. If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit down, every mother's son, and rehearse your parts. Pyramus, you begin: when you have spoken your speech, enter into that brake; and so every one according to his cue. Enter PUCK behind. Puck. What hempen home-spune have we swaggering here, So near the cradle of the fairy queen? What, a play toward? I'll be an auditor; An actor too, perhaps, if I see cause. Quin. Speak, Pyramus-Thisby, stand forth. Pyr. odours savours sweet: So doth thy breath, my dearest Thishy dear.But, hark a voice! stay thou but here a while, And by and by I will to thee appear. Puck. A stranger Pyramus than e'er play'd here! (Aside.)-[Exit. This. Must I speak now? Quin. Ay, marry, must you: for you must understand, he goes but to see a noise that he heard, and is to come again. This. Most radiant Pyramus, most lily white of hue, Of colour like the red rose on triumphant brier, Quin. Ninus' tomb, man: Why you must not speak that yet-that you answer to Pyramus; you speak all your part at once, cues and all. Pyramus, enter; your cue is past; it is, never tire. Re-enter PUCK, and BOTTOM with an ass's head. This. O,-As true as trues: horse, that yet would never tire. Pyr. If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine ;Quin. O monstrous! O strange! we are haunted. Pray, masters! fly, masters! help! [Exeunt Clowns. Puck. I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round, Through bog, through bush, through brake, through brier; Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound, A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire; And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn, Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn. [Brit. Bot. Why do they run away? this is a knavery of them, to make me afeard. Re-enter SNOUT. Snout. O Bottom, thou art changed! what do I see on thee? Bot. What do you see? you see an ass's head of your own; do you? Re-enter QUINCE. Quin. Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art translated. [Exit. Bot. I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me; to fright me, if they could. But I will not etir from this place, do what they can: I will walk up and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear I am not afraid. (Sings.) The ousel-cock, so black of hue, The throstle with his note so true, Tita. What angel wakes me from my flowery bed? (Waking.) Bot. The finch, the sparrow, and the lark, Whose note full many a man doth mark, for, indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish a bird? who would give a bird the lie, though he cry cuckoo, never so ? Tita. I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again : And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me, Bot. Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that: And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together now-a-days: The more the pity, that some honest neighbours will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek upon occasion. Tita. Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful. Bot. Not so, neither: but if I had wit enough to get out of this wood, I have enough to serve mine own turn. Tita. Out of this wood do not desire to go; Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no. The summer still doth tend upon my state, And I do love thee: therefore, go with me; I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee; And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep, And sing, while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep : That thou shalt like an airy spirit go. Peas-blossom! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustard-seed! 4 Fai. Enter four Fairies. And I. And I. Where shall we go? Tita. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman; And pluck the wings from painted butterflies, 2 Fai. Hail! 3 Fai. Hall! 4 Fai. Hail! Bot. 1 ery your worships mercy, heartily.-I beseech, your worship's name. Cob. Cobweb. Bot. I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good master Cobweb: If I cut my finger, I shall make bold with you. Your name, honest gentleman ? Peas. Peas-blossom. Bot. I pray you, commend me to mistress Squash, your mother, and to master Peas-cod, your father Good master Peas-blossom, I shell desire you of more acquaintance too. Your name, I beseech you, sir? Mus. Mustard-seed. Bot. Good master Mustard-seed, I know your patience well that same cowardly, giant-like ox-beef hath devoured many a gentleman of your house: I promise you, your kindred hath made my eyes water ere now. I desire you more acquaintance, good master Mustard seed. Tita. Come, wait upon him; lead him to my bower The moon, methinks, looks with a watery eye; And when she weeps, weeps every little flower, Lamenting some enforced chastity. Tie up my love's tongue, bring him silently. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Another part of the Wood. Obe. I wonder, if Titania be awaked; Enter PUCK. Here comes my messenger.-How now, mad spirit! And forth my mimic comes: When they him spy, Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort, And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls; He murder cries, and help from Athens calls. Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears thus strong, Made senseless things begin to do them wrong: For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch; [catch. Some, sleeves; some, hats; from yielders all things Puck. I took him sleeping,-that is finish'd too,- That when he waked, of force she must be ey'd. Enter DEMETRIUS and HERMIA. Obe. Stand close; this is the same Athenian. Puck. This is the woman, but not this the man. Dem. O, why rebuke you him that loves you so? Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe. Her. Now I but chide, but I should use thee worse; Being o'er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep, The sun was not so true unto the day, As he to me: Would he have stol'n away This whole earth may be bored; and that the moon Dem. So should the murder'd look; and so should I, Her. What's this to my Lysander? where is he? Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me? Dem. I had rather give his carcass to my hounds. Her. Out, dog! out, cur! thou drivest me past the bounds |