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D. JOHN. I make all use of it, for I use it only. Who ACT I comes here? What news, Borachio?

Enter BORACHIO.

BORA. I came yonder from a great supper; the Prince, your brother, is royally entertain'd by Leonato; and I can give you intelligence of an intended marriage. 40 D. JOHN. Will it serve for any model to build mischief What is he for a fool that betroths himself to unquietness?

on ?

BORA. Marry, it is your brother's right hand.

D. JOHN. Who? the most exquisite Claudio?

BORA. Even he.

D. JOHN. A proper squire! And who, and who? which way looks he?

BORA. Marry, on Hero, the daughter and heir of Leo

nato.

50

D. JOHN. A very forward March-chick! How came you
to this?

BORA. Being entertain'd for a perfumer, as I was
smoking1 a musty room, comes me the Prince and
Claudio, hand in hand, in sad2 conference: I whipt
behind the arras; and there heard it agreed upon
that the Prince should woo Hero for himself, and
having obtain❜d her, give her to Count Claudio.
D. JOHN. 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?
CON. To the death, my Lord.
D. JOHN. Let us to the great
greater that I am subdued.
my mind! Shall we go prove what's to be done?
BORA. We'll wait upon your Lordship.

1 with burning juniper.

63

supper: their cheer is the
'Would the cook were of

2 earnest.

[exeunt.

Sc. III

ACT II
Sc. I

ACT II

SCENE I. LEONATO'S House.

Enter LEONATO, his Brother, his Wife, HERO his Daughter,
BEATRICE his Niece, and a Kinsman.

LEON. Was not Count John here at supper?

ANT. I saw him not.

BEAT. How tartly that gentleman looks! I never can
see him but I am heart-burn'd an hour after.
HERO. He is of a very melancholy disposition.
BEAT. He were an excellent man that were made just
in the mid-way between him and Benedick: the one
is too like an image, and says nothing; and the other
too like my Lady's eldest son, evermore tattling.
LEON. Then half Signior Benedick's tongue in Count
John's mouth and half Count John's melancholy in
Signior Benedick's face-

BEAT. With a good leg, and a good foot, Uncle, and
money enough in his purse, such a man would win any
woman in the world—if he could get her good will.
LEON. By my troth, Niece, thou wilt never get thee a
husband, if thou be so shrewd1 of thy tongue.

ANT. In faith, she is too curst.2

For it is said God sends a but to a cow too curst He

BEAT. TOO curst is more than curst: I shall lessen
God's sending that way.
curst cow short horns;
sends none.

22

LEON. So, by being too curst, God will send you no horns?

BEAT. Just, if He send me no husband: for the which blessing I am at Him upon my knees every morning and evening. Lord! I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face: I had rather lie in the woollen.3 LEON. You may light upon a husband that hath no beard. BEAT. What should I do with him? dress him in my apparel, and make him my waiting gentlewoman? He that hath a beard is more than a youth; and he

1 shrewish.

2 cross.

3 (1) in blankets, or (2) in my shroud.

that hath no beard is less than a man: and he that is more than a youth is not for me; and he that is less than a man, I am not for him. Therefore I will even take sixpence in earnest of the berrord,' and lead his apes into Hell.

LEON. Well, then, go you into Hell?

38

BEAT. No; but to the gate; and there will the Devil
meet me, like an old cuckold, with horns on his head,
and say
Get you to Heaven, Beatrice, get you to
Heaven; here's no place for you maids: so deliver I
up my apes, and away to Saint Peter for the Heavens !2
He shews me where the bachelors sit, and there live we
as merry as the day is long.

ANT. [to HERO.] Well, Niece, I trust you will be rul'd
by your father.

BEAT. Yes, faith; it is my cousin's duty to make courtesy, and say Father, as it please you. But yet for all that, Cousin, let him be a handsome fellow, or else make another courtesy, and say Father, as it please me.

52

LEON. Well, Niece, I hope to see you one day fitted with
a husband.

BEAT. Not till God make men of some other metal than
earth. Would it not grieve a woman to be over-
master'd with a piece of valiant dust? to make an
account of her life to a clod of wayward marl?
No, Uncle; I'll none: Adam's sons are my brethren;
and, truly, I hold it a sin to match in my kindred.
LEON. Daughter, remember what I told you: if the
Prince do solicit you in that kind, you know your

answer.

60

BEAT. The fault will be in the music, Cousin, if you be

not woo'd in good time: if the Prince be too im-
portant, tell him there is measure in every thing, and
so dance out the answer. For, hear me, Hero: woo-
ing, wedding, and repenting is as a Scotch jig, a
measure, and a cinque-pace: the first suit is hot and
hasty, like a Scotch jig, and full as fantastical; the
wedding, mannerly-modest, as a measure full of state
and ancientry; and then comes Repentance, and with
2 a petty oath.
4 a solemn dance.

1 bearward.

3 importunate. 5 a dance of five steps.

15

ACT II

Sc. I

ACT II

Sc. I

his bad legs falls into the cinque-pace faster and faster, till he sink apace into his grave.

LEON. Cousin, you apprehend passing shrewdly.

BEAT. I have a good eye, Uncle: I can see a church by daylight.

LEON. The revellers are entering, Brother: make good

room.

79

Enter DON PEDRO, CLAUDIO, BENEDICK, Balthazar,
JOHN the Bastard, BORACHIO, MARGARET, URSULA,
and others, maskers, with a drum.

D. PEDRO. Lady, will you walk about with your friend?
HERO. So you walk softly, and look sweetly, and say
nothing, I am your's for the walk; and especially when
I walk away.

D. PEDRO. With me in your company?

HERO. I may say so, when I please.

D. PEDRO. And when please you to say so?

HERO. When I like your favour; for God defend the lute should be like the case!

D. PEDRO. My visor is Philemon's roof; within the house

is Jove.

HERO. Why, then your visor should be thatch'd.

D. PEDRO.

Speak low, if you speak love.

[They pass.

91

BALTH. Well, I would you did like me.

MARG. So would not I for your own sake; for I have

many ill qualities.

BALTH. Which is one?

MARG. I say my prayers aloud.

BALTH. I love you the better: the hearers may cry Amen.
MARG. God match me with a good dancer!

BALTH. Amen!

MARG. And God keep him out of my sight when the dance is done! Answer, Clerk.

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BALTH. No more words: the clerk is answer'd. [They pass.
URS. I know you well enough; you are Signior Antonio,

ANT. At a word, I am not.

URS. I know you by the waggling of your head.

ANT. To tell you true, I counterfeit him.

URS. You could never do him so ill-well, unless you were
the very man. Here's his dry hand up and down:
you are he, you are he.
ANT. At a word, I am not.

109

URS. Come, come, do you think I do not know you by
your excellent wit? can virtue hide itself? Go to,
mum, you are he: graces will appear, and there's
an end.
[They pass.

BEAT. Will you not tell me who told you so?

BENE. No; you shall pardon me.

BEAT. Nor will you not tell me who you are?

BENE. Not now.

BEAT. That I was disdainful, and that I had my good

wit out of the Hundred Merry Tales.

was Signior Benedick that said so.

BENE. What's he?

BEAT. I am sure you know him well enough.

BENE. Not I, believe me.

BEAT. Did he never make you laugh?

BENE. I pray you, what is he?

Well, this

120

BEAT. Why, he is the Prince's Jester: a very dull Fool; 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 villainy; 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:1 I would he had boarded me.

132

BENE. When I know the gentleman, I'll tell him what

you say.

BEAT. Do, do; he'll but break a comparison or two on me: which, peradventure, not mark'd, or not laugh'd at, strikes him into melancholy; and then there's a partridge' wing sav'd, for the fool will eat no supper that night. [Music within.] We must follow the leaders.

BENE. In every good thing.

140

BEAT. Nay, if they lead to any ill, I will leave them at the next turning. [Dance. Exeunt all but DON JOHN, BORACHIO, and CLAUDIO.

D. JOHN. Sure my brother is amorous on Hero, and hath

II: C

1 in the present company (?).

17

ACT II

Sc. I

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