MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING ACT I SCENE I. LEONATO's Orchard. Enter LEONATO, Governor of Messina, INNOGEN his Wife, HERO his Daughter, BEATRICE his Niece, with a Messenger. LEON. I learn in this letter that Don Pedro of Arragon comes this night to Messina. MESS. 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 itself, when the achiever brings home full numbers. I find here that Don Pedro hath bestow'd much honour on a young Florentine call'd Claudio. IO MESS. Much deserv'd on his part, and equally remember'd 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 better'd 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. 18 MESS. I have already deliver'd him letters, and there appears 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? MESS. In great measure. 1 quality. ACT I LEON. A kind overflow of kindness: there are no faces Sc. I truer than those that are so wash'd. How much better it is to weep at joy than to joy at weeping! BEAT. I pray you, is Signior Montanto1 return'd from the wars or no? 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? 3 31 HERO. My cousin means Signior Benedick of Padua. MESS. O, he's return'd; and as pleasant as ever he was. BEAT. He set up his bills2 here in Messina, and challeng'd Cupid at the flight: and my uncle's Fool, reading the challenge, subscrib'd for Cupid, and challeng'd him at the burbolt. I pray you, how many hath he kill'd and eaten in these wars? But how many hath he kill'd? for, indeed, I promis'd to eat all of his killing. LEON. 'Faith, Niece, you tax Signior Benedick too much; but he'll be meet with you, I doubt it not. 4 MESS. He hath done good service, Lady, in these wars. 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 a good soldier to a lady; but what is he to a lord? MESS. A lord to a lord, a man to a man; stuff'd with all honourable virtues. 51 BEAT. It is so, indeed; he is no less than a stuff'd man. 57 BEAT. Alas, he gets nothing by that. In our last conflict, four of his five wits" went halting off, and now is the whole man govern'd with one: so that if he have wit enough to keep himself warm, let him bear it for a difference between himself and his 2 bills of challenge. 5 1 a straight upright thrust' (Italian fencers'). 3 shafts (archers'). 4 a blunt, short arrow used in birding. 'common wit, fantasy, imagination, estimation, memory.' 6 the distinguishing mark in the coat borne by several branches of one family. horse for it is all the wealth that he hath left, to be known a reasonable creature. Who is his companion now? He hath every month a new sworn brother. MESS. Is 't possible? BEAT. Very easily possible: he wears his faith but as the But, I pray you, who is his companion? Is there no young MESS. He is most in the company of the right noble BEAT. O, Lord! he will hang upon him like a disease: MESS. I will hold friends with you, Lady. BEAT. Do, good friend. LEON. You'll ne'er run mad, Niece. BEAT. No; not till a hot January. MESS. Don Pedro is approach'd. Enter DON PEDRO, CLAUDIO, BENEDICK, BALTHAZAR, and JOHN the Bastard. 80 D. PEDRO. Good Signior Leonato, you are come to meet your trouble: the fashion of the World is to avoid cost, and you encounter it. 88 LEON. Never came trouble to my house in the likeness of your Grace: for Trouble being gone, Comfort should remain; but when you depart from me, Sorrow abides, and Happiness takes his leave. D. PEDRO. You embrace your charge too willingly. I LEON. Her mother hath many times told me so. ACT I Sc. I ACT I fathers herself. Be happy, Lady, for you are like an honourable father. ΤΟΙ BENE. If Signior Leonato be her father, she would not BEAT. I wonder that you will still be talking, Signior BENE. What, my dear Lady Disdain! are you yet living? III BENE. Then is Courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I am lov'd of all ladies, only you excepted: and I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart; for, truly, I love none. BEAT. A dear happiness2 to women: they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God and my cold blood I am of your humour for that: I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me. 120 BENE. God keep your Ladyship still in that mind! so some gentleman or other shall 'scape a predestinate scratch'd face. BEAT. Scratching could not make it worse, an 'twere such a face as your's were. BENE. Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher. BEAT. A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of your's. BENE. I would my horse had the speed of your tongue, and so good a continuer ! But keep your way i' God's name; I have done. 130 BEAT. You always end with a jade's trick: I know you of old. D. PEDRO. This is the sum of all: Leonato-Signior Claudio and Signior Benedick, my dear friend Leonato hath invited you all. I tell him we shall stay here at the least a month; and he heartily prays some occasion may detain us longer: I dare swear he is no hypocrite, but prays from his heart. 138 LEON. If you swear, my Lord, you shall not be forsworn. [to DON JOHN.] Let me bid you welcome, my Lord: D. JOHN. I thank you: I am not of many words, but LEON. Please it your Grace lead on? D. PEDRO. Your hand, Leonato; we will go together. [Exeunt all but BENEDICK and CLAUDIO. CLAUD. Benedick, didst thou note the daughter of Signior 150 BENE. I noted her not; but I look'd on her. CLAUD. No; I pray thee speak in sober judgment. BENE. Would you buy her, that you inquire after her? BENE. Yea; and a case to put it into. But speak you 171 CLAUD. In mine eye she is the sweetest lady that ever 178 1 not blind but especially sharp-sighted. 2 a bad smith but a fine workman in wood. 3 join. 7 ACT I |