And, if it sort not well, you may conceal her,— In some reclusive and religious life, Out of all eyes, tongues, minds, and injuries. Bene. Signior Leonato, let the friar advise you; Leon. Being that I flow in grief The smallest twine may lead me. Friar. 'Tis well consented; presently away; For to strange sores strangely they strain the cure.— Perhaps is but prolonged; have patience, and endure. Bene. I will not desire that. Beat. You have no reason; I do it freely. Bene. Surely, I do believe your fair cousin is wrong'd. Beat. Ah, how much might the man deserve of ine that would right her! Bene. Is there any way to show such friendship? Beat. A very even way, but no such friend. Bene. May a man do it? Beat. It is a man's office, but not yours. Bene. I do love nothing in the world so well as you. Is not that strange? Beat. As strange as the thing I know not. It were as possible for me to say I loved nothing so well as you: but believe me not; and yet I lie not; I confess nothing, nor I deny nothing.-I am sorry for my cousin. Bene. By my sword, Beatrice, thou lovest me. Beat. Do not swear by it and eat it. Bene. I will swear by it that you love me; and I will make him eat it that says I love not you. Beat. Will you not eat your word? Bene. With no sauce that can be devised to it: I protest I love thee. Beat. Why, then, God forgive me! Bene. What offence, sweet Beatrice? Beat. You have stayed me in a happy hour: I was about to protest I loved you. Bene. And do it with all thy heart? Beat. I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest. Bene. Come, bid me do anything for thee. Beat. Kill Claudio. Bene. Ha! not for the wide world. Beat. You kill me to deny it. Bene. Tarry, sweet Beatrice. Farewell. Beat. I am gone though I am here;-there is no love in you:-nay, I pray you, let me go. Bene. Beatrice, Beat. In faith, I will go. Bene. We'll be friends first. Beat. You dare easier be friends with me than fight with mine enemy. Bene. Is Claudio thine enemy. Beat. Is he not approved in the height a villain that hath slandered, scorned, dishonoured my kinswoman?-O that I were a man!-What! bear her in hand until they come to take hands, and then with public accusation, uncovered slander, unmitigated rancour,-O God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the market-place! Bene. Hear me, Beatrice; Beat. Talk with a man out at a window!-a proper saying! Bene. Nay but, Beatrice; Beat. Sweet Hero!—she is wronged, she is slandered, she is undone. Bene. Beat Beat. Princes and counties! Surely, a princely testimony, a goodly count-confect; a sweet gallant, surely! () that I were a man for his sake! or that I had any friend would be a man for my sake! But manhood is melted into courtesies, valour into compliment, and men are only turned into tongue, and trim ones too: he is now as valiant as Hercules that only tells a lie and swears it.—I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving. Bene. Tarry, good Beatrice. By this hand, I love thec. Beat. Use it for my love some other way than swearing by it. Bene. Think you in your soul the Count Claudio hath wronged Hero? Beat. Yea, as sure as I have a thought or a soul. Bene. Enough, I am engaged; I will challenge him; 1 will kiss your hand and so leave you. By this hand, Claudio shall render me a dear account. As you hear of Go, comfort your cousin: I must say me, so think of me. she is dead; and so, farewell. [Exeunt SCENE II-A Prison. Enter DOGBERRY, VERGES, and SEXTON, in gowns; and the Dogb. Is our whole dissembly appeared? Dogb. Marry, that am I and my partner. Verg. Nay, that's certain; we have the exhibition to examine. Sexton. But which are the offenders that are to be examined? let them come before master constable. Dogb. Yea, marry, let them come before me.-What is your name, friend? Bora. Borachio. Dogb. Pray write down-Borachio. Yours, sirrah? Con. I am a gentleman, sir, and my name is Conrade. Dogb. Write down-master gentleman Conrade.-Masters, do you serve God? Dogb. Write down-that they hope they serve God:and write God first; for God defend but God should go before such villains!-Masters, it is proved already that you are little better than false knaves; and it will go near to be thought so shortly. How answer you for yourselves? Con. Marry, sir, we say we are none. Dogb. A marvellous witty fellow, I assure you; but I will go about with him.-Come you hither, sirrah: a word in your ear, sir; I say to you, it is thought you are faise knaves. Bora. Sir, I say to you, we are none. Dogb. Well, stand aside.-'Fore God, they are both in a tale. Have you writ down-that they are none? Sexton. Master constable, you go not the way to examine; you must call forth the Watch that are their accusers. Dogb. Yea, marry, that's the eftest way.-Let the Watch come forth.-Masters, I charge you in the prince's name, accuse these men. 1 Watch. This man said, sir, that Don John, the prince's brother, was a villain. Dogh. Write down-prince John a villain.-Why, this is flat perjury, to call a prince's brother villain. Bora. Master constable, Dogb. Pray thee, fellow, peace; I do not like thy look, I promise thee. Serton. What heard you him say else? 2 Watch. Marry, that he had received a thousand ducats of Don John for accusing the Lady Hero wrongfully. Dogb. Flat burglary as ever was committed. Verg. Yea, by the mass, that it is. Sexton. What else, fellow? 1 Watch. And that Count Claudio did mean, upon his words, to disgrace Hero before the whole assembly, and not marry her. Dogb. O villain! thou wilt be condemned into everlasting redemption for this. Sexton. What else? 2 Watch. This is all. Sexton. And this is more, masters, than you can deny. Prince John is this morning secretly stolen away; Hero was in this manner accused, in this very manner refused, and upon the grief of this suddenly died.-Master constable, let these men be bound and brought to Leonato's; I will go before and show him their examination. [Exit. Dogb. Come, let them be opinioned. Verg. Let them be in band. Con. Off, coxcomb! Dogb. God's my life! where's the sexton? let him write down-the prince's officer, coxcomb.-Come, bind them. -Thou naughty varlet! Con. Away! you are an ass, you are an ass. Dogb. Dost thou not suspect my place? Dost thou not suspect my years?-O that he were here to write me down an ass! but, masters, remember, that I am an ass; though it be not written down, yet forget not that I am an ass.— No, thou villain, thou art full of piety, as shall be proved upon thee by good witness. I am a wise fellow; and, which is more, an officer; and, which is more, a householder; and, which is more, as pretty a piece of flesh as any is in Messina and one that knows the law, go to; and a rich fellow enough, go to; and a fellow that hath had losses; and one that hath two gowns, and everything handsome about him.-Bring him away. O that I had been writ down an ass! : [Exeunt. ACT V. SCENE I.-Before LEONATO's House. Enter LEONATO and ANTONIO. Ant, If you go on thus you will kill yourself; And 'tis not wisdom thus to second grief Against yourself. Leon. I pray thee, cease thy counsel, As water in a sieve: give not me counsel; But such a one whose wrongs do suit with mine. Measure his woe the length and breadth of mine, But there is no such man: for, brother, men To be so moral when he shall endure The like himself: therefore, give me no counsel. Ant. Therein do men from children nothing differ. Leon. I pray thee, peace; I will be flesh and blood For there was never yet philosopher That could endure the toothache patiently, |