Bene. Good day, my lord. D. Pedro. Welcome, signior: You are almost come to part almost a fray.

Claud. We had like to have had our two noses snapped off with two old men without teeth.

D. Pedro. Leonato and his brother: What think'st thou Had we fought, I doubt, we should have been too young for them.

lord, for your many courtesies I thank you: I
must discontinue your company; your brother,
the bastard, is filed from Messina: you have,
among you, killed a sweet and innocent lady:
For my lord Lack-beard, there, he and I shall
meet; and till then, peace be with him.
[Exit BENEDICK.

D. Pedro. He is in earnest.
Claud. In most profound earnest; and, I'll

Bene. In a false quarrel there is no true va-warrant you, for the love of Beatrice. lour. I came to seek you both.

Claud. We have been up and down to seek thee; for we are high-proof melancholy, and would fain have it beaten away: Wilt thou use thy wit?

Bene. It is in my scabbard ; Shall I draw it? D. Pedro. Dost thou wear thy wit by thy side? Claud. Never any did so, though very many have been beside their wit.-1 will bid thee draw, as we do the minstrels; draw, to plea

sure us.

man, he looks

D. Pedro. As I am an honest pale-Art thou sick, or angry? Claud. What! courage, man! What though care killed a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care.

Bene. Sir, I shall meet your wit in the career, an you charge it against mé:-1 pray you, choose another subject.

Claud. Nay, then give him another staff; this last was broke cross.

D. Pedro. By this light be changes more and more; I think, he be angry indeed. Claud. If he be, he knows how to turn his girdle..

Bene. Shall I speak a word in your ear? Claud. God bless me from a challenge! Bene. You are a villain;-I jest not-I will make it good how you dare, with what you dare, and when you dare:-Do me right, or I will protest your cowardice. You have killed a sweet lady, and her death shall fall heavy on you: Let me hear from you.

Claud. Well, I will meet you, so I may have good cheer.

D. Pedro. What, a feast? a feast ? Claud. I'faith, I thank him; he hath bid + me to a calf's-head and a capou; the which if I do not carve most curiously, say, my knife's naught. -Shall I not find a woodcock too? Bene. Sir, your wit ambles well; it goes easily.

D. Pedro. I'll tell thee how Beatrice praised thy wit the other day I said, thou hadst a fine wit; True, says she, a fine little one: No, said 1, a great wit; Right, says she, a great gross one: Nay, said I, a good wit; Just, said she, it hurts nobody: Nay, said 1, the gentle man is wise; Certain, said she, a wise gentleman: Nay, said I, he hath the tongues: That I believe, said she, for he swore a thing to me on Monday night, which he forswore on Tuesday morning; there's a double tongue; there's two tongues. Thus did she, an hour together, transshape thy particular virtues; yet at last she concluded with a sigh, thou wast the properest man in Italy.

Claud. For the which she wept heartily, and said, she cared not.

D. Pedro. Yea, that she did; but yet, for all that, an if she did not hate him deadly, she would love him dearly: the old man's daughter told us all.

Claud. All, all; and moreover, God saw him when he was hid in the garden.

D. Pedro. But when shall we set the savage bull's horus on the sensible Benedick's head? Claud. Yea, and text underneath, Here dwells Benedick the married man?

Bene. Fare you well, boy; you know my mind; I will leave you now to your gossip-like humour; you break jests as braggarts do their blades, which, God be thanked, hurt not.-My

D. Pedro. And hath challenged thee?
Claud. Most sincerely.

D. Pedro. What a pretty thing man is, when he goes in his doublet and hose, and leaves off his wit!

Enter DOG BERRY, VERGES, and the WATCH,
with CONRADE and BORACHIO.
Claud. He is then a giant to an ape: but then
is an ape a doctor to such a man.

D. Pedro. But, soft you, let be; pluck up, my heart, and be sad i Did he not say my

brother was filed?

Dogb. Come, you, Sir; if justice cannot tame you, she shall ne'er weigh more reasons in her balance nay, an you be a cursing hypocrite once, you must be looked to.

D. Pedro. How now, two of my brother's men bound! Borachio, one!

Claud. Hearken after their offence, my lord! D. Pedro. Officers, what offence have these men done?

Dogb. Marry, Sir, they have committed false report; moreover, they have spoken untruths: secondarily, they are slanders; sixth and lastly, they have belied a lady; thirdly, they have verified unjust things: and, to conclude, they are lying knaves.

D. Pedro. First, I ask thee what they have done; thirdly, I ask thee what's their offence; sixth and lastly, why they are committed; and, to conclude, what you lay to their charge.

Claud. Rightly reasoned, and in his own division; and, by my troth, there's one meaning

well suited.

D. Pedro. Whom have you offended, masters, that you are thus bound to your answer? this learned constable is too cunning to be understood: What's your offence?

Bora. Sweet prince, let me go no further to mine answer; do you hear me, and let this count kill me. I have deceived even your very eyes: what your wisdoms could not discover, these shallow fools have brought to light; who, in the night, over-heard me confessing to this man, how Don John your brother incensed + me to slander the lady Hero: how you were brought into the orchard, and saw me court Margaret in Hero's garment; how you disgraced her, when you should marry her: my villany they have upon record; which I had rather seal with my death, than repeat over to my shame the lady is dead upon mine and my master's false accusation; and, briefly, I desire nothing but the reward of a villain.

D. Pedro. Runs not this speech like iron through your blood?

Claud. I have drunk poison, whiles he utter'd it.

D. Pedro. But did my brother set thee on to this?

Bora. Yea, and paid me richly for the prac tice of it.

D. Pedro. He is compos'd and fram'd of And fled he is upon his villany. [treachery :Claud. Sweet Hero! now thy image doth ap

pear

In the rare semblance that I lov'd it first.

Dogb. Come, bring away the plaintiffs; by this time our Sexton hath reformed signior Leonato of the matter: And masters, do not forget to specify, when time and place shall serve, that I am an ass.

790

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Verg. Here, here comes master signior Leopato, and the Sexton too.

Re-enter LEONATO and ANTONIO, with the

Sexton.

Act V.

Leon. Go, I discharge thee of tny prisoner, and I thank thee.

Dogb. I leave an arrant knave with your worship; which, I beseech your worship, to correct yourself, for the example of others.

Leon. Which is the villain? Let me see his God keep your worship: I wish your worship

Leon. Art thou the slave, that with thy breath hast kill'd

Mine innocent child?

Bora. Yea, even I alone.

Leon. No, not so, villain; thou beli'st thy-
self;

Here stand a pair of honourable men,
A third is fled, that had a hand in it :-
I thank you, princes, for my daughter's death;
Record it with your high and worthy deeds;
'Twas bravely done, if you bethink you of it.

Claud. I know not how to pray your patience, Yet I must speak: Choose your revenge yourself;

Impose me to what penance your invention
Can lay upon my sin: yet sinn'd I not,
But in mistaking.

D. Pedro. By my soul, nor I;

And yet, to satisfy this good old man,
I would bend under any heavy weight
'That he'll enjoin me to.

Leon. I cannot bid you bid my daughter live,
That were impossible; but, I pray you both,
Possess the people in Messina here
How innocent she died: and, if your love
Can labour aught in sad invention,
Hang her an epitaph upon her tomb,

And sing it to her bones; sing it to-night :-
To-morrow morning come you to my house;
And since you could not be my son-in-law,
Be yet my nephew: my brother hath a daugh-

ter,

Almost the copy of my child that's dead,
And she alone is heir to both of us;

well; God restore you to health: I humbly give
you leave to depart; and if a merry meeting may
be wished, God prohibit it.-Come, neighbour.
[Exeunt DOG BERRY, VERGES, and WATCH.
Leon. Until to-morrow morning, lords, fare-
well.

Ant. Farewell, my lords; we look for you
to-morrow.

D. Pedro. We will not fail.

Claud. To-night I'll mourn with Hero.

[Exeunt Don PEDRO and CLAUDIO. Leon. Bring you these fellows on; we'll talk with Margaret,

How her acquaintance grew with this lewd
[Exeunt.
fellow.

SCENE II.-LEONATO'S Garden.
Enter BENEDICK and MARGARET, meeting.
Bene. Pray thee, sweet mistress Margaret,
deserve well at my hands, by helping me to the
speech of Beatrice.

Marg. Will you then write me a sonnet in praise of my beauty?

Bene. In so high a style, Margaret, that no man living shall come over it: for, in most comely truth, thou deservest it.

Marg. To have no man come over me? why, shall I always keep below stairs?

Bene. Thy wit is as quick as the greyhound's mouth, it catches.

Marg. And your's as blunt as the fencer's foils, which hit, but hurt not.

Bene. A most manly wit, Margaret, it will not hurt a woman; and so, I pray thee, call Beatrice: I give thee the bucklers.

Marg. Give us the swords, we have bucklers of our own.

Bene. If you use them, Margaret, you must

Give her the right you should have given her put in the pikes with a vice; and they are dan.

cousin,

And so dies my revenge.

Claud. O noble Sir,

Your over-kindess doth wring tears from me!

I do embrace your offer; and dispose

For henceforth of poor Claudio.

Leon. To-morrow then I will expect your

coming;

To-night I take iny leave.-This naughty man
Shall face to face be brought to Margaret,
Who, I believe, was pack'd in all this wrong,
Hir'd to it by your brother.

gerous weapons for maids.

Marg. Well, I will call Beatrice to you, who, [Exit MARGARET.

Bene. And therefore will come.

I think, bath legs.

The god of love,

That sits above,

[Singing.]

And knows me, and knows me,

How pitiful I deserve,

I mean in singing; but in loving,-Leauder the good swimmer, Troilus the first employer of pandars, and a whole book full of these quonwhose names yet run carpet-mongers, smoothly in the even road of a blank verse, why, Nor knew not what she did, when she spoke to they were never so truly turned over and over as

Bora. No, by my soul, she was not;

me;

But always hath been just and virtuous,
In any thing that I do know by her.

Dogb. Moreover, Sir, (which, indeed, is not under white and black, this plaintiff here, the offender, did call me ass: I beseech you, let it be remembered in his punishment. And also, the watch heard them talk of one Deformed: they say, he wears a key in his ear, and a lock banging by it; and borrows money in God's name; the which he bath used so long, and never paid, that now men grow hard-hearted, and will lend nothing for God's sake: Pray you, examine him upon that point.

Leon. I thank thee for thy care and honest
pains.

Beat. Then, is spoken; fare you well now :and yet, ere I go, let me go with that I came Dogb. Your worship speaks like a most thank-for, which is, with knowing what hath passed ful and reverend youth and I praise God for between you and Claudio.

Bene. Thou hast frighted the word out of his right sense, so forcible is thy wit: But, I must tell thee plainly, Claudio undergoes my challenge; and either I must shortly hear from him, or I will subscribe him a coward. And I, pray thee now, tell me, for which of my bad parts didst thou first fall in love with me?

Beat. For them all together; which maintained so politic a state of evil, that they will not admit auy good part to intermingle with them. But for which of my good parts did you first suffer love for me?

Bene. Suffer love; a good epithet! I do suffer love, indeed, for I love thee against my will.

Beat, In spite of your heart, I think; alas ! poor heart! If you spite it for my sake, I will spite it for yours; for I will never love that which my friend hates.

Bene. Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably.

Beat. It appears not in this confession: there's not one wise man among twenty that will praise himself.

Bene. An old, an old instance, Beatrice, that lived in the time of good neighbours: if a man do not erect in this age his own tomb ere he dies, he shall live no longer in monument, than the bell rings, and the widow weeps.

Reat. And how long is that, think you? Bene. Question ?-Why, an hour in clamour. and a quarter in rheum: Therefore it is most expedient for the wise, (if Don Worm his conscience, find no impediment to the contrary, to be the trumpet of his own virtues, as I am to myself: So much for praising myself, (who, I myself will bear witness, is praise-worthy,) and now tell me, How doth your cousin?

Beat. Very ill.

Bene. And how do you?

Beat. Very ill too.

Bene. Serve God, love me, and mend: then will I leave you too, for here comes one in

haste.

Enter URSULA,

Urs. Madam, you must come to your uncle; yonder's old coilt at home: it is proved, my lady Hero hath been falsely accused, the prince and Claudio mightily abused; and Don John is the author of all, who is fled and gone will you come presently?

Beat. Will you go hear this news, signior? Bene. I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy eyes; and, moreover, I will [Exeunt. go with thee to thy uncle's.

SCENE III.-The inside of a Church. Enter Don PEDRO, CLAUDIO, and ATTENDANTS, with Music and Tapers. Claud. Is this the monument of Leonato ? Atten. It is, my lord.

Claud. [Reads from a scroll.]

Done to death by slanderous tongues
Was the Hero that here lies:
Death, the guerdon of her wrongs
Gives her fame which never dies:
So the life, that died with shame,
Lives in death with glorious fame.
Hang thou there upon the tomb,

[Affixing it.
Praising her when I am dumb.-
Now, music, sound, and sing your solemn
by mn,

SONG.

Graves, yawn, and yield your dead,
Till death be uttered,
Heavily, heavily.

Claud. Now, unto thy bones good night!

Yearly will I do this rite.

D. Pedro. Good morrow, masters; put your torches out;

The wolves have prey'd; and look, the gen

tle day,

Before the wheels of Phoebus, round about

Dapples the drowsy east with spots of gray : Thanks to you all, and leave us; fare you well. Claud. Good morrow, masters; each his several way.

D. Pedro. Come, let us hence, and put on other weeds; And then to Leonato's we will go.

Claud. And Hymen, now with luckier issue
speeds,

Than this, for whom we render'd up this woe!
[Exeunt.

t Reward. I

SCENE IV.—A Room in LEONATO's House.
Enter LEONATO, ANTONIO, BENEDICK, BEA-
TRICE, URSULA, FRIAR, and HERO.
Friar. Did I not tell you she was innocent?
Leon. So are the prince and Claudio, who
accus'd her,

Upon the error that you heard debated:
But Margaret was in some fault for this;
Although against her will, as it appears
In the true course of all the question.

Ant. Well, I am glad that all things sort so
well.

Bene. And so am I, being else by faith an forc'd

To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it.
Leon. Well, daughter, and you gentlewomen
all,

Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves;
And, when I send for you, come hither mask'd:
The prince and Claudio promis'd by this hour
To visit me :-You know your office, brother;
You must be father to your brother's daughter,
And give her to young Claudio.

[Exeunt Ladies.

Ant. Which I will do with confirm'd countenance.

Bene. Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think.

Friar. To do what, signior?

Bene. To bind me, or undo me, one of
them.-

Siguior Leonato, truth it is, good signior,
Your niece regards me with an eye of favour.
Leon. That eye my daughter lent her; 'Tis

most true.

Bene. And I do with an eye of love requite her.

Leon. The sight whereof, I think you had from me,

From Claudio and the prince; But what's your
will?

Bene. Your answer, Sir, is enigmatical:
But for my will, my will is, your good will
May stand with our's, this day to be conjoin'd
In the estate of honourable marriage :-
In which, good friar, I shall desire your help.
Leon. My heart is with your liking.

Friar. And my help.

Here comes the prince, and Claudio.

Enter Don PEDRO and CLAUDIO, with
Attendants.

D. Pedro. Good morrow to this fair assem
bly.

Leon. Good-morrow, prince; good-morrow,
Claudio;

We here attend you; are you yet determin'd
To-day to marry with my brother's daughter?
Claud. I'll hold my mind, were she an Ethiope.