SCENE II.
Leonato's House.
Enter Don Pedro, Claudio, Benedick, and Leonato.
Pedro.
I do but stay till your marriage be consummate,
and then go I toward Arragon.
Claud.
I'll bring you thither, my lord, if you'll
vouchsafe me.
Pedro.
Nay, that would be as great a soil in the
new gloss of your marriage8 note
, as to shew a child his
new coat, and forbid him to wear it. I will only be
bold with Benedick for his company; for, from the
crown of his head to the sole of his foot, he is all
-- 308 --
mirth; he hath twice or thrice cut Cupid's bowstring,
and the little hangman dare not shoot at him9 note
:
he hath a heart as sound as a bell, and his tongue
is the clapper; for what his heart thinks, his tongue
speaks1 note
.
Bene.
Gallants, I am not as I have been.
Leon.
So say I; methinks, you are sadder.
Claud.
I hope, he be in love.
Pedro.
Hang him, truant; there's no true drop
of blood in him, to be truly touch'd with love: if
he be sad, he wants money.
Bene.
I have the tooth-ach.
Pedro.
Draw it.
Bene.
Hang it!
Claud.
You must hang it first, and draw it afterwards.
Pedro.
What? sigh for the tooth-ach?
Leon.
Where is but a humour, or a worm?
Bene.
Well, Every one can master a grief, but he
that has it.
Claud.
Yet say I, he is in love.
Pedro.
2 noteThere is no appearance of fancy in him,
unless it be a fancy that he hath to strange disguises;
as to be a Dutch man to-day; a French man to-morrow;
-- 309 --
or in the shape of two countries at once; as a
German from the waist downward, all slops3 note
; and a
Spaniard from the hip upward, no doublet: Unless
he have a fancy to this foolery, as it appears he hath,
he is no fool for fancy, as you would have it to appear
he is.
Claud.
If he be not in love with some woman,
there is no believing old signs: he brushes his hat o'
mornings: What should that bode?
Pedro.
Hath any man seen him at the barber's?
Claud.
No, but the barber's man hath been seen
with him; and the old ornament of his cheek hath
already stuff'd tennis-balls. 9Q0240
Leon.
Indeed, he looks younger than he did, by
the loss of a beard.
Pedro.
Nay, he rubs hmself with civet: Can you
smell him out by that?
Claud.
That's as much as to say, The sweet youth's
in love.
Pedro.
The greatest note of it, is his melancholy.
Claud.
And when was he wont to wash his face?
Pedro.
Yea, or to paint himself? for the which, I
hear what they say of him.
Claud.
Nay, but his jesting spirit; which is now
crept into a lute-string, and now govern'd by stops.
Pedro.
Indeed, that tells a heavy tale for him:
Conclude, conclude he is in love,
Claud.
Nay, but I know who loves him.
Pedro.
That would I know too; I warrant, one
that knows him not.
Claud.
Yes, and his ill conditions; and, in despight
of all, dies for him.
-- 310 --
Pedro.
She shall be buried with her face upwards4 note
.
Bene.
Yet is this no charm for the tooth-ach.—Old
-- 311 --
signior, walk aside with me; I have studied eight
or nine wise words to speak to you, which these
hobby-horses must not hear.
[Exeunt Benedick and Leonato.
Pedro.
For my life, to break with him about Beatrice.
Claud.
'Tis even so: Hero and Margaret have
by this time play'd their parts with Beatrice; and
then the two bears will not bite one another, when
they meet.
Enter Don John.
John.
My lord and brother, God save you.
Pedro.
Good den, brother.
John.
If your leisure serv'd, I would speak with
you.
Pedro.
In private?
John.
If it please you:—yet count Claudio may
hear; for what I would speak of, concerns him.
Pedro.
What's the matter?
John.
Means your lordship to be marry'd to-morrow?
[To Claudio.
Pedro.
You know, he does.
John.
I know not that, when he knows what I
know.
Claud.
If there be any impediment, I pray you, discover
it.
John.
You may think, I love you not; let that
-- 312 --
appear hereafter, and aim better at me by that I now
will manifest: For my brother, I think, he holds you
well; and in dearness of heart hath holp to effect
your ensuing marriage: surely, suit ill spent, and labour
ill-bestow'd!
Pedro.
Why, what's the matter?
John.
I came hither to tell you, and circumstances
shorten'd, (for she hath been too long a talking of)
the lady is disloyal.
Claud.
Who? Hero?
John.
Even she; Leonato's Hero, your Hero,
every man's Hero5 note
.
Claud.
Disloyal?
John.
The word is too good to paint out her
wickedness; I could say, she were worse; think
you of a worse title, and I will fit her to it. Wonder
not till further warrant: go but with me tonight,
you shall see her chamber-window enter'd;
even the night before her wedding-day: if you
love her then, to-morrow wed her; but it would
better fit your honour to change your mind.
Claud.
May this be so?
Pedro.
I will not think it.—
John.
If you dare not trust that you see, confess not
that you know: if you will follow me, I will shew
you enough; and when you have seen more, and
heard more, proceed accordingly.
Claud.
If I see any thing to-night why I should not
marry her; to-morrow, in the congregation, where I
should wed, there will I shame her.
Pedro.
And, as I wooed for thee to obtain her,
I will join with thee to disgrace her.
John.
I will disparage her no farther, till you are
-- 313 --
my witnesses: bear it coldly but till midnight, and
let the issue shew itself.
Pedro.
O day untowardly turned!
Claud.
O mischief strangely thwarting!
John.
O plague right well prevented!
So you will say, when you have seen the sequel.
[Exeunt.
Samuel Johnson [1778], The plays of William Shakspeare. In ten volumes. With the corrections and illustrations of various commentators; to which are added notes by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. The second edition, Revised and Augmented (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10901].
