Leonato.
D. Pe.
I do but stay 'till your marriage be consummate,
-- 43 --
and then go I toward Arragon.
Cla.
I'll bring you thither, my lord, if you'll
vouchsafe me.
D. Pe.
Nay, that would be as great a soyl in the
new gloss of your marriage, 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 soal of his foot, he is all mirth: he
hath twice or thrice cut Cupid's bow-string, and the
little hangman dare not shoot at him: he hath a heart
as sound as a bell, and his tongue is the clapper; for
what his heart thinks, his tongue speaks.
Ben.
Gallants, I am not as I have been.
Leo.
So say I; methinks, you are sadder.
Cla.
I hope, he be in love.
D. Pe.
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.
Ben.
I have the tooth-ach.
D. Pe.
Draw it.
Ben.
Hang it!
Cla.
You must hang it first, and draw it afterwards.
D. Pe.
What? sigh for the tooth-ach?
Leo.
Where is but a humour, or a worm?
Ben.
Well, Every one can master note a grief, but he
that has it.
Cla.
Yet say I, he is in love.
D. Pe.
There is no appearance of fancy in him, unless
it be a fancy that he hath to strange disguises; as,
to be a Dutchman to-day, a Frenchman to-morrow;
or in note the shape of two countries at once, as, a German
from the waste downward, all slops, and a Spaniard
-- 44 --
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 appear note he is.
Cla.
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?
D. Pe.
Hath any man seen him at the barber's?
Cla.
No, but the barber's man hath been seen with
him; and the old ornament of his cheek hath already
stuff'd tennis-balls.
Leo.
Indeed, he looks younger than he did, by
the loss of a beard.
D. Pe.
Nay, he rubs himself with civet; Can you
smell him out by that?
Cla.
That's as much as to say, The sweet youth's
in love.
D. Pe.
The greatest note note of it is his melancholy.
Cla.
And when was he wont to wash his face?
D. Pe.
Yea, or to paint himself? for the which, I
hear what they say of him.
Cla.
Nay, but his jesting spirit; which is now crept
into a lute-string, and now govern'd by stops.
D. Pe.
Indeed, that tells a heavy tale for him: Conclude,
conclude note, he is in love.
Cla.
Nay, but I know who loves him.
D. Pe.
That would I know too; I warrant, one that
knows him not.
Cla.
Yes, and his ill conditions; and, in despight
of all, dies for him.
D. Pe.
She shall be bury'd14Q0168 with her heels upwards note.
Ben.
Yet is this no charm for the tooth-ach.—
Old signior, walk aside with me; I have study'd eight
-- 45 --
or nine wise words to speak to you, which these
hobby-horses must not hear.
[Exeunt Benedick, and Leonato.
D. Pe.
For my life, to break with him about Beatrice.
Cla.
'Tis even so: Hero and Margaret have by this
played their parts with Beatrice; and then the two bears
will not bite one another, when they meet.
Enter Don John.
D. Jo.
My lord and brother, God save you.
D. Pe.
Good den, brother.
D. Jo.
If your leisure serv'd, I would speak with you.
D. Pe.
In private?
D. Jo.
If it please you:—yet count Claudio may
hear; for what I would speak of, concerns him.
D. Pe.
What's note the matter?
D. Jo.
Means your lordship [to Cla.] to be marry'd
to-morrow?
D. Pe.
You know, he does.
D. Jo.
I know not that, when he knows what I know.
Cla.
If there be any impediment, I pray you, discover
it.
D. Jo.
You may think, I love you not; let that 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
bestowed.
D. Pe.
Why, what's the matter?
D. Jo.
I came hither to tell you; and, circumstances
shorten'd, (for she hath been note too long a'talking
about) the lady is disloyal.
Cla.
Who? Hero?
-- 46 --
D. Jo.
Even she; Leonato's Hero, your Hero, every
man's Hero.
Cla.
Disloyal?
D. Jo.
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 to-night, 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.
Cla.
May this be so?
D. Pe.
I will not think it.
D. Jo.
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.
Cla.
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.
D. Pe.
And, as I wooed for thee to obtain her, I will
join with thee to disgrace her.
D. Jo.
I will disparage her no farther, 'till you are
my witnesses; bear it coldly but 'till midnight, note and let
the issue shew itself.
D. Pe.
O day untowardly turned!
Cla.
O mischief strangely thwarting!
D. Jo.
O plague right well prevented!
So will you say, when you have note seen the sequel.
[Exeunt.
Edward Capell [1767], Mr William Shakespeare his comedies, histories, and tragedies, set out by himself in quarto, or by the Players his Fellows in folio, and now faithfully republish'd from those Editions in ten Volumes octavo; with an introduction: Whereunto will be added, in some other Volumes, notes, critical and explanatory, and a Body of Various Readings entire (Printed by Dryden Leach, for J. and R. Tonson [etc.], London) [word count] [S10601].
