Friar.
Fri.
Did I not tell you she was innocent?
Leo.
So are the prince and Claudio, who accus'd her,
-- 87 --
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 note so well.
Ben.
And so am I, being else by faith enforc'd
To call young Claudio to a reck'ning for it.
Leo.
Well, daughter, and you gentlewomen note 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.
Ant.
Which I will do with confirm'd countenance.
[Exeunt Ladies.
Ben.
Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think.
Fri.
To do what, signior?
Ben.
To bind me, or undo me, one of them.—
Signior Leonato, truth it is, good signior,
Your niece regards me with an eye of favour.
Leo.
That eye note my daughter lent her;—'Tis most true.
Ben.
And I do with an eye of love requite her.
Leo.
The sight whereof, I think, you had from me,
From Claudio, and the prince; But what's your will?
Ben.
Your answer, sir, is enigmatical:
But, for my will, my will is, your good will
May stand with ours, this day to be conjoin'd
I' the state of honourable marriage;—
In which, good friar, I shall desire your help.
Leo.
My heart is with your liking.
Fri.
And my help.
-- 88 --
Here comes the prince, and Claudio. note
Enter D. Pedro, Claudio, and Attendants.
D. Pe.
Good morrow to this fair assembly.
Leo.
Good morrow, prince; good morrow, Claudio,
We here attend you; Are you yet determin'd
To-day to marry with my brother's daughter?
Cla.
I'll hold my mind, were she an Ethiope.
Leo.
Call her forth, brother, here's the friar ready.
[Exit Antonio.
D. Pe.
Good morrow, Benedick: Why, what's the matter,
That you have such a February face,
So full of frost, of storm, and cloudiness?
Cla.
I think, he thinks upon the savage bull:—
Tush, fear not, man, we'll tip thy horns with gold,
And all Europa shall rejoyce at thee;
As once Europa did at lusty Jove,
When he would play the noble beast in love.
Ben.
Bull Jove, sir, had an amiable low;
And some such strange bull leapt your father's cow,
And got note a calf in that same noble feat,
Much like to you, for you have just his bleat.
Cla.
For this I owe you: here comes other reck'nings.—
Re-enter Antonio, with the Ladies mask'd.
Which is the lady I must seize upon?
Ant.
This note same is she,14Q0184 † and I do give you her.
Cla.
Why, then she's mine:—Sweet, let me see your face.
Leo.
No, that you shall not, 'till you take her hand
Before this friar, and swear to marry her.
Cla.
Give me your hand before this holy friar;
I am your husband, if you like of me.
Her.
And when I liv'd, [unmasking] I was your other wife:
And when you lov'd, you were my other husband.
-- 89 --
Cla.
Another Hero?
Her.
Nothing certainer:
One Hero dy'd defil'd; note but I do live,
And, surely as I live, I am a maid.
D. Pe.
The former Hero! Hero that is dead!
Leo.
She dy'd, my lord, but whiles her slander liv'd.
Fri.
All this amazement can I qualify;
When, after that the holy rites are ended,
I'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death:
Mean time let wonder seem familiar,
And to the chapel let us presently.
Ben.
Soft and fair, friar:—Which is Beatrice?
Bea.
I answer to that name; [unmasking] What is your will?
Ben.
Do not you love me?
Bea.
Why, no, no more than reason.
Ben.
Why, then your uncle, and the prince, and Claudio,
Have been deceived; for they swore, you did.
Bea.
Do not you love me?
Ben.
Troth, no, no more than reason.
Bea.
Why, then my cousin, Margaret, and Ursula,
Are much deceiv'd; for they did swear, you did.
Ben.
They swore, that note you were almost sick for me.
Bea.
They swore, that note you were well nigh dead for me.
Ben.
'Tis no such note matter:—Then, you do not love me?
Bea.
No, truly, but in friendly recompence.
Her.
Come note, cousin, I am sure you love the gentleman.
Cla.
And I'll be sworn upon't, that he loves her;
For here's a paper &dagger2;, written in his hand,
A halting sonnet of his own pure brain,
Fashion'd to Beatrice.
Her.
And here's &dagger2; another,
Writ in my cousin's hand, stoln from her pocket,
-- 90 --
Containing her affection unto Benedick.
Ben.
A miracle! here's our own hands against our
hearts!—Come, I will have thee; but, by this light,
I take thee for pity.
Bea.
I would not deny note you;—but, by this good
day, I yield upon great persuasion; and, partly,
to save your life, for I was told, you were in a consumption.
Ben.
Peace note, I will stop your mouth.
[kissing her.
D. Pe.
How dost thou, Benedick the marry'd man?
Ben.
I'll tell thee what, prince; a colledge of
wit-crackers cannot flout me out of my humour: Dost
thou think, I care for a satire, or an epigram? No:
if a man will be beaten with brains, he shall wear nothing
handsome about him: In brief, since I do purpose
to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose
that the world can say against it: and therefore never
flout at me for what note I have said against it; for man is
a giddy thing, and this is my conclusion.—For thy
part, Claudio, I did think to have beaten thee; but,
in that thou art like to be my kinsman, live unbruis'd,
and love my cousin.
Cla.
I had well hop'd, thou would'st have deny'd
Beatrice, that I might have cudgel'd thee out of thy
single life, to make thee a double dealer; which, out
of question, thou wilt be, if my cousin do not look exceeding
narrowly to thee.
Ben.
Come, come, we are friends:—let's have a
dance ere we are marry'd, that we may lighten our
own hearts, and our wives' heels.
Leo.
We'll have dancing afterward. note
Ben.
First, o' my word; therefore, play, musick.—
-- 91 --
Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee a
wife: there is no staff more reverend than one tipt
with horn.
Enter a Messenger.c
Mes.
My lord, your brother John is ta'en in flight,
And brought with armed men back to Messina.
Ben.
Think not on him 'till to-morrow; I'll devise
thee brave punishments for him.—Strike up,
pipers.
[Dance.
