Hero. And when I lived, I was your other wife:

[Unmasking. And when you loved, you were my other husband.

Claud Another Hero!
Hero.

Nothing certainer.
One Hero died defiled; but I do live,
And surely as I live, I am a maid.

D. Pedro. The former Hero! Hero that is dead!
Leon. She died, my lord, but whiles her slander lived.

Friar. All this amazement can I qualify;
When, after that the holy rites åre ended,
I'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death.
Meantime, let wonder seem familiar,
And to the chapel let us presently.

Bene. Soft and fair, friar. — Which is Beatrice ?
Beat. I answer to that name; [Unmasking.] What is

your will ?
Bene. Do not you love me?
Beat.

Why, no, no more than reason. Bene. Why, then your uncle, and the prince, and Claudio, Have been deceived; for they swore you did.

Beat. Do not you love me?
Bene.

Troth, no, no more than reason. Beat. Why, then my cousin, Margaret, and Ursula, Are much deceived; for they did swear you did.

Bene. They swore that you were almost sick for me.
Beat. They swore that you were well-nigh dead for me.
Bene. 'Tis no such matter.—Then you do not love me?
Beat. No, truly, but in friendly recompense.
Leon. Come, cousin, I am sure you love the gentleman.

Claud. And I'll be sworn upon't, that he loves her;
For here's a paper, written in his hand,
A halting sonnet, of his own pure brain,
Fashioned to Beatrice.
Hero.

And here's another,
Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen from her pocket,
Containing her affection unto Benedick.

Bene. A miracle! Here's our own hands against our hearts ! — Come, I will have thee; but, by this light, I take thee for pity.

Beat. I would not deny 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.

Bene. Peace, I will stop your mouth. [Kissing her. D. Pedro. How dost thou, Benedick the married man? Bene. I'll tell thee what, prince; a college of wit-crackers cannot flout me out of my humor. 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 propose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the world can say against it; and therefore never flout at me for what 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 unbruised, and love my cousin.

Claud. I had well hoped thou wouldst have denied Beatrice, that I might have cudgelled 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.

Bene. Come, come, we are friends ;—Let's have a dance ere we are married, that we may lighten our own hearts, and our wives' heels.

Leon. We'll have dancing afterwards.

Bene. First, o'my word: therefore, play, music-prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee a wife; there is no staff more reverend than one tipped with horn.

Enter a Messenger. Mess. My lord, your brother John is ta’en in flight, And brought with armed men back to Messina.

Bene. Think not on him till to-morrow; I'll devise thee brave punishments for him. — Strike up, pipers.

[Dance. Exeunt.

MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM.

(391)

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

THESEUS, Duke of Athens.
EGEUS, Father to Hermia.
LYSANDER, L in love with Hermia.
DEMETRIUS, S
PHILOSTRATE, Master of the Revels to Theseus.
QUINCE, the Carpenter.
SNUG, the Joiner.
BOTTOM, the Weaver.
FLUTE, the Bellows-mender.
SNOUT, the Tinker.
STARVELING, the Tailor.

HIPPOLYTA, Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus.
HERMIA, Daughter of Egeus, in love with Lysander.
HELENA, in love with Demetrius.

OBERON, King of the Fairies.
TITANIA, Queen of the Fairies.
Puck, or ROBIN-GOODFELLOW, a Fairy.
PEAS-BLOSSOM, ).
COBWEB,

\ Fairies.
Мотн,
MUSTARD-SEED,
PYRAMUS,
THISBE,

| Characters in the Interlude performed by WALL,

the Clowns. MOONSHINE,

LION,

Attendants on

Other Fairies attending their King and Queen.

Theseus and Hippolyta.

SCENE.

Athens, and a Wood not far from it.

(392)