Bene. Why, that's spoken like an honest drovier; so they sell bullocks. But did you think the prince would have served you thus ? Claud. I pray you, leave me. 175 Bene. Ho! now you strike like the blind man; 'twas the boy that stole your meat, and you'll beat the post. Claud. If it will not be, I'll leave you. [Exit. Bene. Alas, poor hurt fowl! now will he creep into sedges. But, that my Lady Beatrice should know me, and not know me! The prince's fool! Ha? It may be I under that title because I am merry. Yea, but so I am apt to do myself wrong; I am not so reputed: it is the base, though bitter, disposition of Beatrice that puts the world into her person, and so gives me out. me out. Well, I'll be revenged as I may. Re-enter DON PEDRO. go 186 D. Pedro. Now, signior, where's the count? did you see him? Bene. Troth, my lord, I have played the part of Lady Fame. I found him here as melancholy as a lodge in a warren: I told him, and I think I told him true, that your grace had got the good will of this young lady; and I offered him my company to a willow-tree, either to make him a garland, as being forsaken, or to bind him up a rod, as being worthy to be whipped. D. Pedro. To be whipped! What's his fault? 195 Bene. The flat transgression of a school-boy, who, being overjoyed with finding a birds' nest, shows it his companion, and he steals it. D. Pedro. Wilt thou make a trust a transgression? The transgression is in the stealer. 201 Bene. Yet it had not been amiss the rod had been made, and the garland too; for the garland he might have worn himself, and the rod he might have bestowed on you, who, as I take it, have stolen his birds' nest. 205 D. Pedro. I will but teach them to sing, and restore them to the owner. Bene. If their singing answer your saying, by my faith, you say honestly. D. Pedro. The Lady Beatrice hath a quarrel to you: the gentleman that danced with her told her she is much wronged by you. decieved 212 Bene. O, she misused me past the endurance of a block ! an oak but with one green leaf on it would have answered her; my very visor began to assume life and scold with her. She told me, not thinking I had been myself, that I was the prince's jester, that I was duller than a great thaw; huddling jest upon jest, with such impossible conveyance, daggers pure upon me, that I stood like a man at, a mark, with a whole army shooting at me. She speaks poniards, and every word "Cruel words stabs if her breath were as terrible as her terminations, there were no living near her; she would infect to the north the star. I would not marry her, though she were endowed with all that Adam had left him before he transgressed: she would have made Hercules have turned spit, yea, and have cleft his club to make the fire too. Come, talk not of her: you shall find her the infernal Ate in good apparel. I would to God some scholar would conjure her; for certainly, while she is here, a man may live as quiet in hell as in a sanctuary; and people sin upon purpose, because they would go thither; so, indeed, all disquiet, horror, and perturbation follows her. expuest D. Pedro. Look, here she comes. me may being were questly in hell as a sanc 232 goddess fre Obf eng a discord anctuary hee not Re-enter CLAUDIO, BEATRICE, HERO, and LEONato. Bene. Will your grace command me any service to the world's end? I will go on the slightest errand now to the Antipodes that you can devise to send me on; I will fetch you a toothpicker now from the furthest inch of Asia; bring you the length of Prester John's foot; fetch you a hair off the great Cham's beard; do you any embassage to the Pigmies; rather than hold three words' conference with this harpy. You have no employment for me? 219 at] as Keightley conj. 220 me] him Keightley. 221 her terminations] Q. terminations Ff. her minations S. Walker conj. 222 to the north] the north Warburton conj. 224 left] lent Collier, ed. 2 (Collier MS.). before] after Keightley conj. 227 the infernal] in the infernal F3F4 230 as in] or in Staunton conj. ... 242 Enter Claudio and Beatrice. Q. Re- 239 off] of Collier. See note (x). 241 You have] Have you Collier MS. D. Pedro. None, but to desire your good company. Bene. O God, sir, here's a dish I love not: I cannot endure my Lady Tongue. [Exit. 245 D. Pedro. Come, lady, come; you have lost the heart of Signior Benedick. Beat. Indeed, my lord, he lent it me awhile; and I gave him use for it, a double heart for his single one: marry, once before he won it of me with false dice, therefore your Grace may well say I have lost it. 251 D. Pedro. You have put him down, lady, you have put him down. Beat. So I would not he should do me, my lord, lest I should prove the mother of fools. I have brought Count Claudio, whom you sent me to seek. 256 D. Pedro. Why, how now, count! wherefore are you sad? Claud. Not sad, my lord. D. Pedro. How then? sick? 260 Claud. Neither, my lord. Beat. The count is neither sad, nor sick, nor merry, nor well; but civil count, civil as an orange, and something of that jealous complexion. 264 D. Pedro. I' faith, lady, I think your blazon to be true; though, I'll be sworn, if he be so, his conceit is false. Here, Claudio, I have wooed in thy name, and fair Hero is won I have broke with her father, and his good will obtained name the day of marriage, and God give thee joy! 245 my Lady Tongue.] Q. this Lady tongue F. this lady's tongue F2F3F4 249 his] Q. a Ff. 263 civil count] civil, count Theobald. 264 that jealous] Q. a jealous Ff. as jealous a Collier MS. 265—270 ₪ faith...joy!] Six lines of 270 verse, S. Walker conj. 266 TQ F. IF2F3F4 267 Claudio,] Claudio, [leading him to Hero,] Capell. 268-269 and his...obtained:] Pope. and his...obtained, Q Ff. and, his ...obtained, Collier. Leon. Count, take of me my daughter, and with her my fortunes: his Grace hath made the match, and all grace say Amen to it. Beat. Speak, count, 'tis your cue. 274 Claud. Silence is the perfectest herald of joy: I were but little happy, if I could say how much. Lady, as you are mine, I am yours: I give away myself for you, and dote upon the exchange. Beat. Speak, cousin; or, if you cannot, stop his mouth with a kiss, and let not him speak neither. 280 D. Pedro. In faith, lady, you have a merry heart. Beat. Yea, my lord; I thank it, poor fool, it keeps on the windy side of care. My cousin tells him in his ear that he is in her heart. 285 Claud. And so she doth, cousin. Beat. Good Lord, for alliance! Thus goes every one to the world but I, and I am sun-burnt; I may sit in a corner, and cry heigh-ho for a husband! D. Pedro. Lady Beatrice, I will get you one. Beat. I would rather have one of your father's getting. Hath your Grace ne'er a brother like you? Your father got excellent husbands, if a maid could come by them. D. Pedro. Will you have me, lady? 292 Beat. No, my lord, unless I might have another for working-days: your Grace is too costly to wear every day. But, I beseech your Grace, pardon me: I was born to speak all mirth and no matter. 274 cue] Rowe (ed. 2). Qu Q Ff. 276 much.] Rowe. much? Q Ff. 284 her] Q. my Ff. 285 Claud.] Leon. Hanmer. 286 for alliance] our alliance Theobald conj. MS. 287 to] through Jackson conj. world] wood Johnson conj. 297 sun-burnt] sundered Bailey conj. (1866). 288 corner, and cry] corner, and cry, Rowe. corner and cry, Q.Ff (crie, Q). heigh-ho for a husband!] See note (XI). 290 would] had Capell MS. |