Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear, Her. What's this to my Lysander? where is he? Dem. I had rather give his carcase to my hounds. Her. Out, dog! out, cur! thou driv'st me past the bounds Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him then? 3 Dem. You spend your passion on a mispris'd mood: " I am not guilty of Lysander's blood; Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell. Her. I pray thee, tell me then that he is well. And from thy hated presence part I so: See me no more, whether he be dead or no. [Exit. Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vein: Here, therefore, for a while I will remain. So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe; If for his tender here I make some stay. [Lies down. 2 Durst thou have look'd upon him, being awake, And hast thou kill'd him sleeping?] Hast thou kill'd him sleeping, whom, when awake, thou didst not dare to look upon? 3 O brave touch!] Touch in Shakspeare's time was the same with our exploit, or rather stroke: but a touch anciently signified a trick. on a mispris'd mood:] is put for "in a mispris'd mood;" i. e. " in a mistaken manner." 4 4 VOL. II. Of thy misprision must perforce ensue Some true-love turn'd, and not a false turn'd true. Puck. Then fate o'er-rules; that, one man holding troth, A million fail, confounding oath on oath. Obe. About the wood go swifter than the wind, And Helena of Athens look thou find: All fancy-sick she is, and pale of cheer4 With sighs of love, that cost the fresh blood dear: Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow. Hit with Cupid's archery, Sink in apple of his eye! When his love he doth espy, As the Venus of the sky, When thou wak'st, if she be by Re-enter PUCK. Puck. Captain of our fairy band, 4 And the youth, mistook by me, Shall we their fond pageant see? Lord, what fools these mortals be! Obe. Stand aside: the noise they make, Will cause Demetrius to awake. Puck. Then will two at once, woo one; That must needs be sport alone; And those things do best please me, That befal preposterously. [Exit. pale of cheer-] Cheer, from the Italian cara, is frequently used by the old English writers for countenance. Enter LYSANDER and HELena. Lys. Why should you think, that I should woo in scorn? Scorn and derision never come in tears: Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows so born, How can these things in me seem scorn to you, Hel. You do advance your cunning more and more. To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? 5 Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true?] In allusion to the badges (i. e. family crests) anciently worn on the sleeves of servants and retainers. 6 Taurus' snow,] Taurus is the name of a range of mountains in Asia. Can you not hate me, as I know you do, But you must join, in souls 7, to mock me too? If you were men, as men you are in show, You would not use a gentle lady so; To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, Lys. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so; Hel. Never did mockers waste more idle breath. My heart with her but, as guest-wise, sojourn'd; There to remain. Lys. Helen, it is not so. Dem. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear. Look, where thy love comes: yonder is thy dear. Enter HERMIA. Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function takes, The ear more quick of apprehension makes; Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense, It pays the hearing double recompense: Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found; Lys. Why should he stay, whom love doth press to go? Why seek'st thou me? could not this make thee know, Her. You speak not as you think; it cannot be. Is all the counsel that we two have shar'd, For parting us, — O, and is all forgot? + All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence? Have with our neelds' created both one flower, Two lovely berries moulded on one stem: · all yon fiery oes-] Shakspeare uses O for a circle. +" O, now, is all forgot?" MALONE. 9 artificial gods,] Artificial is ingenious, artful. 1 Have with our neelds, &c.] or needles. |