Dem. O, why rebuke him that loves you Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe. you so? Her. Now I but chide, but I should use thee worse; For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse. Being o'er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep, The sun was not so true unto the day, As he to me: Would he have stol'n away This whole earth may be bor'd; and that the moon Dem. So should the murder'd look; and so should I, Pierc'd through the heart with your stern cruelty: Her. What's this to my Lysander? where is he? Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me? 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? An adder did it; for with doubler tongue I am not guilty of Lysander's blood; Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell. get therefore? Her. A privilege, never to see me more.— 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. quite, And laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight: 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 hold ing 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 cheer With sighs of love, that cost the fresh blood dear: By some illusion see thou bring her here; I'll charm his eyes, against she do appear. Puck. I go, I go; look, how I go; Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow. Obe. Flower of this purple dye, Hit with Cupid's archery, Sink in apple of his eye! [Exit. When his love he doth espy, Let her shine as gloriously As the Venus of the sky.- Re-enter Puck. Puck. Captain of our fairy band, And the youth, mistook by me, Pleading for a lover's fee; 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. 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, Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true? Hel. You do advance your cunning more and more. When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray! These vows are Hermia's; Will you give her o'er? Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh: Your vows, to her and me, put in two scales, Lys. I had no judgment, when to her I swore. o'er. Lys. Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you. Dem. [awaking.] O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine! To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? If your hearts. To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, To conjure tears up Hel. Never did mockers waste more idle breath. Dem. Lysander, keep thy Hermia; I will none: If e'er I lov'd her, all that love is gone. My heart with her but, as guest-wise, sojourn'd; And now to Helen it is home return'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; It pays the hearing double recompence: |