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Claud. Nay, but I know who loves him.

D. Pedro. That would I know too: I warrant, one that knows him not. Claud. Yes, and his ill conditions; 13 and, in despite of all, dies for him.

Old signior,

D. Pedro. She shall be buried with her face upwards. 14 Bene. Yet is this no charm for the tooth-ache. walk aside with me: I have studied eight or nine wise words to speak to you, which these hobby-horses 15 must not hear. [Exeunt BENEDICK and LEONATO. D. Pedro. For my life, to break with him about Beatrice. Claud. 'T is even so. Hero and Margaret have by this played their parts with Beatrice, and then the two bears will not bite one another when they meet.

Enter JOHN.

John. My lord and brother, God save you.

D. Pedro. Good den, 16 brother.

John. If your leisure served, I would speak with you.

D. Pedro. In private?

John. If it please you; yet count Claudio may hear, for what I would speak of concerns him.

D. Pedro. What 's the matter?

John. [To CLAUDIO.] Means your lordship to be married to-morrow? D. Pedro. You know, he does.

John. I know not that, when he knows what I know.

Claud. If there be any impediment, I pray you, discover it.

John. You may think, I love you not: let that appear hereafter, and aim better at me by that I now will manifest. For my brother, I think, he holds you well, and in dearness of heart hath holp to effect your ensuing marriage; surely, suit ill spent, and labour ill bestowed!

D. Pedro. Why, what 's the matter?

John. I came hither to tell you: and circumstances shortened, (for she has been too long a talking of) 17 the lady is disloyal.

Claud. Who? Hero?

John. Even she: Leonato's Hero, your Hero, every man's Hero. 18
Claud. Disloyal?

13) seine schlechten Eigenschaften oder Beschaffenheiten.

14) Der Prinz fasst das dies, das Claudio im uneigentlichen Sinn gebraucht = sie ist sterblich in ihn verliebt, wörtlich und fügt deshalb scherzhaft und zweideutig hinzu: sie soll begraben werden mit ihrem Gesichte aufwärts, oder, wie Steevens erklärt: she shall be buried in her lover's arms.

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16) good den guten Abend, aus good e'en für good even.

17) Je länger man schon von Hero und ihrer Untreue gesprochen hat, um so eher kann

ich die Details derselben kurz fassen.

18) Hero gehört nicht Euch allein, sondern Jedem an.

John. The word is too good to paint out her wickedness: I could say, she were worse: think you of a worse title, and I will fit her to it. 19 Wonder not till further warrant: go but with me to-night, you shall see her chamberwindow entered, even the night before her wedding-day: if you love her then, to-morrow wed her; but it would better fit your honour to change your mind. Claud. May this be so?

D. Pedro. I will not think it.

John. If you dare not trust that you see, confess not that you know. If you will follow me, I will show you enough; and when you have seen more, and heard more, proceed accordingly.

Claud. If I see any thing to-night why I should not marry her tomorrow: in the congregation, 20 where I should wed, there will I shame her. D. Pedro. And, as I wooed for thee to obtain her, I will join with thee to disgrace her.

John. I will disparage her no further, till you are my witnesses: bear it coldly but till midnight, 21 and let the issue show itself.

D. Pedro. O day untowardly turned!

Claud. O mischief strangely thwarting!

John. O plague right well prevented! So will you say, when you have seen the sequel.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

A Street.

Enter DOGBERRY and VERGES, 1 with the Watch.

Dogb. Are you good men and true? 2

Verg. and soul.

Yea, or else it were pity but they should suffer salvation, 3 body

Dogb. Nay, that were a punishment too good for them, if they should have any allegiance in them, being chosen for the prince's watch.

Verg. Well, give them their charge, neighbour Dogberry.

Dogb. First, who think you the most desartless 5 man to be constable?

19) Besinnt Euch auf eine schlimmere Bezeichnung für Hero, als disloyal, und ich will sie ihr beilegen.

20) congregation

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die in der Kirche versammelte Gemeinde.

21) midnight in Q.; night in der Fol.

1) Q. und Fol. haben Enter Dogberry and his Compartner.

2) good men and true respektable und ehrbare Leute, die statutengemässe Bezeichnung derer, die zu bürgerlichen Aemtern, wie hier zu Constablern, sich qualificirten.

3) Nach Art der Englischen Clowns gebrauchen Dogberry und Verges Ausdrücke, die ihnen nicht geläufig sind, in verkehrtem Sinne; so hier salvation für damnation, und gleich darauf allegiance für das Gegentheil.

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5) Er will desertful sagen, wie er bald nachher senseless für sensible sagt.

1. Watch. Hugh Oatcake, Sir, or George Seacoal, for they can write

and read.

Dogb. Come hither, neighbour Seacoal. God hath blessed you with a good name: to be a well-favoured man is the gift of fortune, but to write and read comes by nature.

2. Watch. Both which, master constable,

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Dogb. You have: I knew it would be your answer. Well, for your favour, Sir, why, give God thanks, and make no boast of it; and for your writing and reading, let that appear when there is no need of such vanity. You are thought here to be the most senseless and fit man for the constable of the watch; therefore bear you the lantern. This is your charge. You shall comprehend all vagrom men: you are to bid any man stand, in the prince's

name.

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2. Watch. How, if a' will not stand?

Dogb. Why, then take no note of him, but let him go; and presently call the rest of the watch together, and thank God you are rid of a knave. Verg. If he will not stand when he is bidden, he is none of the prince's subjects.

Dogb. True, and they are to meddle with none but the prince's subjects. You shall also make no noise in the streets; for, for the watch to babble and talk is most tolerable, and not to be endured.

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2. Watch. We will rather sleep than talk: we know what belongs to a watch.

Dogb. Why, you speak like an ancient and most quiet watchman, for I cannot see how sleeping should offend; only, have a care that your bills 9 be not stolen. Well, you are to call at all the ale-houses, and bid those 10 that are drunk get them to bed.

2. Watch. How, if they will not?

Dogb. Why, then let them alone till they are sober: if they make you not then the better answer, you may say, they are not the men you took them for.

2. Watch. Well, Sir.

Dogb. If you meet a thief, you may suspect him, by virtue of your office, to be no true man, 11 and, for such kind of men, the less you meddle or make with them, why, the more is for your honesty.

6) favour

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Aussehen, Miene, in Bezug auf das vorhergehende well-favoured guter Miene, gut aussehend.

1) comprehend für apprehend, und vagrom für vagrant.

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2. Watch. If we know him to be a thief, shall we not lay hands on him? Dogb. Truly, by your office you may; but, I think, they that touch pitch will be defiled. The most peaceable way for you, if you do take a thief, is, to let him show himself what he is, and steal 12 out of your company. Verg. You have been always called a merciful man, partner.

Dogb. Truly, I would not hang a dog by my will; much more a man who hath any honesty in him.

Verg. If you hear a child cry in the night, you must call to the nurse, and bid her still it.

2. Watch. How, if the nurse be asleep, and will not hear us?

Dogb. Why, then depart in peace, and let the child wake her with crying; for the ewe that will not hear her lamb when it baes, will never answer a calf when he 13 bleats.

Verg. "T is very true.

Dogb. This is the end of the charge. You, constable, are to present the prince's own person: if you meet the prince in the night, you may stay him. Verg. Nay, by 'r lady, that, I think, a' cannot.

14

Dogb. Five shillings to one on 't, with any man that knows the statues, he may stay him: marry, not without the prince be willing; for, indeed, the watch ought to offend no man, and it is an offence to stay a man against his will.

Verg. By 'r lady, I think, it be so.

Dogb. Ha, ha, ha! Well, masters, good night: an there be any matter of weight chances, call up me. Keep your fellows' counsels and your own, 15 and good night. Come, neighbour.

2. Watch. Well, masters, we hear our charge: let us go sit here upon the church-bench till two, and then all to-bed.

Dogb. One word more, honest neighbours. I pray you, watch about signior Leonato's door; for the wedding being there to-morrow, there is a great coil to-night. Adieu, be vigitant, 16 I beseech you.

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13) Für he der Q. und Fol. setzen die spätern Folioausg. it.

14) statues in der Fol. für statutes, was Dogberry im Sinne hat und was die Q. mit Verwischung dieses scherzhaften Missverständnisses liest. Wie Steevens vermuthet,

soll hier und im Vorhergehenden eine Londoner Polizeiverordnung, betitelt The Statutes of the Streets (1595) persifflirt werden.

15) Diese Worte kommen in dem Eide vor, den ein Geschworner der grossen Jury zu leisten hat.

16) vigitant für vigilant in Q. und Fol.

frühern Hgg. beibehielten.

--

- Die Folioausg. von 1632 hat vigilant, was die

Bora. Conrade, I say!

Con. Here, man, I am at thy elbow.

Bora. Mass, and my elbow itched; I thought, there would a scab follow. Con. I will owe thee an answer for that; and now forward with thy tale. Bora. Stand thee close then under this penthouse, for it drizzles rain, and I will, like a true drunkard, 17 utter all to thee.

Watch. [Aside.] Some treason, masters; yet stand close.

Bora. Therefore know, I have earned of Don John a thousand ducats.
Con. Is it possible that any villainy should be so dear?

Bora. Thou shouldst rather ask, if it were possible any villainy 18 should be so rich; for when rich villains have need of poor ones, poor ones may make what price they will.

Con. I wonder at it.

Bora. That shows thou art unconfirmed. 19 Thou knowest, that the fashion of a doublet, or a hat, or a cloak, is nothing to a man.

Con. Yes, it is apparel.

Bora. I mean, the fashion.

Con. Yes, the fashion is the fashion.

Bora. Tush! I may as well say, the fool 's the fool. But seest thou not what a deformed thief 20 this fashion is?

Watch. [Aside.] I know that Deformed; a' has been a vile thief this seven year: a' goes up and down like a gentleman. I remember his name. Bora. Didst thou not hear somebody?

Con. No: 't was the vane on the house.

Bora. Seest thou not, I say, what a deformed thief this fashion is? how giddily a' turns about all the hot bloods between fourteen and five-andthirty? sometime, fashioning them like Pharaoh's soldiers in the reechy painting; 21 sometime, like god Bel's priests in the old church-window; sometime,

17) wie ein Trunkenbold im Rausch die Wahrheit sagt und nichts verschweigt. Steevens vermuthet in diesen Worten eine Anspielung auf die Bedeutung des spanischen borracho = trunken.

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villainy, in Verbindung mit rich, ist die Schurkerei des John, während vorher villainy in Verbindung mit dear, die Schurkerei des Borachio ist, die derselbe sich so theuer bezahlen lässt.

unconfirmed

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unbefestigt, noch nicht fest und sicher in solchen Angelegenheiten. deformed thief ist in Borachio's Sinn eigentlich ein Dieb, der hässlich und entstellt ist, insofern er Andere entstellt, indem die wechselnde Mode ihren Verehrern immer neue, seltsame und geschmacklose Kleidung aufnöthigt. So in Comedy of Errors (A. 5, Sc. 1) Time 's deformed hand. Der lauschende Wächter hält das ihm unbekannte Wort für den Eigennamen eines ihm von Ansehn bekannten und längst verdächtigen Menschen.

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21) reechy painting ein von Rauch schmutzig gewordenes Bild. Er denkt an ein altes Kirchenbild, das den Zug der Kinder Israels durch's rothe Meer und der Pharaonischen Krieger hinterdrein darstellt. Ebenso gleich darauf an ein Glasgemälde, das die biblische Geschichte vom Bel zu Babel darstellt.

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