Which she, with pretty and with swimming gait Following, her womb then rich with my young squire Would imitate, and sail upon the land Obe. How long within this wood intend you stay? Tita. Perchance, till after Theseus' weddingday. If you will patiently dance in our round, And see our moonlight revels, go with us; We shall chide downright, if I longer stay. [Exit TITANIA, with her Train. Obe. Well, go thy way: thou shalt not from this grove Till I torment thee for this injury.— My gentle Puck, come hither: thou remember'st Since once I sat upon a promontory, And heard a mermaid on a dolphin's back Puck. I remember. Obe. That very time I saw-but thou couldst not Flying between the cold moon and the earth, And loosed his love-shaft smartly from his bow In maiden meditation, fancy-free. Yet marked I where the bolt of Cupid fell: It fell upon a little western flower, Before milk white, now purple with love's wound, And maidens call it Love-in-idleness. Fetch me that flower; the herb I showed thee once : The juice of it, on sleeping eyelids laid, Fetch me this herb; and be thou here again Puck. I'll put a girdle round about the earth In forty minutes. Obe. Having once this juice, I'll watch Titania when she is asleep, And drop the liquor of it in her eyes. [Exit The next thing then she waking looks upon- I'll make her render up her page to me. And I will overhear their conference. Enter DEMETRIUS, HELENA following him Dem. I love thee not, therefore pursue me not. Where is Lysander and fair Hermia? The one I'll slay, the other slayeth me. Thou toldst me, they were stol'n into this wood; And here am I, and wode within this wood Because I cannot meet my Hermia, Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more. Hel. You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant; But yet you draw not iron, for my heart Is true as steel: leave you your power to draw, Dem. Do I entice you? do I speak you fair? Tell you I do not nor I cannot love you? Hel. And even for that do I love you the more. I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius, The more you beat me, I will fawn on you : Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me, Neglect me, lose me; only give me leave, Unworthy as I am, to follow you. What worser place can I beg in your love,— And yet a place of high respect with me,— Dem. Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit, For I am sick when I do look on thee. Hel. And I am sick when I look not on you. To leave the city, and commit yourself And the ill counsel of a desert place With the rich worth of your virginity. Hel. Your virtue is my privilege for that. It is not night when I do see your face, When all the world is here to look on me? Dem. I'll run from thee and hide me in the brakes, And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts. Hel. The wildest hath not such a heart as you. Run when you will, the story shall be changed,Apollo flies, and Daphne holds the chase; The dove pursues the griffin; the mild hind Makes speed to catch the tiger. Bootless speed, When cowardice pursues, and valour flies! Dem. I will not stay thy questions: let me go; Or, if thou follow me, do not believe But I shall do thee mischief in the wood. Hel. Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field, We should be wooed, and were not made to woo. [Exeunt DEMETRIUS and HELENA |