runder

ly keep or into

a doth some Four

f her

ar it

Scene III. ABOUT NOTHING.
say, I will bear myself proudly, if I perceive the love
come from her; they say too, that she will rather
die thau give any sign of affection..I did never
think to marry:I must not seem proud:-Happy
are they that hear their detractious, and can put
them to mending. They say, the lady is fais; 'uis
a truth, I can bear them witness: and virtuous;—'tis
so, I cannot reprove it; and wise, but for loving
me:-By my troth, it is no addition to her wit;-
nor no great argument of her folly, for I will be hor.
ribly in love with her.--I may chance have sonie
odd quirks and remnants of wit broken on me, be-
cause I have railed so long against marriage :-But
doth not the appetite alter? A man loves the meat
in his youth, that he canuot endure in his age: shall
quips, and sentences, and these paper bullets of
the brain, awe a man from the career of his humour !
No: the world must be peopled. When I said, I
would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live
till I were married.-Here comes Beatrice; By this
day, she's a fair lady: I do spy some marks of love
in her.

Enter Beatrice.

Beat. Against my will, I am sent to bid you come in to dinner.

Bene. Fair Beatrice, I thank you for your paius.

Beat. I took no more pains for those thanks, than you take pains to thank me; if it had been painful, I would not have come.

Bene. You take pleasure in the message?

Beat. Yea, just so much as you may take upon a knife's point, and choke a daw withal:-You have no stomach, signior: fare you well. [Erit.

Bene. Ha! Against my will I am sent to bid you come to dinner-there's a double meaning in that. I took no more pains for those thanks, than you took pains to thank me-- that's as much as to say, Any pains that I take for you is as easy as

Enter Beatrice, behind.
For look where Beatrice, like a lapwing, runs
Close by the ground, to hear our conference.

Urs. The pleasant'st angling is to see the fish
Cut with her golden dars the silver strean,
And greedily devour the treacherous bait:
So angle we for Beatrice; who even now
Is couched in the woodbine coverture:
Tear

you not my part of the dialogue.
Hero, 'Then go we near her, that lier ear lose no

thing
Of the false sweet bait that we lay for it

They advance to the bower.
No, Iruly, Vrsula, she is too disdainful;
I know, her spirits arsas coy and wild
As haggards of the rock
Urs.

But are you sure,
That Benedick loves Beatrice so entirely?
Hero. So says the prince, and my new-trothee

lord.
Urs. And did they bid you tell ber of it, madams
Hero. They did entreat me to acquaint her of it
But I persuaded them, if they low'd Benedick,
To wish him wrestle with affection,
And never to let Beatrice know of it.

Urs. Why did you so? Doth got the gentlema
Deserve as full, as fortunate a bed,
As ever Beatrice shall couch upou !

Hero. O god of love! I know, he doth deser
As much as may be yielded to a man:
But nature never fram'd a woman's heart
of prouder stuff than that of Beatrice:
Disdain and scora ride sparkling in her eyes,
Misprisingt what they look on; and her wit
Values itself so highly, that to her
All matter else seems weak; she cannot love,

a

(Eri.

Enter Beatrice, behind.
For look where Beatrice, like a lapwing, runs
Close by the ground, to hear our conference.

Urs. The pleasant'st angliag is to see the fish
Cut with her golden oars the silver stream,
And greedily devour the treacherous bait:
So angle we for Beatrice; who even now
Is couched in the woodbine coverture :
Fear you not my part of the dialogue.
Hero. Then go we near her, that her ear lose no-

thing
Of the false sweet bait that we lay for it

[They advance to the bower.
No, truly, Ursula, she is too disdainful;
I know, her spirits are as coy and wild
As haggards of the rock*.
Urs.

But are you sure,
That Benedick loves Beatrice so entirely?
Hero. So says the prince, and my new-trothed

lord.
Urs. And did they bid you tell her of it, madam ?

Hero. They did entreat me to acquaint ber of it:
But I persuaded them, if they lov'd Benedick,
To wish him wrestle with affection,
And never to let Beatrice know of it.

Urs. Why did you so? Doth not the gentleman
Deserve as full, as fortunate a bed,
As ever Beatrice shall couch upon?

Hero. O god of love! I know, he doth deserve
As much as may be yielded to a man: ,
But yature never fram'd a woman's heart
Of prouder stuff than that of Beatrice:
Disdain and scora ride sparkling in her eyes,
Misprising* what they look on; and her wit
Values itself so highly, that to her
All matter else seems weak; she cannot love,

* A species of hawk.

+ Undervaluing.

Hero. He is the only man in Italy, Always excepted my dear Claudio.

Urs. I pray you, be not angry with me, madam, Speaking my fancy, signior Benedick, For sliape, for bearing, arguments, and valour, Goes foremost in report through Italy.

Hero. Indeed, he hath an excellent good name.

Urs. His excellence did earn it, ere he had it.When are you married, madam?

Hero. Why, every day;-to-niorrow: come, go in; I'll show thee some attires; and have thy counsel, Which is the best to furnish me to-morrow, Urs. She's lim’dt I warrant you; we have caught

her, madan. Hero. If it prove so, then loving goes by haps : Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps.

[Ereunt Hero and Ursula.

Beatrice advances.

Beat. What fire is in mine ears? Can this be true?

Stand I condemn'd for pride and scorn so much? Contempt, farewell! and maidev pride, adieu !

No glory lives behind the back of such.
And Benedick love on, I will requite thee;

Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand;
If thou dost love, my kindness shall incite thee

To bind our loves up in a holy band :
For others say, thou dost deserve; and I
Believe it better than reportingly.

[Exit.

* Conversation.

+ Ensnar'd with birdlime.