My gentle Puck, come hither: Thou remember'st And heard a mermaid, on a dolphin's back, Puck. I remember. Ob. That very time I saw (but thou could'st not),; Flying between the cold moon and the earth, Cupid all arm'd a certain aim he took : At a fair vestal, throned by the west; 160 And loos'd his love-shaft smartly from his bow, In maiden meditation, fancy free. Yet mark'd I where the bolt of cupid fell: It fell upon a little western flower, 169 Before, milk-white; now purple with love's wound, And maidens call it love-in-idleness. Fetch me that flower; the herb I shew'd thee once; The juice of it, on sleeping eye-lids laid, Upon the next live creature that it sees. Fetch me this herb; and be thou here again, Puck. I'll put a girdle round about the earth [Exit. Ob. Ob. Having once this juice, I'll watch Titania when she is asleep, 180 And drop the liquor of it in her eyes : The next thing when she waking looks upon I'll make her render up her page to me. And I will over-hear 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 told'st me, they were stoln unto this wood; Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more. 190 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? 200 The The more you beat me, I will fawn on you: Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me, Unworthy as I am, to follow you. What worser place can I beg in your love 210 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. Into the hands of one that loves you not; Hel. Your virtue is my privilege for that. When all the world is here to look on me? 220 230 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. Makes Makes speed to catch the tyger: Bootless speed! Dem. I will not stay thy questions; let me go: But I shall do thee mischief in the wood. Hel. Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field, We shou'd be woo'd, and were not made to woo. 240 [Exeunt. Ob. Fare thee well, nymph: ere he do leave this grove, Thou shalt fly him, and he shall seek thy love.- 250 Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer. Re-enter PUCK. Puck. Ay, there it is. Ob. I pray thee, give it me. I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows, 260 |