Would imitate; and sail upon the land, Obe. How long within this wood intend you stay? Tit. Perchance, till after Theseus' wedding-day. If you will patiently dance in our round, And see our moonlight revels, go with us; Obe. Give me that boy, and I will go with thee. Tit. Not for thy fairy kingdom.-Fairies, away: We shall chide downright, if I longer stay. [Exeunt Titania, and 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 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, Cupid all arm'd: a certain aim he took At a fair vestal, throned by the west; 1 In maiden meditation, fancy-free.2 Yet mark'd 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 show'd thee once: Will make or man or woman madly dote Puck. I'll put a girdle round about the earth In forty minutes. [Exit Puck. Obe. Having once this juice, I'll watch Titania when she is asleep, And drop the liquor of it in her eyes : The next thing then she waking looks upon, And ere I take this charm off from her sight, 1 Queen Elizabeth. 2 Exempt from love. (As I can take it with another herb) 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 told'st me, they were stolen into this wood, And here am I, and wood1 within this woud, Because I cannot meet with Hermia. Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more. Dem. Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair? Or, rather, do I not in plainest truth 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: What worser place can I beg in your love, 1 Mad, raving. Than to be used as you do use your dog? 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 Into the hands of one that loves you not, And the ill counsel of a desert place, Hel. Your virtue is my privilege for that. 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 valor flies. Dem. I will not stay thy questions: let me go : 1 Bring into question. 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, and field, You do me mischief. Fie, Demetrius ! Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex : We cannot fight for love, as men may do ; We should be woo'd, and were not made to woo, I'll follow thee, and make a heaven of hell, To die upon 1 the hand I love so well. [Exeunt Dem. and Hel. Obe. Fare thee well, nymph: ere he do leave this grove, Thou shalt fly him, and he shall seek thy love.— Re-enter PUCK. Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer. Obe. 1 By. SHAK. 2 The ox-lip is the greater cowslip. III. I |