Re-enter PUCK.

Puck. Captain of our fairy band,
Helena is here at hand;
And the youth, mistook by me,
Pleading for a lover's fee.
Shall we their fond 1 pageant see?
Lord, what fools these mortals be!

Obe. Stand aside: the noise they make
Will cause Demetrius to awake.

Puck. Then will two, at once, woo one ;
That must needs be sport alone :
And those things do best please me,
That befal preposterously.

Enter LYSANDER and HELENA.

Lys. Why should you think that I should woo in

scorn ?
Scorn and derision never come in tears :
Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows so born,

In their nativity all truth appears.
How can these things in me seem scorn to you,
Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true ?

Hel. You do advance your cunning more and

more.

When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray!

I Foolish.

These vows are Hermia's; will you give her o'er ? Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing

weigh : Your vows to her and me, put in two scales, Will even weigh; and both as light as tales.

Lys. I had no judgment, when to her I swore. Hel. Nor none, in my mind, now you give her

o'er. Lys. Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you. Dem. (awaking.] O Helen, goddess, nymph, per

fect, divine !
To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne ?
Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show
Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow!
That pure congealed white, high Taurus’ snow,
Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow,
When thou hold’st up thy hand. O, let me kiss
This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss !

Hel. O spite ! O hell! I see you all are bent
To set against me,

for
your

merriment.
If you were civil, and knew courtesy,
You would not do me thus much injury.
Can you not hate me, as I know you do,
But you must join, in souls, to mock me to?
If you were men, as men you are in show,
You would not use a gentle lady so;
To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts,
When, I am sure, you hate me with your

hearts.

I Heartily.

:

in a

You both are rivals, and love Hermia ;
And now both rivals, to mock Helena :
A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,
To conjure tears up poor

maid's

eyes, With your

derision ! none, of noble sort,1
Would so offend a virgin, and extort
A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport.

Lys. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so ;
For you love Hermia ; this, you know, I know :
And here, with all good will, with all my heart,
In Hermia's love I yield you up my part ;
And yours of Helena to me bequeathe,
Whom I do love, and will do to my death.

Hel. Never did mockers waste more idle breath.

Dem. Lysander, keep thy Hermia ; I will none : If e'er I loved her, all that love is gone. My heart with her but, as guest-wise, sojourn'd; And now to Helen is it home return'd, There to remain.

Lys. Helen, it is not so.

Dem. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, Lest, to thy peril, thou abide it dear.2Look, where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear.

Enter HERMIA.

Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function

takes, The ear more quick of apprehension makes ;

Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense,
It pays the hearing double recompense.
Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found :
Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound.
But why unkindly didst thou leave me so ?
Lys. Why should he stay, whom love doth press

to go? Her. What love could press Lysander from my

side ? Lys. Lysander's love, that would not let him bide, Fair Helena; who more engilds the night Than all yon fiery oes 1 and eyes of light. Why seek'st thou me? could not this make thee

know, The hate I bare thee made me leave thee so ?

Her. You speak not as you think ; it cannot be.

Hel. Lo, she is one of this confederacy ! Now I perceive they have conjoin’d, all three, To fashion this false sport in spite of me. Injurious Hermia ! most ungrateful maid ! Have you conspired, have you with these contrived To bait me with this foul derision ?, Is all the counsel that we two have shared, The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent, When we have chid the hasty-footed time For parting us,-0, now, is all forgot? All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence ? We, Hermia, like two artificial 2 gods,

Have with our neelds 1 created both one flower,
Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,
Both warbling of one song, both in one key;
As if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds,
Had been incorporate. So we grew together,
Like to a double cherry, seeming parted;
But yet a union in partition,
Two lovely berries moulded on one stem :
So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart;
Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,
Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.
And will you rent our ancient love asunder,
To join with men in scorning your poor friend?
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly :
Our sex, as well as I, may

chide

you Though I alone do feel the injury.

Her. I am amazed at your passionate words : I scorn you not; it seems that you scorn me.

Hel. Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn, To follow me, and praise my eyes and face? And made your other love, Demetrius, (Who even but now did spurn me with his foot) To call me goddess, nymph, divine, and rare, Precious, celestial ? Wherefore speaks he this To her he hates ? and wherefore doth Lysander Deny your love, so rich within his soul, And tender me, forsooth, affection, But by your setting on, by your consent?

for it;

I Needles.