[Claudio sings.] Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more, Men were deceivers ever, One foot in sea and one on shore, Don Pedro. A good song. Claudio. And a bad singer, my lord. Don Pedro. No, no, thou singest well enough. Benedick. If he had been a dog and howled thus, they would have hanged him; and I pray God his bad voice bode no mischief. I had as lief have heard the nightraven, come what plague could have come after it. Don Pedro. Come hither, Leonato. What was it you told me of today, that your niece Beatrice was in love with Signior Benedick? Claudio. O, ay. I did never think that lady would have loved any man. Leonato. No, nor I either; but most wonderful that she should so love Signior Benedick. Benedick. Is't possible? Sits the wind in that corner? Leonato. I cannot tell what to think of it, but she loves him with consuming affection. Don Pedro. Why, what effects of love shows she? Claudio. [Aside.] Bait the hook well; this fish will bite. 1 blithe (blith): gay; merry; 2 Hey nonny, nonny: an exclamation expressing a frolicsome happiness. 3 Claudio: If Claudio cannot be the singer, another rôle from the complete play may be restored to the cast, that of the singer Balthasar, who should speak this line; or the song may be a part song, and be sung off stage. Leonato. What effects, my lord? She will sit, my daughter tell you how. Claudio. She did, indeed. you heard Don Pedro. How, how I pray you? You amaze me; I would have thought her spirit had been invincible against all assaults of affection. Leonato. I would have sworn it had, my lord; especially against Benedick. Benedick. I should think this a trick, but that the whitebearded fellow speaks it. Claudio. He hath caught the infection. Hold it up. Don Pedro. Hath she made her affection known to Benedick? Leonato. No; and swears she never will. That's her torment. Claudio. 'Tis true, indeed; so your daughter says. "Shall I," says she, "that have so often treated him with scorn, write to him that I love him?" Leonato. This she says now when she is beginning to write to him; for she'll be up twenty times a night, and there will she sit in her gown till she have writ a sheet of paper. My daughter tells us all. Then she tears the letter into a thousand halfpence; rails at herself, that she should be so immodest to write to one that she knew would flout1 her. "I measure him," says she, "by my own spirit; for I should flout him, if he writ to me; yea, though I love him, I should." Claudio. Then down upon her knees she falls, weeping, "O sweet Benedick!" Don Pedro. It were good that Benedick knew of it from someone else, if she will not tell him. Claudio. He would but make a sport of it and torment the poor lady worse. Don Pedro. If he should, it were an alms to hang him. She's an excellent sweet lady. 1 flout (flout): mock. Claudio. And she is wise. Don Pedro. In everything but in loving Benedick. - I would she had bestowed this love on me; I would have made her half myself. Claudio. Hero thinks surely she will die; for she says she will die if he love her not, and she will die before she will make her love known, and she will die if he woos her, rather than she will stop one word of her accustomed crossness. Don Pedro. She doth well. If she should make known her love, 'tis very possible he'll scorn it; for the man, as you know, hath a contemptible spirit. Claudio. He is a very proper man. Don Pedro. sense. He doth indeed show some sparks that are like Claudio. Never tell him, my lord. Don Pedro. I love Benedick well; and I could wish he would modestly examine himself, to see how much he is unworthy so good a lady. Leonato. My lord, will you go? Dinner is ready. Don Pedro. (Aside.) Let there be the same net spread for her, and that must your daughter and her gentlewomen manage. Let us send her to call him in to dinner. [Exeunt Don Pedro, Claudio, and Leonato, C.] Benedick. [Coming forward.] This can be no trick; they have the truth of this from Hero. They seem to pity the lady. Love me! why, it must be requited.1 They say I will bear myself proudly, if I perceive the love come from her: they say too that she will rather die than give any sign of affection. I must not seem proud. Happy are they that hear their faults and can put them to mending. They say the lady is fair; 'tis a truth, I can bear them witness; and wise, but for loving me; by my troth, it is no addition to her wit, nor no great proof of her folly, for I will be 1 requited (re-quit'-ěd): repaid, rewarded. horribly in love with her. 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. Beatrice comes [C.]. Beatrice. Against my will I am sent to bid you come to dinner. Benedick. Fair Beatrice, I thank you for your pains. Beatrice. I took no more pains than you take pains to thank me. If it had been painful, I would not have come. Benedick. You take pleasure then in the message? Beatrice. Yea, just so much as you may take upon the point of a knife and choke a bird with. She leaves [C.]. Benedick. Ha! there's a double meaning in that; that's as much as to say, "Any pains that I take for you are as easy as thanks." If I do not pity her, I am a villian; if I do not love her, I am a miser. I will go get her picture. [Exit C.] [Prolog.] [Episode 2.] After dinner [Exit.] Hero, Margaret, and Ursula enter [R.] walking in the garden. Hero. Good Margaret, run to the parlor. There shalt thou find my cousin Beatrice Where honeysuckles hide her, To listen to our gossip. Margaret. I'll make her come, I warrant you. [Exit C.] |