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detain us longer。 I dare swear he is no hypocrite； but prays from his heart。
Leon。 If you swear； my lord； you shall not be forsworn。 ＇To Don John＇
Let me bid you welcome； my lord。 Being reconciled to the Prince your
brother； I owe you all duty。
John。 I thank you。 I am not of many words； but I thank you。
Leon。 Please it your Grace lead on？
Pedro。 Your hand； Leonato。 We will go together。
＇Exeunt。 Manent Benedick and Claudio。＇
Claud。 Benedick； didst thou note the daughter of Signior Leonato？
Bene。 I noted her not； but I look'd on her。
Claud。 Is she not a modest young lady？
Bene。 Do you question me； as an honest man should do； for my simple
true judgment？ or would you have me speak after my custom； as being a
professed tyrant to their sex？
Claud。 No。 I pray thee speak in sober judgment。
Bene。 Why； i' faith； methinks she's too low for a high praise； too brown
for a fair praise； and too little for a great praise。 Only this commendation I
can afford her； that were she other than she is； she were unhandsome； and
being no other but as she is； I do not like her。
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Claud。 Thou thinkest I am in sport。 I pray thee tell me truly how thou
lik'st her。
Bene。 Would you buy her； that you enquire after her？
Claud。 Can the world buy such a jewel？
Bene。 Yea； and a case to put it into。 But speak you this with a sad brow？
or do you play the flouting Jack； to tell us Cupid is a good hare…finder and
Vulcan a rare carpenter？ Come； in what key shall a man take you to go in
the song？
Claud。 In mine eye she is the sweetest lady that ever I look'd on。
Bene。 I can see yet without spectacles； and I see no such matter。
There's her cousin； an she were not possess'd with a fury；exceeds her as
much in beauty as the first of May doth the last of December。 But I hope
you have no intent to turn husband； have you？
Claud。 I would scarce trust myself； though I had sworn the contrary； if
Hero would be my wife。
Bene。 Is't come to this？ In faith； hath not the world one man but he
will wear his cap with suspicion？ Shall I never see a bachelor of
threescore again？ Go to； i' faith！ An thou wilt needs thrust thy neck into a
yoke； wear the print of it and sigh away Sundays。
＇Enter Don Pedro。＇
Look！ Don Pedro is returned to seek you。
Pedro。 What secret hath held you here； that you followed not to
Leonato's？
Bene。 I would your Grace would constrain me to tell。
Pedro。 I charge thee on thy allegiance。
Bene。 You hear； Count Claudio。 I can be secret as a dumb man； I
would have you think so； but； on my allegiancemark you this…on my
allegiance！ he is in love。 With who？ Now that is your Grace's part。 Mark
how short his answer is： With Hero； Leonato's short daughter。
Claud。 If this were so； so were it utt'red。
Bene。 Like the old tale； my lord： 'It is not so； nor 'twas not so； but
indeed； God forbid it should be so！'
Claud。 If my passion change not shortly； God forbid it should be
otherwise。
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Pedro。 Amen； if you love her； for the lady is very well worthy。
Claud。 You speak this to fetch me in； my lord。
Pedro。 By my troth； I speak my thought。
Claud。 And； in faith； my lord； I spoke mine。
Bene。 And； by my two faiths and troths； my lord； I spoke mine。
Claud。 That I love her； I feel。
Pedro。 That she is worthy； I know。
Bene。 That I neither feel how she should be loved； nor know how she
should be worthy； is the opinion that fire cannot melt out of me。
I will die in it at the stake。
Pedro。 Thou wast ever an obstinate heretic in the despite of beauty。
Claud。 And never could maintain his part but in the force of his will。
Bene。 That a woman conceived me； I thank her； that she brought me
up； I likewise give her most humble thanks； but that I will have a rechate
winded in my forehead； or hang my bugle in an invisible baldrick； all
women shall pardon me。 Because I will not do them the wrong to mistrust
any； I will do myself the right to trust none； and the fine is （for the which I
may go the finer）； I will live a bachelor。
Pedro。 I shall see thee； ere I die； look pale with love。
Bene。 With anger； with sickness； or with hunger； my lord； not with
love。 Prove that ever I lose more blood with love than I will get again with
drinking； pick out mine eyes with a ballad…maker's pen and hang me up at
the door of a brothel house for the sign of blind Cupid。
Pedro。 Well； if ever thou dost fall from this faith； thou wilt prove a
notable argument。
Bene。 If I do； hang me in a bottle like a cat and shoot at me； and he
that hits me； let him be clapp'd on the shoulder and call'd Adam。
Pedro。 Well； as time shall try。 'In time the savage bull doth bear the
yoke。'
Bene。 The savage bull may； but if ever the sensible Benedick bear it；
pluck off the bull's horns and set them in my forehead； and let me be vilely
painted； and in such great letters as they write 'Here is good horse to hire；'
let them signify under my sign 'Here you may see Benedick the married
man。'
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Claud。 If this should ever happen； thou wouldst be horn…mad。
Pedro。 Nay； if Cupid have not spent all his quiver in Venice； thou wilt
quake for this shortly。
Bene。 I look for an earthquake too then。
Pedro。 Well； you will temporize with the hours。 In the meantime； good
Signior Benedick； repair to Leonato's； commend me to him and tell him I
will not fail him at supper； for indeed he hath made great preparation。
Bene。 I have almost matter enough in me for such an embassage； and
so I commit you
Claud。 To the tuition of God。 From my houseif I had it
Pedro。 The sixth of July。 Your loving friend； Benedick。
Bene。 Nay； mock not； mock not。 The body of your discourse is
sometime guarded with fragments； and the guards are but slightly basted
on neither。 Ere you flout old ends any further； examine your conscience。
And so I leave you。 ＇Exit。＇
Claud。 My liege； your Highness now may do me good。
Pedro。 My love is thine to teach。 Teach it but how； And thou shalt see
how apt it is to learn Any hard lesson that may do thee good。
Claud。 Hath Leonato any son； my lord？
Pedro。 No child but Hero； she's his only heir。 Dost thou affect her；
Claudio？
Claud。 O my lord； When you went onward on this ended action； I
look'd upon her with a soldier's eye； That lik'd； but had a rougher task in
hand Than to drive liking to the name of love； But now I am return'd and
that war…thoughts Have left their places vacant； in their rooms Come
thronging soft and delicate desires； All prompting me how fair young Hero
is； Saying I lik'd her ere I went to wars。
Pedro。 Thou wilt be like a lover presently And tire the hearer with a
book of words。 If thou dost love fair Hero； cherish it； And I will break with
her and with her father； And thou shalt have her。 Wast not to this end That
thou began'st to twist so fine a story？
Claud。 How sweetly you do minister to love； That know love's grief by
his complexion！ But lest my liking might too sudden seem； I would have
salv'd it with a longer treatise。
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Pedro。 What need the bridge much broader than the flood？ The fairest
grant is the necessity。 Look； what will serve is fit。 'Tis once； thou lovest；
And I will fit thee with the remedy。 I know we shall have revelling to…
night。 I will assume thy part in some disguise And tell fair Hero I am
Claudio； And in her bosom I'll unclasp my heart And take her hearing
prisoner with the force And strong encounter of my amorous tale。 Then
after to her father will I break； And the conclusion is； she shall be thine。 In
practice let us put it presently。 ＇Exeunt。＇
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