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Hero。 Is it not Hero？ Who can blot that name With any just reproach？
Claud。 Marry； that can Hero！ Hero itself can blot out Hero's virtue。
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What man was he talk'd with you yesternight； Out at your window betwixt
twelve and one？ Now； if you are a maid； answer to this。
Hero。 I talk'd with no man at that hour； my lord。
Pedro。 Why； then are you no maiden。 Leonato； I am sorry you must
hear。 Upon my honour； Myself； my brother； and this grieved Count Did
see her； hear her； at that hour last night Talk with a ruffian at her chamber
window； Who hath indeed； most like a liberal villain； Confess'd the vile
encounters they have had A thousand times in secret。
John。 Fie； fie！ they are not to be nam'd； my lord Not to be spoke of；
There is not chastity； enough in language Without offence to utter them。
Thus； pretty lady； I am sorry for thy much misgovernment。
Claud。 O Hero！ what a Hero hadst thou been If half thy outward graces
had been plac'd About thy thoughts and counsels of thy heart！ But fare
thee well； most foul； most fair！ Farewell； Thou pure impiety and impious
purity！ For thee I'll lock up all the gates of love； And on my eyelids shall
conjecture hang； To turn all beauty into thoughts of harm； And never shall
it more be gracious。
Leon。 Hath no man's dagger here a point for me？
＇Hero swoons。＇
Beat。 Why； how now； cousin？ Wherefore sink you down？
John。 Come let us go。 These things； come thus to light； Smother her
spirits up。
＇Exeunt Don Pedro； Don Juan； and Claudio。＇
Bene。 How doth the lady？
Beat。 Dead； I think。 Help； uncle！ Hero！ why； Hero！ Uncle！ Signior
Benedick！ Friar！
Leon。 O Fate； take not away thy heavy hand！ Death is the fairest cover
for her shame That may be wish'd for。
Beat。 How now； cousin Hero？
Friar。 Have comfort； lady。
Leon。 Dost thou look up？
Friar。 Yea； wherefore should she not？
Leon。 Wherefore？ Why； doth not every earthly thing Cry shame upon
her？ Could she here deny The story that is printed in her blood？ Do not
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live； Hero； do not ope thine eyes； For； did I think thou wouldst not quickly
die； Thought I thy spirits were stronger than thy shames； Myself would on
the rearward of reproaches Strike at thy life。 Griev'd I； I had but one？
Child I for that at frugal nature's frame？ O； one too much by thee！ Why
had I one？ Why ever wast thou lovely in my eyes？ Why had I not with
charitable hand Took up a beggar's issue at my gates； Who smirched thus
and mir'd with infamy； I might have said； 'No part of it is mine； This
shame derives itself from unknown loins'？ But mine； and mine I lov'd； and
mine I prais'd； And mine that I was proud onmine so much That I myself
was to myself not mine； Valuing of herwhy； she； O； she is fall'n Into a pit
of ink； that the wide sea Hath drops too few to wash her clean again； And
salt too little which may season give To her foul tainted flesh！
Bene。 Sir； sir； be patient。 For my part； I am so attir'd in wonder； I know
not what to say。
Beat。 O； on my soul； my cousin is belied！
Bene。 Lady； were you her bedfellow last night？
Beat。 No； truly； not； although； until last night； I have this twelvemonth
been her bedfellow。
Leon。 Confirm'd； confirm'd！ O； that is stronger made Which was
before barr'd up with ribs of iron！ Would the two princes lie？ and Claudio
lie； Who lov'd her so that； speaking of her foulness； Wash'd it with tears？
Hence from her！ let her die。
Friar。 Hear me a little； For I have only been silent so long； And given
way unto this course of fortune； By noting of the lady。 I have mark'd A
thousand blushing apparitions To start into her face； a thousand innocent
shames In angel whiteness beat away those blushes； And in her eye there
hath appear'd a fire To burn the errors that these princes hold Against her
maiden truth。 Call me a fool； Trust not my reading nor my observation；
Which with experimental seal doth warrant The tenure of my book； trust
not my age； My reverence； calling； nor divinity； If this sweet lady lie not
guiltless here Under some biting error。
Leon。 Friar； it cannot be。 Thou seest that all the grace that she hath left
Is that she will not add to her damnation A sin of perjury： she not denies it。
Why seek'st thou then to cover with excuse That which appears in proper
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nakedness？
Friar。 Lady； what man is he you are accus'd of？
Hero。 They know that do accuse me； I know none。 If I know more of
any man alive Than that which maiden modesty doth warrant； Let all my
sins lack mercy！ O my father； Prove you that any man with me convers'd
At hours unmeet； or that I yesternight Maintain'd the change of words with
any creature； Refuse me； hate me； torture me to death！
Friar。 There is some strange misprision in the princes。
Bene。 Two of them have the very bent of honour； And if their wisdoms
be misled in this； The practice of it lives in John the bastard； Whose spirits
toil in frame of villanies。
Leon。 I know not。 If they speak but truth of her； These hands shall tear
her。 If they wrong her honour； The proudest of them shall well hear of it。
Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine； Nor age so eat up my
invention； Nor fortune made such havoc of my means； Nor my bad life
reft me so much of friends； But they shall find awak'd in such a kind Both
strength of limb and policy of mind； Ability in means； and choice of
friends； To quit me of them throughly。
Friar。 Pause awhile And let my counsel sway you in this case。 Your
daughter here the princes left for dead； Let her awhile be secretly kept in；
And publish it that she is dead indeed； Maintain a mourning ostentation；
And on your family's old monument Hang mournful epitaphs； and do all
rites That appertain unto a burial。
Leon。 What shall become of this？ What will this do？
Friar。 Marry； this well carried shall on her behalf Change slander to
remorse。 That is some good。 But not for that dream I on this strange course；
But on this travail look for greater birth。 She dying； as it must be so
maintain'd； Upon the instant that she was accus'd； Shall be lamented；
pitied； and excus'd Of every hearer； for it so falls out That what we have
we prize not to the worth Whiles we enjoy it； but being lack'd and lost；
Why； then we rack the value； then we find The virtue that possession
would not show us Whiles it was ours。 So will it fare with Claudio。 When
he shall hear she died upon his words； Th' idea of her life shall sweetly
creep Into his study of imagination； And every lovely organ of her life
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Shall come apparell'd in more precious habit； More moving； delicate； and
full of life； Into the eye and prospect of his soul Than when she liv'd
indeed。 Then shall he mourn （If ever love had interest in his liver） And
wish he had not so accused her No； though he thought his accusation true。
Let this be so； and doubt not but success Will fashion the event in better
shape Than I can lay it down in likelihood。 But if all aim but this be
levell'd false； The supposition of the lady's death Will quench the wonder
of her infamy。 And if it sort not well； you may conceal her； As best befits
her wounded reputation； In some reclusive and religious life； Out of all
eyes； tongues； minds； and injuries。
Bene。 Signior Leonato； let the friar advise you； And though you know
my inwardness and love Is very much unto the Prince and Claudio； Yet； by
mine honour； I will deal in this As secretly and justly as your soul Should
with your body。
Leon。 Being that I flow in grief； The smallest twine may lead me。
Friar。 'Tis well consented。 Presently away； For to strange sores
strangely they strain the cure。 Come； lady； die to live。 This wedding day
Perhaps is but prolong'