按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
strangely they strain the cure。 Come； lady； die to live。 This wedding day
Perhaps is but prolong'd。 Have patience and endure。
＇Exeunt all but Benedick and Beatrice。＇
Bene。 Lady Beatrice； have you wept all this while？
Beat。 Yea； and I will weep a while longer。
Bene。 I will not desire that。
Beat。 You have no reason。 I do it freely。
Bene。 Surely I do believe your fair cousin is wronged。
Beat。 Ah； how much might the man deserve of me that would right
her！
Bene。 Is there any way to show such friendship？
Beat。 A very even way； but no such friend。
Bene。 May a man do it？
Beat。 It is a man's office； but not yours。
Bene。 I do love nothing in the world so well as you。 Is not that
strange？
Beat。 As strange as the thing I know not。 It were as possible for me to
say I loved nothing so well as you。 But believe me not； and yet I lie not。 I
59
… Page 60…
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
confess nothing； nor I deny nothing。 I am sorry for my cousin。
Bene。 By my sword； Beatrice； thou lovest me。
Beat。 Do not swear； and eat it。
Bene。 I will swear by it that you love me； and I will make him eat it
that says I love not you。
Beat。 Will you not eat your word？
Bene。 With no sauce that can be devised to it。 I protest I love thee。
Beat。 Why then； God forgive me！
Bene。 What offence； sweet Beatrice？
Beat。 You have stayed me in a happy hour。 I was about to protest I
loved you。
Bene。 And do it with all thy heart。
Beat。 I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest。
Bene。 Come； bid me do anything for thee。
Beat。 Kill Claudio。
Bene。 Ha！ not for the wide world！
Beat。 You kill me to deny it。 Farewell。
Bene。 Tarry； sweet Beatrice。
Beat。 I am gone； though I am here。 There is no love in you。 Nay； I pray
you let me go。
Bene。 Beatrice
Beat。 In faith； I will go。
Bene。 We'll be friends first。
Beat。 You dare easier be friends with me than fight with mine enemy。
Bene。 Is Claudio thine enemy？
Beat。 Is 'a not approved in the height a villain； that hath slandered；
scorned； dishonoured my kinswoman？ O that I were a man！ What？ bear
her in hand until they come to take hands； and then with public accusation；
uncover'd slander； unmitigated rancourO God； that I were a man！ I
would eat his heart in the market place。
Bene。 Hear me； Beatrice！
Beat。 Talk with a man out at a window！…a proper saying！
Bene。 Nay but Beatrice
Beat。 Sweet Hero！ she is wrong'd； she is sland'red； she is undone。
60
… Page 61…
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Bene。 Beat
Beat。 Princes and Counties！ Surely a princely testimony； a goodly
count； Count Comfect； a sweet gallant surely！ O that I were a man for his
sake！ or that I had any friend would be a man for my sake！ But manhood
is melted into cursies； valour into compliment； and men are only turn'd
into tongue； and trim ones too。 He is now as valiant as Hercules that only
tells a lie；and swears it。 I cannot be a man with wishing； therefore I will
die a woman with grieving。
Bene。 Tarry； good Beatrice。 By this hand； I love thee。
Beat。 Use it for my love some other way than swearing by it。
Bene。 Think you in your soul the Count Claudio hath wrong'd Hero？
Beat。 Yea； as sure is I have a thought or a soul。
Bene。 Enough； I am engag'd； I will challenge him。 I will kiss your
hand； and so I leave you。 By this hand； Claudio shall render me a dear
account。 As you hear of me； so think of me。 Go comfort your cousin。 I
must say she is dead…and so farewell。
＇Exeunt。＇
61
… Page 62…
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
SCENE II。
A prison。
＇Enter the Constables ＇Dogberry and Verges＇ and the Sexton； in gowns；
＇and the Watch； with Conrade and＇ Borachio。＇
Dog。 Is our whole dissembly appear'd？
Verg。 O； a stool and a cushion for the sexton。
Sex。 Which be the malefactors？
Dog。 Marry； that am I and my partner。
Verg。 Nay； that's certain。 We have the exhibition to examine。
Sex。 But which are the offenders that are to be examined？ let them
come before Master Constable。
Dog。 Yea； marry； let them come before me。 What is your name； friend？
Bor。 Borachio。
Dog。 Pray write down Borachio。 Yours； sirrah？
Con。 I am a gentleman； sir； and my name is Conrade。
Dog。 Write down Master Gentleman Conrade。 Masters； do you serve
God？
Both。 Yea； sir； we hope。
Dog。 Write down that they hope they serve God； and write God first；
for God defend but God should go before such villains！ Masters； it is
proved already that you are little better than false knaves； and it will go
near to be thought so shortly。 How answer you for yourselves？
Con。 Marry； sir； we say we are none。
Dog。 A marvellous witty fellow； I assure you； but I will go about with
him。 Come you hither； sirrah。 A word in your ear。 Sir； I say to you； it is
thought you are false knaves。
Bora。 Sir； I say to you we are none。
Dog。 Well； stand aside。 Fore God； they are both in a tale。 Have you
writ down that they are none？
Sex。 Master Constable； you go not the way to examine。 You must call
forth the watch that are their accusers。
Dog。 Yea； marry； that's the eftest way。 Let the watch come forth。
Masters； I charge you in the Prince's name accuse these men。
62
… Page 63…
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
1。 Watch。 This man said； sir； that Don John the Prince's brother was a
villain。
Dog。 Write down Prince John a villain。 Why； this is flat perjury； to call
a prince's brother villain。
Bora。 Master Constable
Dog。 Pray thee； fellow； peace。 I do not like thy look； I promise thee。
Sex。 What heard you him say else？
2。 Watch。 Marry； that he had received a thousand ducats of Don John
for accusing the Lady Hero wrongfully。
Dog。 Flat burglary as ever was committed。
Verg。 Yea； by th' mass； that it is。
Sex。 What else； fellow？
1。 Watch。 And that Count Claudio did mean； upon his words； to
disgrace Hero before the whole assembly； and not marry her。
Dog。 O villain！ thou wilt be condemn'd into everlasting redemption for
this。
Sex。 What else？
Watchmen。 This is all。
Sex。 And this is more； masters； than you can deny。 Prince John is this
morning secretly stol'n away。 Hero was in this manner accus'd； in this
manner refus'd； and upon the grief of this suddenly died。 Master Constable；
let these men be bound and brought to Leonato's。 I will go before and
show him their examination。 ＇Exit。＇
Dog。 Come； let them be opinion'd。
Verg。 Let them be in the hands
Con。 Off； coxcomb！
Dog。 God's my life； where's the sexton？ Let him write down the
Prince's officer coxcomb。 Come； bind them。Thou naughty varlet！
Con。 Away！ you are an ass； you are an ass。
Dog。 Dost thou not suspect my place？ Dost thou not suspect my years？
O that he were here to write me down an ass！ But； masters； remember that
I am an ass。 Though it be not written down； yet forget not that I am an ass。
No； thou villain； thou art full of piety； as shall be prov'd upon thee by good
witness。 I am a wise fellow； and which is more； an officer； and which is
63
… Page 64…
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
more； a householder； and which is more； as pretty a piece of flesh as any is
in Messina； and one that knows the law； go to！ and a rich fellow enough；
go to！ and a fellow that hath had losses； and one that hath two gowns and
everything handsome about him。 Bring him away。 O that I had been writ
down an ass！ ＇Exeunt。＇