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is； good signior； Your niece regards me with an eye of favour。
Leon。 That eye my daughter lent her。 'Tis most true。
Bene。 And I do with an eye of love requite her。
Leon。 The sight whereof I think you had from me； From Claudio； and
the Prince； but what's your will？
Bene。 Your answer； sir； is enigmatical； But； for my will； my will is；
your good will May stand with ours； this day to be conjoin'd In the state of
honourable marriage； In which； good friar； I shall desire your help。
Leon。 My heart is with your liking。
Friar。 And my help。 ＇Enter Don Pedro and Claudio and two or three
other。 ＇ Here comes the Prince and Claudio。
Pedro。 Good morrow to this fair assembly。
Leon。 Good morrow； Prince； good morrow； Claudio。 We here attend
you。 Are you yet determin'd To…day to marry with my brother's daughter？
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Claud。 I'll hold my mind； were she an Ethiope。
Leon。 Call her forth； brother。 Here's the friar ready。 ＇Exit Antonio。＇
Pedro。 Good morrow； Benedick。 Why； what's the matter That you have
such a February face； So full of frost； of storm； and cloudiness？
Claud。 I think he thinks upon the savage bull。 Tush； fear not； man！
We'll tip thy horns with gold； And all Europa shall rejoice at thee； As once
Europa did at lusty Jove When he would play the noble beast in love。
Bene。 Bull Jove； sir； had an amiable low； And some such strange bull
leap'd your father's cow And got a calf in that same noble feat Much like
to you； for you have just his bleat。 ＇Enter ＇Leonato's＇ brother ＇Antonio＇；
Hero； Beatrice； Margaret； Ursula； ＇the ladies wearing masks。＇
Claud。 For this I owe you。 Here comes other reckonings。 Which is the
lady I must seize upon？
Ant。 This same is she； and I do give you her。
Claud。 Why then； she's mine。 Sweet； let me see your face。
Leon。 No； that you shall not till you take her hand Before this friar and
swear to marry her。
Claud。 Give me your hand before this holy friar。 I am your husband if
you like of me。
Hero。 And when I liv'd I was your other wife； ＇Unmasks。＇ And when
you lov'd you were my other husband。
Claud。 Another Hero！
Hero。 Nothing certainer。 One Hero died defil'd； but I do live； And
surely as I live； I am a maid。
Pedro。 The former Hero！ Hero that is dead！
Leon。 She died； my lord； but whiles her slander liv'd。
Friar。 All this amazement can I qualify； When； after that the holy rites
are ended； I'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death。 Meantime let wonder
seem familiar； And to the chapel let us presently。
Bene。 Soft and fair； friar。 Which is Beatrice？
Beat。 ＇unmasks＇ I answer to that name。 What is your will？
Bene。 Do not you love me？
Beat。 Why； no； no more than reason。
Bene。 Why； then your uncle； and the Prince； and Claudio Have been
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deceived； for they swore you did。
Beat。 Do not you love me？
Bene。 Troth； no； no more than reason。
Beat。 Why； then my cousin； Margaret； and Ursula Are much deceiv'd；
for they did swear you did。
Bene。 They swore that you were almost sick for me。
Beat。 They swore that you were well…nigh dead for me。
Bene。 'Tis no such matter。 Then you do not love me？
Beat。 No； truly； but in friendly recompense。
Leon。 Come； cousin； I am sure you love the gentleman。
Claud。 And I'll be sworn upon't that he loves her； For here's a paper
written in his hand； A halting sonnet of his own pure brain； Fashion'd to
Beatrice。
Hero。 And here's another； Writ in my cousin's hand； stol'n from her
pocket； Containing her affection unto Benedick。
Bene。 A miracle！ Here's our own hands against our hearts。 Come； I will
have thee； but； by this light； I take thee for pity。
Beat。 I would not deny you； but； by this good day； I yield upon great
persuasion； and partly to save your life； for I was told you were in a
consumption。
Bene。 Peace！ I will stop your mouth。 ＇Kisses her。＇
Bene。 I'll tell thee what； Prince： a college of wit…crackers cannot flout
me out of my humour。 Dost thou think I care for a satire or an epigram？
No。 If a man will be beaten with brains； 'a shall wear nothing handsome
about him。 In brief； since I do purpose to marry； I will think nothing to any
purpose that the world can say against it； and therefore never flout at me
for what I have said against it； for man is a giddy thing； and this is my
conclusion。 For thy part； Claudio； I did think to have beaten thee； but in
that thou art like to be my kinsman； live unbruis'd； and love my cousin。
Claud。 I had well hop'd thou wouldst have denied Beatrice； that I
might have cudgell'd thee out of thy single life； to make thee a double…
dealer； which out of question thou wilt be if my cousin do not look
exceeding narrowly to thee。
Bene。 Come； come； we are friends。 Let's have a dance ere we are
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married； that we may lighten our own hearts and our wives' heels。
Leon。 We'll have dancing afterward。
Bene。 First； of my word！ Therefore play； music。 Prince； thou art sad。
Get thee a wife； get thee a wife！ There is no staff more reverent than one
tipp'd with horn。 ＇Enter Messenger。＇ Mess。 My lord； your brother John is
ta'en in flight； And brought with armed men back to Messina。
Bene。 Think not on him till to…morrow。 I'll devise thee brave
punishments for him。 Strike up； pipers！ Dance。 ＇Exeunt。＇ THE END
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