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MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
apes into hell。
Leon。 Well then； go you into hell？
Beat。 No； but to the gate； and there will the devil meet me like an old
cuckold with horns on his head； and say 'Get you to heaven； Beatrice； get
you to heaven。 Here's no place for you maids。' So deliver I up my apes；
and away to Saint Peterfor the heavens。 He shows me where the
bachelors sit； and there live we as merry as the day is long。
Ant。 ＇to Hero＇ Well； niece； I trust you will be rul'd by your father。
Beat。 Yes faith。 It is my cousin's duty to make cursy and say； 'Father； as
it please you。' But yet for all that； cousin； let him be a handsome fellow； or
else make another cursy； and say； 'Father； as it please me。'
Leon。 Well； niece； I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband。
Beat。 Not till God make men of some other metal than earth。 Would it
not grieve a woman to be overmaster'd with a piece of valiant dust？ to
make an account of her life to a clod of wayward marl？ No； uncle； I'll
none。 Adam's sons are my brethren； and truly I hold it a sin to match in my
kinred。
Leon。 Daughter； remember what I told you。 If the Prince do solicit you
in that kind； you know your answer。
Beat。 The fault will be in the music； cousin； if you be not wooed in
good time。 If the Prince be too important； tell him there is measure in
everything； and so dance out the answer。 For； hear me； Hero： wooing；
wedding； and repenting is as a Scotch jig； a measure； and a cinque…pace：
the first suit is hot and hasty like a Scotch jigand full as fantastical； the
wedding； mannerly modest； as a measure； full of state and ancientry； and
then comes Repentance and with his bad legs falls into the cinque…pace
faster and faster； till he sink into his grave。
Leon。 Cousin； you apprehend passing shrewdly。
Beat。 I have a good eye； uncle； I can see a church by daylight。
Leon。 The revellers are ent'ring； brother。 Make good room。
＇Exit Antonio。＇
＇Enter； ＇masked；＇ Don Pedro； Claudio； Benedick； and Balthasar。 With
them enter Antonio； also masked。 After them enter Don John ＇and
Borachio （without masks）； who stand aside and look on during the dance。＇
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MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Pedro。 Lady； will you walk a bout with your friend？
Hero。 So you walk softly and look sweetly and say nothing； I am yours
for the walk； and especially when I walk away。
Pedro。 With me in your company？
Hero。 I may say so when I please。
Pedro。 And when please you to say so？
Hero。 When I like your favour； for God defend the lute should be like
the case！
Pedro。 My visor is Philemon's roof； within the house is Jove。
Hero。 Why then； your visor should be thatch'd。
Pedro。 Speak low if you speak love。 ＇Takes her aside。＇
Balth。 Well； I would you did like me。
Marg。 So would not I for your own sake； for I have many ill qualities。
Balth。 Which is one？
Marg。 I say my prayers aloud。
Balth。 I love you the better。 The hearers may cry Amen。
Marg。 God match me with a good dancer！
Balth。 Amen。
Marg。 And God keep him out of my sight when the dance is done！
Answer； clerk。
Balth。 No more words。 The clerk is answered。
＇Takes her aside。＇
Urs。 I know you well enough。 You are Signior Antonio。
Ant。 At a word； I am not。
Urs。 I know you by the waggling of your head。
Ant。 To tell you true； I counterfeit him。
Urs。 You could never do him so ill…well unless you were the very man。
Here's his dry hand up and down。 You are he； you are he！
Ant。 At a word； I am not。
Urs。 Come； come； do you think I do not know you by your excellent
wit？ Can virtue hide itself？ Go to； mum you are he。 Graces will appear；
and there's an end。 ＇ They step aside。＇
Beat。 Will you not tell me who told you so？
Bene。 No； you shall pardon me。
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MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Beat。 Nor will you not tell me who you are？
Bene。 Not now。
Beat。 That I was disdainful； and that I had my good wit out of the
'Hundred Merry Tales。' Well； this was Signior Benedick that said so。
Bene。 What's he？
Beat。 I am sure you know him well enough。
Bene。 Not I； believe me。
Beat。 Did he never make you laugh？
Bene。 I pray you； what is he？
Beat。 Why； he is the Prince's jester； a very dull fool。 Only his gift is in
devising impossible slanders。 None but libertines delight in him； and the
commendation is not in his wit； but in his villany； for he both pleases men
and angers them； and then they laugh at him and beat him。 I am sure he is
in the fleet。 I would he had boarded me。
Bene。 When I know the gentleman； I'll tell him what you say。
Beat。 Do； do。 He'll but break a comparison or two on me； which
peradventure； not marked or not laugh'd at； strikes him into melancholy；
and then there's a partridge wing saved； for the fool will eat no supper that
night。 ＇Music。＇ We must follow the leaders。
Bene。 In every good thing。
Beat。 Nay； if they lead to any ill； I will leave them at the next turning。
＇Dance。 Exeunt （all but Don John； Borachio； and Claudio＇。
John。 Sure my brother is amorous on Hero and hath withdrawn her
father to break with him about it。 The ladies follow her and but one visor
remains。
Bora。 And that is Claudio。 I know him by his bearing。
John。 Are you not Signior Benedick？
Claud。 You know me well。 I am he。
John。 Signior； you are very near my brother in his love。 He is
enamour'd on Hero。 I pray you dissuade him from her； she is no equal for
his birth。 You may do the part of an honest man in it。
Claud。 How know you he loves her？
John。 I heard him swear his affection。
Bora。 So did I too； and he swore he would marry her tonight。
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MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
John。 Come； let us to the banquet。
＇Exeunt。 Manet Claudio。＇
Claud。 Thus answer I in name of Benedick But hear these ill news with
the ears of Claudio。 ＇Unmasks。＇ 'Tis certain so。 The Prince wooes for
himself。 Friendship is constant in all other things Save in the office and
affairs of love。 Therefore all hearts in love use their own tongues； Let
every eye negotiate for itself And trust no agent； for beauty is a witch
Against whose charms faith melteth into blood。 This is an accident of
hourly proof； Which I mistrusted not。 Farewell therefore Hero！ ＇Enter
Benedick ＇unmasked＇＇。
Bene。 Count Claudio？
Claud。 Yea； the same。
Bene。 Come； will you go with me？
Claud。 Whither？
Bene。 Even to the next willow； about your own business； County。
What fashion will you wear the garland of？ about your neck； like an
usurer's chain？ or under your arm； like a lieutenant's scarf？ You must wear
it one way； for the Prince hath got your Hero。
Claud。 I wish him joy of her。
Bene。 Why； that's spoken like an honest drovier。 So they sell bullocks。
But did you think the Prince would have served you thus？
Claud。 I pray you leave me。
Bene。 Ho！ now you strike like the blind man！ 'Twas the boy that stole
your meat； and you'll beat the post。
Claud。 If it will not be； I'll leave you。 ＇Exit。＇
Bene。 Alas； poor hurt fowl！ now will he creep into sedges。 But； that
my Lady Beatrice should know me； and not know me！ The Prince's fool！
Ha！ it may be I go under that title because I am merry。 Yea； but so I am apt
to do myself wrong。 I am not so reputed。 It is the base （though bitter）
disposition of Beatrice that puts the world into her person and so gives me
out。 Well； I'll be revenged as I may。
＇Enter Don Pedro。＇
Pedro。 Now； signior； where's the Count？ Did you see him？
Bene。 Troth； my lord； I have played the part of Lady Fame； I found
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MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
him here as melancholy as a lodge in a warren。 I told him； and I think I
told him true； that your Grace