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ACT III。
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SCENE I。
Leonato's orchard。
＇Enter Hero and two Gentlewomen； Margaret and Ursula。＇
Hero。 Good Margaret； run thee to the parlour。 There shalt thou find my
cousin Beatrice Proposing with the Prince and Claudio。 Whisper her ear
and tell her； I and Ursley Walk in the orchard； and our whole discourse Is
all of her。 Say that thou overheard'st us； And bid her steal into the pleached
bower； Where honeysuckles； ripened by the sun； Forbid the sun to enter
like favourites； Made proud by princes； that advance their pride Against
that power that bred it。 There will she hide her To listen our propose。 This
is thy office。 Bear thee well in it and leave us alone。
Marg。 I'll make her come； I warrant you； presently。 ＇Exit。＇
Hero。 Now； Ursula； when Beatrice doth come； As we do trace this
alley up and down； Our talk must only be of Benedick。 When I do name
him； let it be thy part To praise him more than ever man did merit。 My talk
to thee must be how Benedick Is sick in love with Beatrice。 Of this matter
Is little Cupid's crafty arrow made； That only wounds by hearsay。
＇Enter Beatrice。＇
Now begin； For look where Beatrice like a lapwing runs Close by the
ground； to hear our conference。
＇Beatrice hides in the arbour＇。
Urs。 The pleasant'st angling is to see the fish Cut with her golden oars
the silver stream And greedily devour the treacherous bait。 So angle we for
Beatrice； who even now Is couched in the woodbine coverture。 Fear you
not my part of the dialogue。
Hero。 Then go we near her； that her ear lose nothing Of the false sweet
bait that we lay for it。
＇They approach the arbour。＇
No； truly； Ursula； she is too disdainful。 I know her spirits are as coy
and wild As haggards of the rock。
Urs。 But are you sure That Benedick loves Beatrice so entirely？
Hero。 So says the Prince； and my new…trothed lord。
Urs。 And did they bid you tell her of it； madam？
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Hero。 They did entreat me to acquaint her of it； But I persuaded them；
if they lov'd Benedick； To wish him wrestle with affection And never to let
Beatrice know of it。
Urs。 Why did you so？ Doth not the gentleman Deserve as full； as
fortunate a bed As ever Beatrice shall couch upon？
Hero。 O god of love！ I know he doth deserve As much as may be
yielded to a man： But Nature never fram'd a woman's heart Of prouder
stuff than that of Beatrice。 Disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes；
Misprizing what they look on； and her wit Values itself so highly that to
her All matter else seems weak。 She cannot love； Nor take no shape nor
project of affection； She is so self…endeared。
Urs。 Sure I think so； And therefore certainly it were not good She
knew his love； lest she'll make sport at it。
Hero。 Why； you speak truth。 I never yet saw man； How wise； how
noble； young； how rarely featur'd； But she would spell him backward。 If
fair…fac'd； She would swear the gentleman should be her sister； If black；
why； Nature； drawing of an antic； Made a foul blot； if tall； a lance ill…
headed； If low； an agate very vilely cut； If speaking； why； a vane blown
with all winds； If silent； why； a block moved with none。 So turns she every
man the wrong side out And never gives to truth and virtue that Which
simpleness and merit purchaseth。
Urs。 Sure； sure； such carping is not commendable。
Hero。 No； not to be so odd； and from all fashions； As Beatrice is；
cannot be commendable。 But who dare tell her so？ If I should speak； She
would mock me into air； O； she would laugh me Out of myself； press me
to death with wit！ Therefore let Benedick； like cover'd fire； Consume away
in sighs； waste inwardly。 It were a better death than die with mocks；
Which is as bad as die with tickling。
Urs。 Yet tell her of it。 Hear what she will say。
Hero。 No； rather I will go to Benedick And counsel him to fight
against his passion。 And truly； I'll devise some honest slanders To stain my
cousin with。 One doth not know How much an ill word may empoison
liking。
Urs。 O； do not do your cousin such a wrong！ She cannot be so much
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without true judgment （Having so swift and excellent a wit As she is priz'd
to have） as to refuse So rare a gentleman as Signior Benedick。
Hero。 He is the only man of Italy； Always excepted my dear Claudio。
Urs。 I pray you be not angry with me； madam； Speaking my fancy：
Signior Benedick； For shape； for bearing； argument； and valour； Goes
foremost in report through Italy。
Hero。 Indeed he hath an excellent good name。
Urs。 His excellence did earn it ere he had it。 When are you married；
madam？
Hero。 Why； every day to…morrow！ Come； go in。 I'll show thee some
attires； and have thy counsel Which is the best to furnish me to…morrow。
＇They walk away。＇
Urs。 She's lim'd； I warrant you！ We have caught her； madam。
Hero。 If it prove so； then loving goes by haps； Some Cupid kills with
arrows； some with traps。
＇Exeunt Hero and Ursula。＇
＇Beatrice advances from the arbour。＇
Beat。 What fire is in mine ears？ Can this be true？ Stand I condemn'd
for pride and scorn so much？ Contempt； farewell！ and maiden pride； adieu！
No glory lives behind the back of such。 And； Benedick； love on； I will
requite thee； Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand。 If thou dost love；
my kindness shall incite thee To bind our loves up in a holy band； For
others say thou dost deserve； and I Believe it better than reportingly。
＇Exit。＇
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SCENE II。
A room in Leonato's house。
＇Enter Don Pedro； Claudio； Benedick； and Leonato。＇
Pedro。 I do but stay till your marriage be consummate； and then go I
toward Arragon。
Claud。 I'll bring you thither； my lord； if you'll vouchsafe me。
Pedro。 Nay； that would be as great a soil in the new gloss of your
marriage as to show a child his new coat and forbid him to wear it。 I will
only be bold with Benedick for his company； for； from the crown of his
head to the sole of his foot； he is all mirth。 He hath twice or thrice cut
Cupid's bowstring； and the little hangman dare not shoot at him。 He hath a
heart as sound as a bell； and his tongue is the clapper； for what his heart
thinks； his tongue speaks。
Bene。 Gallants； I am not as I have been。
Leon。 So say I。 Methinks you are sadder。
Claud。 I hope he be in love。
Pedro。 Hang him； truant！ There's no true drop of blood in him to be
truly touch'd with love。 If he be sad； he wants money。
Bene。 I have the toothache。
Pedro。 Draw it。
Bene。 Hang it！
Claud。 You must hang it first and draw it afterwards。
Pedro。 What？ sigh for the toothache？
Leon。 Where is but a humour or a worm。
Bene。 Well； every one can master a grief but he that has it。
Claud。 Yet say I he is in love。
Pedro。 There is no appearance of fancy in him； unless it be a fancy that
he hath to strange disguises； as to be a Dutchman to…day； a Frenchman to…
morrow； or in the shape of two countries at once； as a German from the
waist downward； all slops； and a Spaniard from the hip upward； no
doublet。 Unless he have a fancy to this foolery； as it appears he hath； he is
no fool for fancy； as you would have it appear he is。
Claud。 If he be not in love with some woman； there is no believing old
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signs。 'A brushes his hat o' mornings。 What should that bode？
Pedro。 Hath any man seen him at the barber's？
Claud。 No； but the barber's man hath been seen with