FRIAR
Did I not tell you she was innocent?
LEONATO
So are the Prince and Claudio, who accus’d her
Upon the error that you heard debated:
But Margaret was in some fault for this,
Although against her will, as it appears
In the true course of all the question.
ANTONIO
Well, I am glad that all things sort so well.
BENEDICK
And so am I, being else by faith enforc’d
To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it.
LEONATO
Well, daughter, and you gentlewomen all,
Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves,
And when I send for you, come mask’d:
The Prince and Claudio promis’d by this hour
To visit me.
LEONATO
You know your office, brother;
You must be father to your brother’s daughter,
And give her to young Claudio.
ANTONIO
Which I will do with confirm’d countenance.
BENEDICK
Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think.
FRIAR
To do what, signior?
BENEDICK
To bind me, or undo me; one of them.
Signior Leonato, truth it is, good signior,
Your niece regards me with an eye of favour.
LEONATO
That eye my daughter lent her. most true.
BENEDICK
And I do with an eye of love requite her.
LEONATO
The sight whereof I think, you had from me,
From Claudio, and the Prince. But what’s your will?
BENEDICK
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.
LEONATO
My heart is with your liking.
FRIAR
And my help. Here comes the Prince and Claudio.
DON PEDRO
Good morrow to this fair assembly.
LEONATO
Good morrow, Prince; good morrow, Claudio:
We here attend you. Are you yet determin’d
Today to marry with my brother’s daughter?
CLAUDIO
I’ll hold my mind, were she an Ethiope.
LEONATO
Call her forth, brother: here’s the friar ready.
DON PEDRO
Good morrow, Benedick. Why, what’s the matter,
That you have such a February face,
So full of frost, of storm and cloudiness?
CLAUDIO
I think he thinks upon the savage bull.
Tush! fear not, man, we’ll tip horns with gold,
And all Europa shall rejoice at ,
As once Europa did at lusty Jove,
When he would play the noble beast in love.
BENEDICK
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.
CLAUDIO
For this I owe you: here comes other reckonings.
CLAUDIO
Which is the lady I must seize upon?
ANTONIO
This same is she, and I do give you her.
CLAUDIO
Why then, she’s mine. Sweet, let me see your face.
LEONATO
No, that you shall not, till you take her hand
Before this friar, and swear to marry her.
CLAUDIO
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:
And when you lov’d, you were my other husband.
CLAUDIO
Another Hero!
HERO
Nothing certainer:
One Hero died defil’d, but I do live,
And surely as I live, I am a maid.
DON PEDRO
The former Hero! Hero that is dead!
LEONATO
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 .
BENEDICK
Soft and fair, friar. Which is Beatrice?
BEATRICE
I answer to that name. What is your will?
BENEDICK
Do not you love me?
BEATRICE
Why, no; no more than reason.
BENEDICK
Why, then, your uncle and the Prince and Claudio
Have been deceived; for they swore you did.
BEATRICE
Do not you love me?
BENEDICK
Troth, no; no more than reason.
BEATRICE
Why, then my cousin, Margaret, and Ursula,
Are much deceiv’d; for they did swear you did.
BENEDICK
They swore that you were almost sick for me.
BEATRICE
They swore that you were well-nigh dead for me.
BENEDICK
no such matter. Then you do not love me?
BEATRICE
No, truly, but in friendly recompense.
LEONATO
Come, cousin, I am sure you love the gentleman.
CLAUDIO
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, stolen from her pocket,
Containing her affection unto Benedick.
BENEDICK
A miracle! here’s our own hands against our hearts. Come, I will have ; but, by this light, I take for pity.
BEATRICE
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.
BENEDICK
Peace! I will stop your mouth.
DON PEDRO
How , Benedick, the married man?
BENEDICK
I’ll tell what, Prince; a college of witcrackers cannot flout me out of my . think I care for a satire or an epigram? No; if 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 part, Claudio, I did think to have beaten ; but, in that art like to be my kinsman, live unbruised, and love my cousin.
CLAUDIO
I had well hoped have denied Beatrice, that I might have cudgelled out of single life, to make a double-dealer; which, out of question, wilt be, if my cousin do not look exceeding narrowly to .
BENEDICK
Come, come, we are friends. Let’s have a dance we are married, that we may lighten our own hearts and our wives’ heels.
LEONATO
We’ll have dancing afterward.
BENEDICK
First, of my word; therefore play, music! Prince, art sad; get a wife, get a wife: there is no staff more reverent than one tipped with horn.
MESSENGER
My lord, your brother John is ta’en in flight,
And brought with armed men back to Messina.
BENEDICK
Think not on him till tomorrow: I’ll devise brave punishments for him. Strike up, pipers!