Nor age so eat up my invention, my bad life reft me so much of friends, Pause a while, Friar. Marry, this, well carried, shall on her behalf Change slander to remorse; that is some good ; She dying, as it must be so maintain’d, Upon the instant that she was accus’d, Shall be lamented, pitied, and excus’d, Of every hearer: For it so falls out, That what we have we prize not to the worth, Whiles we enjoy it; but being lack'd and lost, Why, then we rack the value, then we find The virtue, that possession would not show us Whiles it was ours: So will it fare with Claudio : When he shall hear she died upon his words, The idea of her life shall sweetly creep Into his study of imagination; And every lovely organ of her life Shall come apparellă in more precious habit, More moving-delicate, and full of life, Into the eye and prospect of his soul, Than when she lived indeed :—then shall he mourn, And wish he had not so accus'd her; No, though he thought his accusation true. Let this be so, and doubt not but success Will fashion the event in better shape Than I can lay it down in likelihood. But if all aim but this be levell’d false, The supposition of the lady's death Will quench the wonder of her infamy: And, if it sort not well, you may conceal her (As best befits her wounded reputation) În some reclusive and religious life, Out of all eyes, tongues, minds, and injuries. Bene. Signior Leonato, let the friar advise you: right her. And though, you know, my inwardness and love Being that I flow in grief, For to strange sores strangely they strain the cure.-- die to live ; this wedding day, [Exeunt Friar, Hero, and LEONATO. 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 vet I lie not; I confess nothing, nor I deny nothing :-I am sorry for Bene. By my sword, Beatrice, thou lovest me. Beat. Do not swear by it, 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, Heaven forgive me ! Beat. You have staid me in a happy hour; I was about to pro test I loved you. Bene. And do it with all thy heart. Beat. I love you with so much of my heart that none is .eft to protest. Bene. Come, bid me do any thing for thee. my cousin. Nay, I pray you, let ine go. - Beat. You dare easier be friends with me, than figłt with mine enemy. Bene. Is Claudio thine enemy? Beat. Is he not approved in the height a villain, that hath slandered, scorned, dishonored my kinswoman ?-0, that I were a man! -What! bear her in hand until they come to take hands; and then with public accusation, uncovered slander, unmitigated rancor. -O Heaven, that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the marketplace. Bene. Hear me, Beatrice;- Beat. Princes, and counties? Surely, a princely testimony, a goodly count-confect; 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 courtesies, valor into compliment, and men are only turned 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. Bene. Think you in your soul the count Claudio hath wronged Hero? Beat. Yea, as sure as I have a thought, or a soul. Bene. Enough, I am engaged, I will challenge him ; I will kiss your hand, and so 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. SCENE II.-A Prison. with CONRADE and BORACHIO. Sexton. But evhich are the offenders that are to be examined ? let them come before master constable. Dogb. Yea, marry, let them come before me. What is your name, friend? Bora. Borachio. say to men. Dogb. Pray write down-Borachio. -Yours, sirrah? Dagb. Write down—master gentleman Conrade.—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. Dogb. A marvellous witty fellow, I assure you ; but I will go about with him.-Come you hit sirrah ; a word in your ear, sir ; I you, it is thought you are false knaves. Bora. Sir, I say to you, we are none. Dogb. Well, stand aside. They are both in a talo : Have you writ down—that they are none ? Sexton. Master constable, you go not the way to examine ; you must call forth the watch that are their accusers. Dogb. Yea, marry, that's the eftest way: Let the watch come forth : Masters, I charge you, in the prince's name, accuse these 1st Watch. This man said, sir, that Don John, the prince's brother was a villain. Dogb. Write down—prince John a villain :-Why this is flat perjury, to call a prince's brother-villain. Bora. Master constable, Dogb. Pray thee, fellow, peace; I do not like thy look, I promise thee. Sexton. What heard you him say else? 2nd Watch. Marry, that he had received a thousand ducats of Don John, for accusing the lady Hero wrongfully. Dogb. Flat burglary, as ever was committed. 1st Watch. And that count Claudio did mean, upon his words, to disgrace Hero before the whole assembly, and not marry her. Dogb. O villain! thou wilt be condemned into everlasting redemption for this. Sexton. What else? 2nd Watch. This is all. Sexton. And this is more, masters, than you can deny. Prince John is this morning secretly stolen away; Hero was in this manner accused, in this very manner refused, 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. Dogb. Come, let them be opinioned. Verg. Let them be in band. Con. Off, coxcomb! Dogb. 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. 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 proved upon thee by good witness. I am a wise fellow; and, which more, an officer; and, which is more, a house holder; 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 every thing handsome about him : Bring him away. O, that I had been writ down-an ass ! [Exeunt. ACT V. Claudio, on learning how unjustly he had accused his mistress, implores the forgiveness of Leonato, and offers any reparation within his power-supposing that Hero is dead. Leonato invites him to come to his House, “to-morrow morning"--and proposes to give him the hand of a niece of his, in marriage. Claudio consents. The next Scene windo up the story of this incomparable comedy. SCENE.-A Room in Leonato's House. and HERO. , as it appears In the true course of all the question. Ant. Well, I am glad that all things sort so well. Bene. And so am I, being else by faith enforc'd Leon. Weli, daughter, and you gentlewomen all, (Exeunt Ladies Bene. To bind me, or undo me, one of them.- Leon. That eye my daughter lent her; 'Tis most true, Leon. The sight, whereof, I think, you had from me, |