Enter Prince, Claudio, Benedick, and Leonato.PRINCE I do but stay till your marriage be consummate, and then go I toward Aragon.CLAUDIO I’ll bring you thither, my lord, if you’ll vouchsafe me.PRINCE 5Nay, 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
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10 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.BENEDICK 15Gallants, I am not as I have been.LEONATO So say I. Methinks you are sadder.CLAUDIO I hope he be in love.PRINCE Hang him, truant! There’s no true drop of blood in him to be truly touched with love. If he be20 sad, he wants money.BENEDICK I have the toothache.PRINCE Draw it.BENEDICK Hang it!CLAUDIO You must hang it first, and draw it afterwards.PRINCE 25What, sigh for the toothache?LEONATO Where is but a humor or a worm.BENEDICK Well, everyone ⌜can⌝ master a grief but he that has it.CLAUDIO Yet say I, he is in love.PRINCE 30There is no appearance of fancy in him, unless it be a fancy that he hath to strange disguises, as to be a Dutchman today, a Frenchman tomorrow, or in the shape of two countries at once, as a German from the waist downward, all slops, and a Spaniard35 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.CLAUDIO If he be not in love with some woman, there is no believing old signs. He brushes his hat o’40 mornings. What should that bode?PRINCE Hath any man seen him at the barber’s?CLAUDIO No, but the barber’s man hath been seen with him, and the old ornament of his cheek hath already stuffed tennis balls.
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LEONATO 45Indeed he looks younger than he did, by the loss of a beard.PRINCE Nay, he rubs himself with civet. Can you smell him out by that?CLAUDIO That’s as much as to say, the sweet youth’s in50 love.⌜PRINCE⌝ The greatest note of it is his melancholy.CLAUDIO And when was he wont to wash his face?PRINCE Yea, or to paint himself? For the which I hear what they say of him.CLAUDIO 55Nay, but his jesting spirit, which is now crept into a lute string and now governed by stops—PRINCE Indeed, that tells a heavy tale for him. Conclude, conclude, he is in love.CLAUDIO Nay, but I know who loves him.PRINCE 60That would I know, too. I warrant, one that knows him not.CLAUDIO Yes, and his ill conditions; and, in despite of all, dies for him.PRINCE She shall be buried with her face upwards.BENEDICK 65Yet is this no charm for the toothache.— Old signior, walk aside with me. I have studied eight or nine wise words to speak to you, which these hobby-horses must not hear.⌜Benedick and Leonato exit.⌝PRINCE For my life, to break with him about Beatrice!CLAUDIO 70’Tis even so. Hero and Margaret have by this played their parts with Beatrice, and then the two bears will not bite one another when they meet.Enter John the Bastard.DON JOHN My lord and brother, God save you.PRINCE Good e’en, brother.DON JOHN 75If your leisure served, I would speak with you.PRINCE In private?
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DON JOHN If it please you. Yet Count Claudio may hear, for what I would speak of concerns him.PRINCE 80What’s the matter?DON JOHN, ⌜to Claudio⌝ Means your Lordship to be married tomorrow?PRINCE You know he does.DON JOHN I know not that, when he knows what I85 know.CLAUDIO If there be any impediment, I pray you discover it.DON JOHN You may think I love you not. Let that appear hereafter, and aim better at me by that I90 now will manifest. For my brother, I think he holds you well, and in dearness of heart hath holp to effect your ensuing marriage—surely suit ill spent and labor ill bestowed.PRINCE Why, what’s the matter?DON JOHN 95I came hither to tell you; and, circumstances shortened, for she has been too long a-talking of, the lady is disloyal.CLAUDIO Who, Hero?DON JOHN Even she: Leonato’s Hero, your Hero, every100 man’s Hero.CLAUDIO Disloyal?DON JOHN The word is too good to paint out her wickedness. I could say she were worse. Think you of a worse title, and I will fit her to it. Wonder not105 till further warrant. Go but with me tonight, you shall see her chamber window entered, even the night before her wedding day. If you love her then, tomorrow wed her. But it would better fit your honor to change your mind.CLAUDIO, ⌜to Prince⌝ 110May this be so?PRINCE I will not think it.DON JOHN If you dare not trust that you see, confess not that you know. If you will follow me, I will
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show you enough, and when you have seen more115 and heard more, proceed accordingly.CLAUDIO If I see anything tonight why I should not marry her, tomorrow in the congregation, where I should wed, there will I shame her.PRINCE And as I wooed for thee to obtain her, I will120 join with thee to disgrace her.DON JOHN I will disparage her no farther till you are my witnesses. Bear it coldly but till midnight, and let the issue show itself.PRINCE O day untowardly turned!CLAUDIO 125O mischief strangely thwarting!DON JOHN O plague right well prevented! So will you say when you have seen the sequel.⌜They exit.⌝