Shakespeare Portal

Act 1, Scene 3

--Another room in LEONATO'S house.]

  1. [Enter DON JOHN and CONRADE.]
  2. Conrade
  3. 270 What the good-year, my lord! why are you thus out of measure sad?
  4. Don John
  5. 271 There is no measure in the occasion that breeds; therefore the sadness
  6. 272 is without limit.
  7. Conrade
  8. 273 You should hear reason.
  9. Don John
  10. 274 And when I have heard it, what blessings brings it?
  11. Conrade
  12. 275 If not a present remedy, at least a patient sufferance.
  13. Don John
  14. 276 I wonder that thou, being, -as thou say'st thou art,—born under
  15. 277 Saturn, goest about to apply a moral medicine to a mortifying mischief.
  16. 278 I cannot hide what I am: I must be sad when I have cause, and smile at
  17. 279 no man's jests; eat when I have stomach, and wait for no man's leisure;
  18. 280 sleep when I am drowsy, and tend on no man's business; laugh when I am
  19. 281 merry, and claw no man in his humour.
  20. Conrade
  21. 282 Yea; but you must not make the full show of this till you may do it
  22. 283 without controlment. You have of late stood out against your brother,
  23. 284 and he hath ta'en you newly into his grace; where it is impossible you
  24. 285 should take true root but by the fair weather that you make yourself:
  25. 286 it is needful that you frame the season for your own harvest.
  26. Don John
  27. 287 I had rather be a canker in a hedge than a rose in his grace; and it
  28. 288 better fits my blood to be disdained of all than to fashion a carriage
  29. 289 to rob love from any: in this, though I cannot be said to be a
  30. 290 flattering honest man, it must not be denied but I am a plain-dealing
  31. 291 villain. I am trusted with a muzzle and enfranchised with a clog;
  32. 292 therefore I have decreed not to sing in my cage. If I had my mouth, I
  33. 293 would bite; if I had my liberty, I would do my liking: in the meantime,
  34. 294 let me be that I am, and seek not to alter me.
  35. Conrade
  36. 295 Can you make no use of your discontent?
  37. Don John
  38. 296 I make all use of it, for I use it only. Who comes here?
  39. [Enter Borachio.]
  40. Don John
  41. 297 What news, Borachio?
  42. Borachio
  43. 298 I came yonder from a great supper: the prince your brother is royally
  44. 299 entertained by Leonato; and I can give you intelligence of an
  45. 300 intended marriage.
  46. Don John
  47. 301 Will it serve for any model to build mischief on? What is he for a
  48. 302 fool that betroths himself to unquietness?
  49. Borachio
  50. 303 Marry, it is your brother's right hand.
  51. Don John
  52. 304 Who? the most exquisite Claudio?
  53. Borachio
  54. 305 Even he.
  55. Don John
  56. 306 A proper squire! And who, and who? which way looks he?
  57. Borachio
  58. 307 Marry, on Hero, the daughter and heir of Leonato.
  59. Don John
  60. 308 A very forward March-chick! How came you to this?
  61. Borachio
  62. 309 Being entertained for a perfumer, as I was smoking a musty room, comes
  63. 310 me the prince and Claudio, hand in hand, in sad conference: I whipt me
  64. 311 behind the arras, and there heard it agreed upon that the prince should
  65. 312 woo Hero for himself, and having obtained her, give her to Count Claudio.
  66. Don John
  67. 313 Come, come; let us thither: this may prove food to my displeasure. That
  68. 314 young start-up hath all the glory of my overthrow: if I can cross him
  69. 315 any way, I bless myself every way. You are both sure, and will assist me?
  70. Conrade
  71. 316 To the death, my lord.
  72. Don John
  73. 317 Let us to the great supper: their cheer is the greater that I am
  74. 318 subdued. Would the cook were of my mind! Shall we go to prove what's
  75. 319 to be done?
  76. Borachio
  77. 320 We'll wait upon your lordship.
  78. [Exeunt.]