Shakespeare Portal

Act 3, Scene 4

A Room in LEONATO'S House.

  1. [Enter HERO, MARGARET, and URSULA.]
  2. Hero
  3. 1206 Good Ursula, wake my cousin Beatrice, and desire her to rise.
  4. Ursula
  5. 1207 I will, lady.
  6. Hero
  7. 1208 And bid her come hither.
  8. Ursula
  9. 1209 Well.
  10. [Exit.]
  11. Margaret
  12. 1210 Troth, I think your other rabato were better.
  13. Hero
  14. 1211 No, pray thee, good Meg, I'll wear this.
  15. Margaret
  16. 1212 By my troth's not so good; and I warrant your cousin will say so.
  17. Hero
  18. 1213 My cousin 's a fool, and thou art another: I'll wear none but this.
  19. Margaret
  20. 1214 I like the new tire within excellently, if the hair were a thought
  21. 1215 browner; and your gown 's a most rare fashion, i' faith. I saw the
  22. 1216 Duchess of Milan's gown that they praise so.
  23. Hero
  24. 1217 O! that exceeds, they say.
  25. Margaret
  26. 1218 By my troth 's but a night-gown in respect of yours: cloth o' gold,
  27. 1219 and cuts, and laced with silver, set with pearls, down sleeves, side
  28. 1220 sleeves, and skirts round, underborne with a blush tinsel; but for a
  29. 1221 fine, quaint, graceful, and excellent fashion, yours is worth ten on't.
  30. Hero
  31. 1222 God give me joy to wear it! for my heart is exceeding heavy.
  32. Margaret
  33. 1223 'Twill be heavier soon by the weight of a man.
  34. Hero
  35. 1224 Fie upon thee! art not ashamed?
  36. Margaret
  37. 1225 Of what, lady? of speaking honourably? is not marriage honourable in
  38. 1226 a beggar? Is not your lord honourable without marriage? I think you
  39. 1227 would have me say, 'saving your reverence, a husband:' an bad thinking
  40. 1228 do not wrest true speaking, I'll offend nobody. Is there any harm in
  41. 1229 'the heavier for a husband'? None, I think, an it be the right husband
  42. 1230 and the right wife; otherwise 'tis light, and not heavy: ask my Lady
  43. 1231 Beatrice else; here she comes.
  44. [Enter BEATRICE.]
  45. Hero
  46. 1232 Good morrow, coz.
  47. Beatrice
  48. 1233 Good morrow, sweet Hero.
  49. Hero
  50. 1234 Why, how now? do you speak in the sick tune?
  51. Beatrice
  52. 1235 I am out of all other tune, methinks.
  53. Margaret
  54. 1236 Clap's into 'Light o' love'; that goes without a burden: do you sing
  55. 1237 it, and I'll dance it.
  56. Beatrice
  57. 1238 Ye, light o' love with your heels! then, if your husband have stables
  58. 1239 enough, you'll see he shall lack no barnes.
  59. Margaret
  60. 1240 O illegitimate construction! I scorn that with my heels.
  61. Beatrice
  62. 1241 'Tis almost five o'clock, cousin; 'tis time you were ready. By my
  63. 1242 troth, I am exceeding ill. Heigh-ho!
  64. Margaret
  65. 1243 For a hawk, a horse, or a husband?
  66. Beatrice
  67. 1244 For the letter that begins them all, H.
  68. Margaret
  69. 1245 Well, an you be not turned Turk, there's no more sailing by the star.
  70. Beatrice
  71. 1246 What means the fool, trow?
  72. Margaret
  73. 1247 Nothing I; but God send every one their heart's desire!
  74. Hero
  75. 1248 These gloves the Count sent me; they are an excellent perfume.
  76. Beatrice
  77. 1249 I am stuffed, cousin, I cannot smell.
  78. Margaret
  79. 1250 A maid, and stuffed! there's goodly catching of cold.
  80. Beatrice
  81. 1251 O, God help me! God help me! how long have you professed
  82. 1252 apprehension?
  83. Margaret
  84. 1253 Ever since you left it. Doth not my wit become me rarely!
  85. Beatrice
  86. 1254 It is not seen enough, you should wear it in your cap. By my troth,
  87. 1255 I am sick.
  88. Margaret
  89. 1256 Get you some of this distilled Carduus Benedictus, and lay it to
  90. 1257 your heart: it is the only thing for a qualm.
  91. Hero
  92. 1258 There thou prick'st her with a thistle.
  93. Beatrice
  94. 1259 Benedictus! why benedictus? you have some moral in this Benedictus.
  95. Margaret
  96. 1260 Moral! no, by my troth, I have no moral meaning; I meant, plain
  97. 1261 holy-thistle. You may think, perchance, that I think you are in love:
  98. 1262 nay, by'r lady, I am not such a fool to think what I list; nor I list
  99. 1263 not to think what I can; nor, indeed, I cannot think, if I would
  100. 1264 think my heart out of thinking, that you are in love, or that you
  101. 1265 will be in love, or that you can be in love. Yet Benedick was such
  102. 1266 another, and now is he become a man: he swore he would never marry;
  103. 1267 and yet now, in despite of his heart, he eats his meat without
  104. 1268 grudging: and how you may be converted, I know not; but methinks
  105. 1269 you look with your eyes as other women do.
  106. Beatrice
  107. 1270 What pace is this that thy tongue keeps?
  108. Margaret
  109. 1271 Not a false gallop.
  110. [Re-enter URSULA.]
  111. Ursula
  112. 1272 Madam, withdraw: the prince, the count, Signior Benedick, Don John,
  113. 1273 and all the gallants of the town, are come to fetch you to church.
  114. Hero
  115. 1274 Help to dress me, good coz, good Meg, good Ursula.
  116. [Exeunt.]