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Act 5, Scene 4

A Room in LEONATO'S House.

  1. [Enter LEONATO, ANTONIO, BENEDICK, BEATRICE, MARGARET, URSULA, FRIAR FRANCIS, and HERO.]
  2. Friar Francis
  3. 2130 Did I not tell you she was innocent?
  4. Leonato
  5. 2131 So are the prince and Claudio, who accus'd her
  6. 2132 Upon the error that you heard debated:
  7. 2133 But Margaret was in some fault for this,
  8. 2134 Although against her will, as it appears
  9. 2135 In the true course of all the question.
  10. Antonio
  11. 2136 Well, I am glad that all things sort so well.
  12. Benedick
  13. 2137 And so am I, being else by faith enforc'd
  14. 2138 To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it.
  15. Leonato
  16. 2139 Well, daughter, and you gentlewomen all,
  17. 2140 Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves,
  18. 2141 And when I send for you, come hither mask'd:
  19. 2142 The prince and Claudio promis'd by this hour
  20. 2143 To visit me.
  21. [Exeunt Ladies.]
  22. Leonato
  23. 2144 You know your office, brother;
  24. 2145 You must be father to your brother's daughter,
  25. 2146 And give her to young Claudio.
  26. Antonio
  27. 2147 Which I will do with confirm'd countenance.
  28. Benedick
  29. 2148 Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think.
  30. Friar Francis
  31. 2149 To do what, signior?
  32. Benedick
  33. 2150 To bind me, or undo me; one of them.
  34. 2151 Signior Leonato, truth it is, good signior,
  35. 2152 Your niece regards me with an eye of favour.
  36. Leonato
  37. 2153 That eye my daughter lent her: 'tis most true.
  38. Benedick
  39. 2154 And I do with an eye of love requite her.
  40. Leonato
  41. 2155 The sight whereof I think, you had from me,
  42. 2156 From Claudio, and the prince. But what's your will?
  43. Benedick
  44. 2157 Your answer, sir, is enigmatical:
  45. 2158 But, for my will, my will is your good will
  46. 2159 May stand with ours, this day to be conjoin'd
  47. 2160 In the state of honourable marriage:
  48. 2161 In which, good friar, I shall desire your help.
  49. Leonato
  50. 2162 My heart is with your liking.
  51. Friar Francis
  52. 2163 And my help. Here comes the prince and Claudio.
  53. [Enter DON PEDRO and CLAUDIO, with Attendants.]
  54. Don Pedro
  55. 2164 Good morrow to this fair assembly.
  56. Leonato
  57. 2165 Good morrow, prince; good morrow, Claudio:
  58. 2166 We here attend you. Are you yet determin'd
  59. 2167 To-day to marry with my brother's daughter?
  60. Claudio
  61. 2168 I'll hold my mind, were she an Ethiope.
  62. Leonato
  63. 2169 Call her forth, brother: here's the friar ready.
  64. [Exit ANTONIO.]
  65. Don Pedro
  66. 2170 Good morrow, Benedick. Why, what's the matter,
  67. 2171 That you have such a February face,
  68. 2172 So full of frost, of storm and cloudiness?
  69. Claudio
  70. 2173 I think he thinks upon the savage bull.
  71. 2174 Tush! fear not, man, we'll tip thy horns with gold,
  72. 2175 And all Europa shall rejoice at thee,
  73. 2176 As once Europa did at lusty Jove,
  74. 2177 When he would play the noble beast in love.
  75. Benedick
  76. 2178 Bull Jove, sir, had an amiable low:
  77. 2179 And some such strange bull leap'd your father's cow,
  78. 2180 And got a calf in that same noble feat,
  79. 2181 Much like to you, for you have just his bleat.
  80. Claudio
  81. 2182 For this I owe you: here comes other reckonings.
  82. [Re-enter ANTONIO, with the ladies masked.]
  83. Claudio
  84. 2183 Which is the lady I must seize upon?
  85. Antonio
  86. 2184 This same is she, and I do give you her.
  87. Claudio
  88. 2185 Why then, she's mine. Sweet, let me see your face.
  89. Leonato
  90. 2186 No, that you shall not, till you take her hand
  91. 2187 Before this friar, and swear to marry her.
  92. Claudio
  93. 2188 Give me your hand: before this holy friar,
  94. 2189 I am your husband, if you like of me.
  95. Hero
  96. 2190 And when I liv'd, I was your other wife:
  97. [Unmasking.]
  98. Hero
  99. 2191 And when you lov'd, you were my other husband.
  100. Claudio
  101. 2192 Another Hero!
  102. Hero
  103. 2193 Nothing certainer:
  104. 2194 One Hero died defil'd, but I do live,
  105. 2195 And surely as I live, I am a maid.
  106. Don Pedro
  107. 2196 The former Hero! Hero that is dead!
  108. Leonato
  109. 2197 She died, my lord, but whiles her slander liv'd.
  110. Friar Francis
  111. 2198 All this amazement can I qualify:
  112. 2199 When after that the holy rites are ended,
  113. 2200 I'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death:
  114. 2201 Meantime, let wonder seem familiar,
  115. 2202 And to the chapel let us presently.
  116. Benedick
  117. 2203 Soft and fair, friar. Which is Beatrice?
  118. [Unmasking.]
  119. Beatrice
  120. 2204 I answer to that name. What is your will?
  121. Benedick
  122. 2205 Do not you love me?
  123. Beatrice
  124. 2206 Why, no; no more than reason.
  125. Benedick
  126. 2207 Why, then, your uncle and the prince and Claudio
  127. 2208 Have been deceived; for they swore you did.
  128. Beatrice
  129. 2209 Do not you love me?
  130. Benedick
  131. 2210 Troth, no; no more than reason.
  132. Beatrice
  133. 2211 Why, then my cousin, Margaret, and Ursula,
  134. 2212 Are much deceiv'd; for they did swear you did.
  135. Benedick
  136. 2213 They swore that you were almost sick for me.
  137. Beatrice
  138. 2214 They swore that you were well-nigh dead for me.
  139. Benedick
  140. 2215 Tis no such matter. Then you do not love me?
  141. Beatrice
  142. 2216 No, truly, but in friendly recompense.
  143. Leonato
  144. 2217 Come, cousin, I am sure you love the gentleman.
  145. Claudio
  146. 2218 And I'll be sworn upon 't that he loves her;
  147. 2219 For here's a paper written in his hand,
  148. 2220 A halting sonnet of his own pure brain,
  149. 2221 Fashion'd to Beatrice.
  150. Hero
  151. 2222 And here's another,
  152. 2223 Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen from her pocket,
  153. 2224 Containing her affection unto Benedick.
  154. Benedick
  155. 2225 A miracle! here's our own hands against our hearts. Come, I will
  156. 2226 have thee; but, by this light, I take thee for pity.
  157. Beatrice
  158. 2227 I would not deny you; but, by this good day, I yield upon great
  159. 2228 persuasion, and partly to save your life, for I was told you were
  160. 2229 in a consumption.
  161. Benedick
  162. 2230 Peace! I will stop your mouth.
  163. [Kisses her.]
  164. Benedick
  165. 2231 I'll tell thee what, prince; a college of witcrackers cannout flout
  166. 2232 me out of my humour. Dost thou think I care for a satire or an
  167. 2233 epigram? No; if man will be beaten with brains, a' shall wear nothing
  168. 2234 handsome about him. In brief, since I do purpose to marry, I will
  169. 2235 think nothing to any purpose that the world can say against it; and
  170. 2236 therefore never flout at me for what I have said against it, for man
  171. 2237 is a giddy thing, and this is my conclusion. For thy part, Claudio,
  172. 2238 I did think to have beaten thee; but, in that thou art like to be my
  173. 2239 kinsman, live unbruised, and love my cousin.
  174. Claudio
  175. 2240 I had well hoped thou wouldst have denied Beatrice, that I might have
  176. 2241 cudgelled thee out of thy single life, to make thee a double-dealer;
  177. 2242 which, out of question, thou wilt be, if my cousin do not look
  178. 2243 exceeding narrowly to thee.
  179. Benedick
  180. 2244 Come, come, we are friends. Let's have a dance ere we are married,
  181. 2245 that we may lighten our own hearts and our wives' heels.
  182. Leonato
  183. 2246 We'll have dancing afterward.
  184. Benedick
  185. 2247 First, of my word; therefore play, music! Prince, thou art sad; get
  186. 2248 thee a wife, get thee a wife: there is no staff more reverent than one
  187. 2249 tipped with horn.
  188. [Enter Messenger.]
  189. Messenger
  190. 2250 My lord, your brother John is ta'en in flight,
  191. 2251 And brought with armed men back to Messina.
  192. Benedick
  193. 2252 Think not on him till to-morrow: I'll devise thee brave
  194. 2253 punishments for him.
  195. 2254 Strike up, pipers!
  196. [Dance. Exeunt.]