And, when I send for you, come hither mask'd;
The prince and Claudio promis'd by this hour
To visit me :- You know your office, brother;
You must be father to your brother's daughter,
And give her to young Claudio.

[Exeunt Ladies. Ant. Which I will do with confirm'd countenance. Bene. Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think. Friar. To do what, signior?

Bene. To bind me, or undo me, one of them.— Signior Leonato, truth it is, good signior, Your niece regards me with an eye of favour.

500

Leon. That eye my daughter lent her; 'tis most true,

Bene. And I do with an eye of love requite her.

Leon. The sight whereof, I think, you had from

me,

From Claudio and the prince; But what's your
Bene. Your answer, sir, is enigmatical :

But, for my will, my will is, your good will
May stand with ours, this day to be conjoin'd
In the estate of honourable marriage ;—
In which, good friar, I shall desire your help,
Leon. My heart is with your liking.

Friar. And my help.

"Here comes the prince, and Claudio."

will?

510

Enter Don PEDRO and CLAUDI0, with Attendants.

Pedro. Good morrow to this fair assembly.
Leon. "Good morrow, prince; good morrow,

" Claudio ;"

We

We here attend you; Are you yet determined

To-day to marry with my brother's daughter?
Claud. I'll hold my mind, were she an Ethiope. 520
Leon. Call her forth, brother, here's the friar ready.
[Exit ANTONIO.
Pedro. Good morrow, Benedick: Why, what's the

matter,

That you have such a February face,

So full of frost, of storm, and cloudiness?

Claud. I think, he thinks upon the savage bull:--Tush, fear not, man, we'll tip thy horns with gold, And all Europa shall rejoice at thee;

As once Europa did at lusty Jove,

When he would play the noble beast in love.

Bene. Bull Jove, sir, had an amiable low;

530

And some such strange bull leapt your father's cow, And got a calf in that same noble feat,

Much like to you, for you have just his bleat.

Re-enter ANTONIO, with HERO, BEATRICE, MARGARET, and URSULA, mask'd.

"Claud. For this I owe you: here come other reck'nings."

Which is the lady I must seize upon?

Ant. This same is she, and I do give you her.

Claud. Why then she's mine; Sweet, let me see your face.

Leon. No, that you shall not, till you take her

hand

Before this friar, and swear to marry her.

Claud.

Claud. Give me your hand before this holy friar ; I am your husband, if you like of me.

Hero. And when I liv'd, I was your other wife :

541

[Unmasking.

And when you lov'd, you were my other husband. Claud. Another Hero?

Hero. Nothing certainer :

One Hero dy'd defil'd; but I do live,

And, surely as I live, I am a maid.

Pedro. The former Hero! Hero, that is dead!
Leon. She dy'd, my lord, but whiles her slander liv'd,
Friar. All this amazement can I qualify;

When, after that the holy rites are ended,
I'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death:
Mean time let wonder seem familiar,

And to the chapel let us presently.

Bene. Soft and fair, friar.-Which is Beatrice? Beat..I answer to that name; What is your will? Bene. Do not you love me?

Beat. Why, no, no more than reason.

550

Bene. Why then your uncle, and the prince, and

Claudio

Have been deceived; they swore you did.

Beat. Do not you love me?

Bene. Troth, no, no more than reason.

560

Beat. Why, then my cousin, Margaret, and Ursula, Are much deceiv'd; for they did swear you did.

almost sick for me.

Bene. They swore, that you were Beat. They swore, that you were well-nigh dead

for me.

Bene.

Bene. 'Tis no such matter:-Then, you do not

love nie?

Beat. No, truly, but in friendly recompence. Leon. Come, cousin, I am sure you love the gentleman..

Claud. And I'll be sworn upon't, that he loves her; For here's a paper, written in his hand,

A halting sonnet of his own pure brain,
Fashion'd to Beatrice.

Hero. And here's another,

Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen from her pocket,
Containing her affection unto Benedick.

571

Bene. A miracle! here's our own hands against our hearts! - Come, I will have thee; but, by this light, I take thee for pity.

579

Beat. I would not deny you ;-but, by this good day, I yield upon great persuasion; and, partly, to save your life, for I was told, you were in a consumption. Bene. Peace, I will stop your mouth.—

583

[Kissing her.

Pedro. How dost thou, Benedick the married man? Bene. I'll tell thee what, prince; a college of witcrackers cannot flout me out of my humour: Dost thou think, I care for a satire, or an epigram? No: if a man will be beaten with brains, he shall wear nothing handsome about him: In brief, since I do purpose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the world can say against it; and therefore never flout at me for what I have said against it; for man is a giddy thing," and this is my conclusion.-For thy

part,

part, Claudio, I did think to have beaten thee; but in that thou art like to be my kinsman, live unbruis'd, and love my cousin.

596

Claud. I had well hoped, thou would'st have denied Beatrice, that I might have cudgell'd thee "out of "thy single life, to make thee a double dealer; which, out of question, thou wilt be, if my cousin do not "look exceeding narrowly to thee.”

601

Bene. Come, come, we are friends :-let's have a dance.ere we are marry'd, that we may lighten our own hearts, and our wives' heels.

Leon. We'll have dancing afterwards.

Bene. First, o' my word; therefore, play, musick.— Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee a wife : there is no staff more reverend than one tipt with horn. Enter Messenger.

Mess. My lord, your brother John is ta’en in flight, And brought with armed men back to Messina. 610

Bene. Think not on him till to-morrow: I'll devise thee brave punishments for him.-Strike up, pipers. Dance. [Exeunt omnes.

THE END.