Sink in apple of his eye! When thou wak'st, if she be by, Re-enter PUCK. Puck. Captain of our fairy band, And the youth, mistook by me, Shall we their fond pageant see? Lord, what fools these mortals be! Obe. Stand aside: the noise they make, Will cause Demetrius to awake. Puck. Then will two at once, woo one; That must needs be sport alone; And those things do best please me That befall preposterously. Enter LYSANDER and HELENA. Lys. Why should you think, that I should woo in scorn? Scorn and derision never come in tears: Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows so born, In their nativity all truth appears. How can these things in me seem scorn to you, Hel. You do advance your cunning more and more. Will even weigh; and both as light as tales. Lys. I had no judgment, when to her I swore. Hel. Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er. Dem. [awaking]. O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine! Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow! * Heartily. To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, Lys. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so; Hel. Never did mockers waste more idle breath. My heart with her, but, as guest-wise, sojourn'd; There to remain. Lys. Helen, it is not so. Dem. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear.t Look where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear. Enter HERMIA. Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function takes, The ear more quick of apprehension makes; Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense, It pays the hearing double recompense:Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found; Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound. But why unkindly didst thou leave me so? Lys. Why should he stay, whom love doth press to go? Her. What love could press Lysander from my side? Lys. Lysander's love, that would not let him bide, Fair Helena; who more engilds the night Than all yon fiery oes ‡ and eyes of light. Why seek'st thou me ? could not this make thee know, The hate I bare thee made me leave thee so ? Her. You speak not as you think; it cannot be. Hel. Lo, she is one of this confederacy! Now I perceive they have conjoin'd, all three, Have you conspired, have you with these contrived Is all the counsel that we two have shared, The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent, For parting us,-O, and is all forgot? * Degree. VOL. I. + Pay dearly for it. + Circles. All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence? Have with our neelds+ created both one flower, Two lovely berries moulded on one stem: Due but to one, and crowned with one crest. Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it; Her. I am amazed at your passionate words: (Who even but now did spurn me with his foot), Her. Sweet, do not scorn her so. Dem. If she cannot entreat, I can compel. Lys. Thou canst compel no more than she entreat; Thy threats have no more strength, than her weak prayers.Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do; * Ingenious. + Needles. + Wry faces. I swear by that which I will lose for thee, Her. Lysander, whereto tends all this? Lys. Away, you Ethiop! Dem. No, no, Sir-he will Seem to break loose; take on, as you would follow; But yet come not: You are a tame man, go! Lys. Hang off, thou cat, thou burr: vile thing let loose; Or I will shake thee from me, like a serpent." Her. Why are you grown so rude? what change is this, Sweet love? Lys. Thy love? out, tawny Tartar, out! Out, loathed medicine! hated potion, hence! Her. Do you not jest? Hel. Yes, 'sooth; and so do you. Lys. Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee. A weak bond holds you; I'll not trust your word. Lys. What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead? Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so. Her. What, can you do me greater harm than hate? Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my love? Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lysander? I am as fair now, as I was erewhile. Since night, you loved me; yet, since night you left me: Why, then you left me,-0, the gods forbid ! In earnest shall I say? Lys. Ay, by my life; And never did desire to see thee more. Therefore, be out of hope, of question, doubt, Be certain, nothing truer; 'tis no jest, That I do hate thee and love Helena. Her. O me! you juggler! you canker-blossom!* You thief of love! what, have you come by night Hel. Fine, i' faith! Have you no modesty, no maiden shame, No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear Her. Puppet! why so? Ay, that way goes the game. Between our statures, she hath urged her height; And with her personage, her tall personage, Her height forsooth, she hath prevail'd with him.- Because I am so dwarfish and so low? How low am I, thou painted maypole? speak; * A worm that preys on buds of flowers. How low am I? 1 am not yet so low, But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes. Hel. I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen, Let her not hurt me: I was never curst ;* I have no gift at all in shrewishness; I am a right maid for my cowardice; Let her not strike me: You, perhaps, may think, Her. Lower! hark, again. Hel. Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me. Did ever keep your counsels, never wrong'd you; I told him of your stealth unto this wood: He follow'd you; for love I follow'd him. But he hath chid me hence; and threaten'd me To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too: You see how simple and how fond† I am. Her. Why, get you gone: Who is't that hinders you? Her. What, with Lysander? Hel. With Demetrius. Lys. Be not afraid she shall not harm thee, Helena. Dem. No, Sir; she shall not, though you take her part. Hel. O, when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd : She was a vixen, when she went to school; And, though she be but little, she is fierce. Her. Little again? nothing but low and little?— Why will you suffer her to flout me thus ? Let me come to her. Lys. Get you gone, you dwarf; You minimus, of hind'ring knot-grass made; You bead, you acorn. Dem. You are too officious, In her behalf that scorns your services. Let her alone; speak not of Helena; Take not her part: for if thou dost intend§ Never so little show of love to her, Thou shalt aby it. Lys. Now she holds me not; Now follow, if thou dar'st, to try whose right, Or thine or mine, is most in Helena. Dem. Follow? nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jowl. [Exeunt Lys, and DEM. Her. You, mistress, all this coil is 'long of you: Nay, go not back. *Shrewish or mischievous. + Foolish. Anciently knot-grass was believed to prevent the growth of children. § Pretend. |