SCENE III.

LEONATO's Orchard. Enter BENEDICK "and a Boy."

" Bene. Boy,-

"Boy. Signior.

"Bene. In my chamber-window lies a book; bring "it hither to me in the orchard.

"Boy. I am here already, sir.”

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Bene. "I know that ;-but I would have thee "hence, and here again. [Exit Boy.]"-I do much wonder, that one man, seeing how much another man is a fool when he dedicates his behaviours to love, will, after he hath laugh'd at such shallow follies in others, become the argument of his own scorn, by falling in love: And such a man is Claudio. I have known, when there was no musick with him but the drum and the fife; and now had he rather hear the tabor and the pipe: I have known, when he would have walk'd ten mile afoot, to see a good armour; and now will he lye ten nights awake, carving the fashion of a new doublet. He was wont to speak plain, and to the purpose, like an honest man, and a soldier and now is he turn'd orthographer; his words are a very fantastical banquet, just so many strange dishes. May I be so converted, and see with these eyes? I cannot tell; I think not: I will not be sworn, but love may transform me to an oyster; but I'll take my oath on it, till he have made an oyster

:

of me, he shall never make me such a fool. One woman is fair; yet I am well: another is wise; yet I am well: another virtuous; yet I am well: but till all graces be in one woman, one woman. shall not come in my grace. Rich she shall be, that's certain; wise, or I'll none; virtuous, or I'll never cheapen her; fair, or I'll never look on her; mild, or come not near me; noble, or not I for an angel; of good discourse, an excellent musician, and her hair shall be of what colour it please God. Ha! the prince and monsieur Love! I will hide me in the arbour.

[Withdraws.

Enter Don PEDRO, LEONATO, CLAUDIO, and BAL

THAZAR.

Pedro. Come, shall we hear this musick?

478 Claud. Yea, my good lord :—how still the evening is, As hush'd on purpose to grace harmony!

Pedro. See you where Benedick hath hid himself? ! "Claud. O very well, my lord: the music ended, We'll fit the kid-fox with a penny-worth.

"Pedro." Come, Balthazar, we'll hear that song again.

Balth. O good my lord, tax not so bad a voice To slander musick any more than once.

Pedro. It is the witness still of excellency, To put a strange face on his own perfection :I pray thee sing, and let me woo no more. 490 "Balth. Because you talk of wooing, I will sing: Since many a wooer doth commence his suit To her he thinks not worthy ;-yet he wooes'; 4

❝r Yet

"Yet will he swear, he loves.

"Pedro. Nay, pray thee, come : Or, if thou wilt hold longer argument, "Do it in notes.

"Balth. Note this before my notes,

"There's not a note of mine, that's worth the

noting.

500

"Pedro. Why these are very crotchets that he speaks;

Note, notés, forsooth, and noting!"

Bene. Now, Divine air! now is his soul ravish'd!Is it not strange, that sheeps guts should hale souls out of men's bodies ?-Well, a horn for my money, when all's done.

SONG.

Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more,
Men were deceivers ever;

One foot in sea, and one on fhore;

To one thing constant never :

Then sigh not so,

But let them go,

And be blith and bonny;
you

Converting all your sounds of woe

Into, Hey nonny, nonny.
Sing no more ditties, sing no mo

Of dumps so dull and heavy ;
The frauds of men were ever so,
Since summer first was leavy.'

Then sigh not so, &c.

Dij

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Pedro.

Pedro. By my troth, a good song.

Balth. And an ill singer, my lord.

"Pedro. Ha no; no, faith; thou sing'st well "enough for a shift.”

Bene. [Aside.] An he had been a dog, that should have howl'd thus, they would have hang'd him: and, I pray God, his bad voice bode no mischief! I had as lief have heard the night-raven, "come what plague could have come after it."

539

Pedro. "Yea, marry;"-Dost thou hear, Balthazar? I pray thee, get us some excellent musick; for to-morrow night we would have it at the lady Hero's chamber-window.

Balth. The best I can, my lord..

Pedro. Do so: farewel.

[Exit BALTHAZAR. Come hither, Leonato;

What was it you told me of to-day, that your niece Beatrice was in love with signior Benedick?

Claud. O, ay;-Stalk on, stalk on, the fowl sits, [Aside to Pedro.] I did never think that lady would have loved any man.

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Leon. No, nor I neither; but most wonderful, that she should so dote on signior Benedick, whom she hath in all outward behaviours seem'd ever to abhor.

Bene. Is't possible? Sits the wind in that corner?

[Aside.

Leon. By my troth, my lord, I cannot tell what to think of it, but that she loves him with an enraged affection it is past the infinite of thought.

Pedro.

Pedro. May be, she doth but counterfeit.

Claud. Faith, like enough.

550

Leon. O God! counterfeit! There never was coun

terfeit of passion came so near the life of passion,' as she discovers it..

Pedro. Why, what effects of passion shews she? Claud. Bait the hook well: this fish will bite.

[Asides Leon. What effects, my lord! She will sit you,→→ You heard my daughter tell you how.

Claud. She did, indeed.

Pedro. How, how, I pray you? You amaze me I would have thought her spirit had been invincible against all assaults of affection.

569 Leon. I would have sworn it had, my lord; especially against Benedick.

Bene. [Aside.] I should think this a gull, but that the white-bearded fellow speaks it: knavery cannot, sure, hide himself in such reverence.

Claud. He hath ta'en the infection; hold it up.

[Aside Pedro. Hath she made her affection known to Be, nedick? Leon. No; and swears she never will that's her

torment.

.570

"Claud. 'Tis true, indeed; so your daughter says: Shall I, says she, that have so oft encounter'd him with scorn, write to him that I love him?

"Leon. This says she now when she is beginning "to write to him: for she'll be up twenty times a