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Manent BENEDICK and BEATRICE.

Bene. Lady Beatrice, have you wept all this while ? Beat. Yea, and I will weep a while longer.

Bene. I will not desire that.

Beat. You have no reason, I do it freely.

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Bene. Surely, I do believe your fair cousin is

wrong'd.

Beat. Ah, how much might the man deserve of me, that would right her!

Bene. Is there any way to shew such friendship?

Beat. A very even way, but no such friend.

Bene. May a man do it?

Beat. It is a man's office, but not yours.

Bene. I do love nothing in the world so well as you: Is not that strange ?

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Beat. As strange as the thing I know not: It were as possible for me to say, I loved nothing so well as you: but believe me not; and yet I lie not; I confess nothing, nor I deny nothing :-I am sorry for my cousin.

Bene. By my sword, Beatrice, thou lov`st me.

Beat. Do not swear by it, and eat it.

Bene. I will swear by it, that you love me; and I

will make him eat it, that says, I love not you. Beat. Will you not eat your word?

Bene. With no sauce that can be devis'd to it: I protest I love thee.

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Beat. Why then, God forgive me!

Bene. What offence, sweet Beatrice?

3

Beat.

Beat. You have staid me in a happy hour; I was about to protest I lov'd you.

Bene. And do it with all thy heart.

Beat. I love you with so much of my heart, that

none is left to protest.

Bene. Come, bid me do any thing for thee.

Beat. Kill Claudio,

Bene. Ha! not for the wide world.

Beat. You kill me to deny it: Farewel.

Bene. Tarry, sweet Beatrice.

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Beat. I am gone, though I am here;-There is no love in you:-nay, I pray you, let me go.

Bene. Beatrice,—

Beat. In faith, I will go.

Bene. We'll be friends first.

Beat. You dare easier be friends with me, than fight with mine enemy.

Bene. Is Claudio thine enemy?

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Beat. Is he not approv'd in the height a villain, that hath slander'd, scorn'd, dishonour'd my kinswoman?

O, that I were a man!-What, bear her in hand until they come to take hands; and then with public accusation, uncover'd slander, unmitigated rancour, O God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the market-place.

Bene. Hear me, Beatrice.

Beat. Talk with a man out at a window a proper saying!

Bene. Nay, but Beatrice ;

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Beat.

Beat. Sweet Hero!-she is wrong'd, she is slander'd, she is undone.

Bene. Beat

Beat. Princes and counties! Surely, a princely testimony, a goodly count-comfect; a sweet gallant, surely! O that I were a man for his sake! or that I had any friend would be a man for my sake! But manhood is melted into courtesies, valour into com pliment, and men are only turned into tongue, and trim ones too: he is now as valiant as Hercules, that only tells a lye, and swears it:-I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving.

335

Bene. Tarry, good Beatrice: By this hand, I love thee.

Beat. Use it for my love some other way than swearing by it.

Bene. Think you in your soul, the count Claudio hath wrong'd Hero?

341

Beat. Yea, as sure as I have a thought, or a soul. Bene. Enough, I am engag'd, I will challenge him; I will kiss your hand, and so leave you: By this hand, Claudio shall render me a dear account: As you hear of me, so think of me. Go comfort your cousin: I must say, she is dead; and so farewel. [Exeunt.

SCENE

A Prison.

SCENE II.

Enter DOGBERRY, VERGES, BORACHIO,
CONRADE, the Town-Clerk and Sexton in gowns.

Dogb. Is our whole dissembly appear'd?
Verg. O, a stool and cushion for the sexton!
Sexton. Which be the malefactors?

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Dogb. Marry, that am I and my partner. Verg. Nay, that's certain; we have the exhibition to examine.

Sexton. But which are the offenders that are to be examin'd? let them come before master constable. Dogb. Yea, marry, let them come before me.— What is your name, friend?

Bora. Borachio.

Dogb. Pray, write down Borachio. Yours,

sirrah?

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Conr. I am a gentleman, sir, and my name is Conrade.

Dogb. Write down-master gentleman Conrade.Masters, do you serve God?

Both. Yea, sir, we hope.

Dogb. Write down-that they hope they serve God:-and write God first; for God defend but God should go before such villains !-Masters, it is proved already that you are little better than false knaves, and it will go near to be thought so shortly. How answer you for yourselves?

Conr. Marry, sir, we say, we are none.

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Dogb

(

Dogb. A marvellous witty fellow, I assure you; but I will go about with him.-Come you hither, sirrah; a word in your ear, sir; I say to you, it is thought you are false knaves.

Bora. Sir, I say to you, we are none.

Dogb. Well, stand aside.-'Fore God, they are both in a tale :-Have you writ down-that hey are 380

none?

Sexton. Master constable, you go not the way to examine; you must call the watch that are their ac

cusers.

Dogb. Yea, marry, that's the eftest way :--Let the watch come forth:-Masters, I charge you in the prince's name accuse these men.

Enter Watchmen.

1 Watch. This man, said, sir, that Don John, the prince's brother, was a villain.

-Why

↑ Dogb. Write down-Prince John a villain :-` this is flat perjury, to call a Prince's brother-villain. Bora. Master constable,

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Dogb. Pray thee, fellow, peace; I do not like thy look, I promise thee.

Sexton. What heard you him say else?

2 Watch. Marry, that he had receiv'd a thousand ducats of Don John, for accusing the lady Hero wrongfully.

Dogb. Flat burglary, as ever was committed.
Verg. Yea, by the mass, that it is.

Sexton.

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