ACT III SCENE II  A room in LEONATO'S house
Enter DON PEDRO, CLAUDIO, BENEDICK, and LEONATO
DON PEDRO  I do but stay till your marriage be consummate, and
then go I toward Arragon.
CLAUDIO  I'll bring you thither, my lord, if you'll
vouchsafe me.5
DON PEDRO  Nay, that would be as great a soil in the new gloss
of your marriage as to show a child his new coat
and forbid him to wear it. I will only be bold
with Benedick for his company; for, from the crown
of his head to the sole of his foot, he is all10
mirth: he hath twice or thrice cut Cupid's
bow-string and the little hangman dare not shoot at
him; he hath a heart as sound as a bell and his
tongue is the clapper, for what his heart thinks his
tongue speaks.15
BENEDICK  Gallants, I am not as I have been.
LEONATO  So say I methinks you are sadder.
CLAUDIO  I hope he be in love.
DON PEDRO  Hang him, truant! there's no true drop of blood in
him, to be truly touched with love: if he be sad,20
he wants money.
BENEDICK  I have the toothache.
DON PEDRO  Draw it.
BENEDICK  Hang it!
CLAUDIO  You must hang it first, and draw it afterwards.25
DON PEDRO  What! sigh for the toothache?
LEONATO  Where is but a humour or a worm.
BENEDICK  Well, every one can master a grief but he that has
it.
CLAUDIO  Yet say I, he is in love.30
DON PEDRO  There is no appearance of fancy in him, unless it be
a fancy that he hath to strange disguises; as, to be
a Dutchman today, a Frenchman to-morrow, or in the
shape of two countries at once, as, a German from
the waist downward, all slops, and a Spaniard from35
the hip upward, no doublet. Unless he have a fancy
to this foolery, as it appears he hath, he is no
fool for fancy, as you would have it appear he is.
CLAUDIO  If he be not in love with some woman, there is no
believing old signs: a' brushes his hat o'40
mornings; what should that bode?
DON PEDRO  Hath any man seen him at the barber's?
CLAUDIO  No, but the barber's man hath been seen with him,
and the old ornament of his cheek hath already
stuffed tennis-balls.45
LEONATO  Indeed, he looks younger than he did, by the loss of a beard.
DON PEDRO  Nay, a' rubs himself with civet: can you smell him
out by that?
CLAUDIO  That's as much as to say, the sweet youth's in love.
DON PEDRO  The greatest note of it is his melancholy.50
CLAUDIO  And when was he wont to wash his face?
DON PEDRO  Yea, or to paint himself? for the which, I hear
what they say of him.
CLAUDIO  Nay, but his jesting spirit; which is now crept into
a lute-string and now governed by stops.55
DON PEDRO  Indeed, that tells a heavy tale for him: conclude,
conclude he is in love.
CLAUDIO  Nay, but I know who loves him.
DON PEDRO  That would I know too: I warrant, one that knows him not.
CLAUDIO  Yes, and his ill conditions; and, in despite of60
all, dies for him.
DON PEDRO  She shall be buried with her face upwards.
BENEDICK  Yet is this no charm for the toothache. Old
signior, walk aside with me: I have studied eight
or nine wise words to speak to you, which these65
hobby-horses must not hear.
Exeunt BENEDICK and LEONATO
DON PEDRO  For my life, to break with him about Beatrice.
CLAUDIO  'Tis even so. Hero and Margaret have by this
played their parts with Beatrice; and then the two
bears will not bite one another when they meet.70
Enter DON JOHN
DON JOHN  My lord and brother, God save you!
DON PEDRO  Good den, brother.
DON JOHN  If your leisure served, I would speak with you.
DON PEDRO  In private?
DON JOHN  If it please you: yet Count Claudio may hear; for75
what I would speak of concerns him.
DON PEDRO  What's the matter?
DON JOHN  To CLAUDIO
to-morrow?
DON PEDRO  You know he does.
DON JOHN  I know not that, when he knows what I know.80
CLAUDIO  If there be any impediment, I pray you discover it.
DON JOHN  You may think I love you not: let that appear
hereafter, and aim better at me by that I now will
manifest. For my brother, I think he holds you
well, and in dearness of heart hath holp to effect85
your ensuing marriage;--surely suit ill spent and
labour ill bestowed.
DON PEDRO  Why, what's the matter?
DON JOHN  I came hither to tell you; and, circumstances
shortened, for she has been too long a talking of,90
the lady is disloyal.
CLAUDIO  Who, Hero?
DON PEDRO  Even she; Leonato's Hero, your Hero, every man's Hero:
CLAUDIO  Disloyal?
DON JOHN  The word is too good to paint out her wickedness; I95
could say she were worse: think you of a worse
title, and I will fit her to it. Wonder not till
further warrant: go but with me to-night, you shall
see her chamber-window entered, even the night
before her wedding-day: if you love her then,100
to-morrow wed her; but it would better fit your honour
to change your mind.
CLAUDIO  May this be so?
DON PEDRO  I will not think it.
DON JOHN  If you dare not trust that you see, confess not105
that you know: if you will follow me, I will show
you enough; and when you have seen more and heard
more, proceed accordingly.
CLAUDIO  If I see any thing to-night why I should not marry
her to-morrow in the congregation, where I should110
wed, there will I shame her.
DON PEDRO  And, as I wooed for thee to obtain her, I will join
with thee to disgrace her.
DON JOHN  I will disparage her no farther till you are my
witnesses: bear it coldly but till midnight, and115
let the issue show itself.
DON PEDRO  O day untowardly turned!
CLAUDIO  O mischief strangely thwarting!
DON JOHN  O plague right well prevented! so will you say when
you have seen the sequel.120
Exeunt