ARKCODEX
Act V, Scene 4
1A room in Leonato’s house.
2Enter Leonato, Antonio, Benedick, Beatrice, Margaret, Ursula, Friar Francis, and Hero.
3FriarDid I not tell you she was innocent?
4LeonatoSo are the prince and Claudio, who accused her
Upon the error that you heard debated:
But Margaret was in some fault for this,
Although against her will, as it appears
In the true course of all the question.
5AntonioWell, I am glad that all things sort so well.
6BenedickAnd so am I, being else by faith enforced
To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it.
7LeonatoWell, daughter, and you gentlewomen all,
Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves,
And when I send for you, come hither mask’d. Exeunt Ladies.
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.
8AntonioWhich I will do with confirm’d countenance.
9BenedickFriar, I must entreat your pains, I think.
10FriarTo do what, signior?
11BenedickTo bind me, or undo me; one of them.
Signior Leonato, truth it is, good signior,
Your niece regards me with an eye of favour.
12LeonatoThat eye my daughter lent her: ’tis most true.
13BenedickAnd I do with an eye of love requite her.
14LeonatoThe sight whereof I think you had from me,
From Claudio and the prince: but what’s your will?
15BenedickYour 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 state of honourable marriage:
In which, good friar, I shall desire your help.
16LeonatoMy heart is with your liking.
17FriarAnd my help. Here comes the prince and Claudio.
18Enter Don Pedro and Claudio, and two or three others.
19Don PedroGood morrow to this fair assembly.
20LeonatoGood morrow, prince; good morrow, Claudio:
We here attend you. Are you yet determined
Today to marry with my brother’s daughter?
21ClaudioI’ll hold my mind, were she an Ethiope.
22LeonatoCall her forth, brother; here’s the friar ready. Exit Antonio.
23Don PedroGood morrow, Benedick. Why, what’s the matter,
That you have such a February face,
So full of frost, of storm and cloudiness?
24ClaudioI 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.
25BenedickBull Jove, sir, had an amiable low;
And some such strange bull leap’d your father’s cow,
And got a calf in that same noble feat
Much like to you, for you have just his bleat.
26ClaudioFor this I owe you: here comes other reckonings.
27Reenter Antonio, with the Ladies masked.
28Which is the lady I must seize upon?
29AntonioThis same is she, and I do give you her.
30ClaudioWhy, then she’s mine. Sweet, let me see your face.
31LeonatoNo, that you shall not, till you take her hand
Before this friar and swear to marry her.
32ClaudioGive me your hand: before this holy friar,
I am your husband, if you like of me.
33HeroAnd when I lived, I was your other wife: Unmasking.
And when you loved, you were my other husband.
34ClaudioAnother Hero!
35HeroNothing certainer:
One Hero died defiled, but I do live,
And surely as I live, I am a maid.
36Don PedroThe former Hero! Hero that is dead!
37LeonatoShe died, my lord, but whiles her slander lived.
38FriarAll this amazement can I qualify;
When after that the holy rites are ended,
I’ll tell you largely of fair Hero’s death:
Meantime let wonder seem familiar,
And to the chapel let us presently.
39BenedickSoft and fair, friar. Which is Beatrice?
40BeatriceUnmasking. I answer to that name. What is your will?
41BenedickDo not you love me?
42BeatriceWhy, no; no more than reason.
43BenedickWhy, then your uncle and the prince and Claudio
Have been deceived; they swore you did.
44BeatriceDo not you love me?
45BenedickTroth, no; no more than reason.
46BeatriceWhy, then my cousin Margaret and Ursula
Are much deceived; for they did swear you did.
47BenedickThey swore that you were almost sick for me.
48BeatriceThey swore that you were well-nigh dead for me.
49Benedick’Tis no such matter. Then you do not love me?
50BeatriceNo, truly, but in friendly recompense.
51LeonatoCome, cousin, I am sure you love the gentleman.
52ClaudioAnd 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.
53HeroAnd here’s another
Writ in my cousin’s hand, stolen from her pocket,
Containing her affection unto Benedick.
54BenedickA miracle! here’s our own hands against our hearts. Come, I will have thee; but, by this light, I take thee for pity.
55BeatriceI 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.
56BenedickPeace! I will stop your mouth. Kissing her.
57Don PedroHow dost thou, Benedick, the married man?
58BenedickI’ll tell thee what, prince; a college of wit-crackers cannot flout me out of my humour. Dost thou think I care for a satire or an epigram? No: if man will be beaten with brains, a’ 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, Claudio, I did think to have beaten thee; but in that thou art like to be my kinsman, live unbruised and love my cousin.
59ClaudioI had well hoped thou wouldst have denied Beatrice, that I might have cudgelled 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.
60BenedickCome, come, we are friends: let’s have a dance ere we are married, that we may lighten our own hearts and our wives’ heels.
61LeonatoWe’ll have dancing afterward.
62BenedickFirst, of my word; therefore play, music. Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee a wife: there is no staff more reverent than one tipped with horn.
63Enter a Messenger.
64MessengerMy lord, your brother John is ta’en in flight,
And brought with armed men back to Messina.
65BenedickThink not on him till tomorrow: I’ll devise thee brave punishments for him. Strike up, pipers. Dance. Exeunt.