Act III, Scene 2

[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.

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 all mirth; he hath twice or thrice
cut Cupid’s bowstring, 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.

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, he wants money.

BENEDICK.
I have the tooth-ache.

DON PEDRO.
Draw it.

BENEDICK.
Hang it.

CLAUDIO.
You must hang it first, and draw it afterwards.

DON PEDRO.
What! sigh for the tooth-ache?

LEONATO.
Where is but a humour or a worm?

BENEDICK.
Well, everyone can master a grief but he that has it.

CLAUDIO.
Yet say I, he is in love.

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
tomorrow; or in the shape of two countries at once, as a German from the
waist downward, all slops, and a Spaniard from 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 a 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.

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.

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.

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 of all, dies for him.

DON PEDRO.
She shall be buried with her face upwards.

BENEDICK.
Yet is this no charm for the tooth-ache. Old signior, walk aside
with me: I have studied eight or nine wise words to speak to you, which
these 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.

[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, for what I would
speak of concerns him.

DON PEDRO.
What’s the matter?

DON JOHN.
[To Claudio.] Means your lordship to be married tomorrow?

DON PEDRO.
You know he does.

DON JOHN.
I know not that, when he knows what I know.

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 effect 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,—the lady is disloyal.

CLAUDIO.
Who, Hero?

DON JOHN.
Even she: Leonato’s Hero, your Hero, every man’s Hero.

CLAUDIO.
Disloyal?

DON JOHN.
The word’s too good to paint out her wickedness; I 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 tonight, you shall see
her chamber window entered, even the night before her wedding-day: if you
love her then, tomorrow 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 not 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 anything tonight why I should not marry her tomorrow,
in the congregation, where I should 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, and 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.

[Exeunt.]