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Much Ado About Nothing - Act 1, scene 3
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Much Ado About Nothing - Act 1, scene 3Act 1, scene 3
⌜Scene 3⌝
Synopsis:
Don John, Don Pedro’s brother, receives a true account of Don Pedro’s plan to woo Hero for Claudio. Resentful of both Don Pedro and Claudio, who have defeated him in the just-ended war, Don John hopes to find a way to block the marriage.
Enter Sir John the Bastard, and Conrade, hiscompanion.
CONRADE 0352 What the goodyear, my lord, why are you
0353 thus out of measure sad?
DON JOHN 0354 There is no measure in the occasion that
0355 breeds. Therefore the sadness is without limit.
CONRADE 0356 5You should hear reason.
DON JOHN 0357 And when I have heard it, what blessing
0358 brings it?
CONRADE 0359 If not a present remedy, at least a patient
0360 sufferance.
DON JOHN 0361 10I wonder that thou, being, as thou sayst thou
0362 art, born under Saturn, goest about to apply a moral
0363 medicine to a mortifying mischief. I cannot hide
0364 what I am. I must be sad when I have cause, and
0365 smile at no man’s jests; eat when I have stomach,
0366 15 and wait for no man’s leisure; sleep when I am
0367 drowsy, and tend on no man’s business; laugh when
0368 I am merry, and claw no man in his humor.
CONRADE 0369 Yea, but you must not make the full show of
0370 this till you may do it without controlment. You
0371 20 have of late stood out against your brother, and he
0372 hath ta’en you newly into his grace, where it is
0373 impossible you should take true root but by the fair
0374 weather that you make yourself. It is needful that
0375 you frame the season for your own harvest.
DON JOHN 0376 25I had rather be a canker in a hedge than a
0377 rose in his grace, and it better fits my blood to be
0378 disdained of all than to fashion a carriage to rob
0379 love from any. In this, though I cannot be said to be
0380 a flattering honest man, it must not be denied but I
0381 30 am a plain-dealing villain. I am trusted with a
0382 muzzle and enfranchised with a clog; therefore I
0383 have decreed not to sing in my cage. If I had my
p.
31
0384
mouth, I would bite; if I had my liberty, I would do0385 my liking. In the meantime, let me be that I am, and
0386 35 seek not to alter me.
CONRADE 0387 Can you make no use of your discontent?
DON JOHN 0388 I make all use of it, for I use it only. Who
0389 comes here?
Enter Borachio.
0390 What news, Borachio?
BORACHIO 0391 40I came yonder from a great supper. The
0392 Prince your brother is royally entertained by
0393 Leonato, and I can give you intelligence of an
0394 intended marriage.
DON JOHN 0395 Will it serve for any model to build mischief
0396 45 on? What is he for a fool that betroths himself to
0397 unquietness?
BORACHIO 0398 Marry, it is your brother’s right hand.
DON JOHN 0399 Who, the most exquisite Claudio?
BORACHIO 0400 Even he.
DON JOHN 0401 50A proper squire. And who, and who? Which
0402 way looks he?
BORACHIO 0403 Marry, on Hero, the daughter and heir of
0404 Leonato.
DON JOHN 0405 A very forward March chick! How came you
0406 55 to this?
BORACHIO 0407 Being entertained for a perfumer, as I was
0408 smoking a musty room, comes me the Prince and
0409 Claudio, hand in hand, in sad conference. I
0410 whipped me behind the arras, and there heard it
0411 60 agreed upon that the Prince should woo Hero for
0412 himself, and having obtained her, give her to Count
0413 Claudio.
DON JOHN 0414 Come, come, let us thither. This may prove
0415 food to my displeasure. That young start-up hath
0416 65 all the glory of my overthrow. If I can cross him any
p.
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0417
way, I bless myself every way. You are both sure, and0418 will assist me?
CONRADE 0419 To the death, my lord.
DON JOHN 0420 Let us to the great supper. Their cheer is the
0421 70 greater that I am subdued. Would the cook were o’
0422 my mind! Shall we go prove what’s to be done?
BORACHIO 0423 We’ll wait upon your Lordship.
⌜They⌝ exit.