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Much Ado About Nothing - Act 3, scene 4
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Much Ado About Nothing - Act 3, scene 4Act 3, scene 4
⌜Scene 4⌝
Synopsis:
Early the next morning, Hero prepares for the wedding. Beatrice enters, suffering, she says, from a bad cold, but Hero and Margaret tease her about being in love with Benedick.
Enter Hero, and Margaret, and Ursula.HERO 1553 Good Ursula, wake my cousin Beatrice and
1554 desire her to rise.
URSULA 1555 I will, lady.
HERO 1556 And bid her come hither.
URSULA 1557 5Well.⌜Ursula exits.⌝
MARGARET 1558 Troth, I think your other rebato were
1559 better.
HERO 1560 No, pray thee, good Meg, I’ll wear this.
MARGARET 1561 By my troth, ’s not so good, and I warrant
1562 10 your cousin will say so.
HERO 1563 My cousin’s a fool, and thou art another. I’ll
1564 wear none but this.
MARGARET 1565 I like the new tire within excellently, if the
1566 hair were a thought browner; and your gown’s a
1567 15 most rare fashion, i’ faith. I saw the Duchess of
1568 Milan’s gown that they praise so.
HERO 1569 O, that exceeds, they say.
MARGARET 1570 By my troth, ’s but a nightgown ⌜in⌝ respect
1571 of yours—cloth o’ gold, and cuts, and laced with
1572 20 silver, set with pearls, down sleeves, side sleeves,
1573 and skirts round underborne with a bluish tinsel.
1574 But for a fine, quaint, graceful, and excellent fashion,
1575 yours is worth ten on ’t.
HERO 1576 God give me joy to wear it, for my heart is
1577 25 exceeding heavy.
MARGARET 1578 ’Twill be heavier soon by the weight of a
1579 man.
HERO 1580 Fie upon thee! Art not ashamed?
MARGARET 1581 Of what, lady? Of speaking honorably? Is
1582 30 not marriage honorable in a beggar? Is not your
1583 lord honorable without marriage? I think you
1584 would have me say “Saving your reverence, a husband.”
1585 An bad thinking do not wrest true speaking,
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113
1586
I’ll offend nobody. Is there any harm in “the heavier1587 35 for a husband”? None, I think, an it be the right
1588 husband and the right wife. Otherwise, ’tis light and
1589 not heavy. Ask my lady Beatrice else. Here she
1590 comes.
Enter Beatrice.
HERO 1591 Good morrow, coz.
BEATRICE 1592 40Good morrow, sweet Hero.
HERO 1593 Why, how now? Do you speak in the sick tune?
BEATRICE 1594 I am out of all other tune, methinks.
MARGARET 1595 Clap ’s into “Light o’ love.” That goes
1596 without a burden. Do you sing it, and I’ll dance it.
BEATRICE 1597 45You light o’ love with your heels! Then, if
1598 your husband have stables enough, you’ll see he
1599 shall lack no barns.
MARGARET 1600 O, illegitimate construction! I scorn that
1601 with my heels.
BEATRICE 1602 50’Tis almost five o’clock, cousin. ’Tis time
1603 you were ready. By my troth, I am exceeding ill.
1604 Heigh-ho!
MARGARET 1605 For a hawk, a horse, or a husband?
BEATRICE 1606 For the letter that begins them all, H.
MARGARET 1607 55Well, an you be not turned Turk, there’s no
1608 more sailing by the star.
BEATRICE 1609 What means the fool, trow?
MARGARET 1610 Nothing, I; but God send everyone their
1611 heart’s desire.
HERO 1612 60These gloves the Count sent me, they are an
1613 excellent perfume.
BEATRICE 1614 I am stuffed, cousin. I cannot smell.
MARGARET 1615 A maid, and stuffed! There’s goodly catching
1616 of cold.
BEATRICE 1617 65O, God help me, God help me! How long
1618 have you professed apprehension?
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115
MARGARET
1619
Ever since you left it. Doth not my wit1620 become me rarely?
BEATRICE 1621 It is not seen enough; you should wear it in
1622 70 your cap. By my troth, I am sick.
MARGARET 1623 Get you some of this distilled carduus benedictus
1624 and lay it to your heart. It is the only thing for
1625 a qualm.
HERO 1626 There thou prick’st her with a thistle.
BEATRICE 1627 75Benedictus! Why benedictus? You have some
1628 moral in this benedictus?
MARGARET 1629 Moral? No, by my troth, I have no moral
1630 meaning; I meant plain holy thistle. You may think
1631 perchance that I think you are in love. Nay, by ’r
1632 80 Lady, I am not such a fool to think what I list, nor I
1633 list not to think what I can, nor indeed I cannot
1634 think, if I would think my heart out of thinking, that
1635 you are in love or that you will be in love or that you
1636 can be in love. Yet Benedick was such another, and
1637 85 now is he become a man. He swore he would never
1638 marry, and yet now, in despite of his heart, he eats
1639 his meat without grudging. And how you may be
1640 converted I know not, but methinks you look with
1641 your eyes as other women do.
BEATRICE 1642 90What pace is this that thy tongue keeps?
MARGARET 1643 Not a false gallop.
Enter Ursula.
URSULA 1644 Madam, withdraw. The Prince, the Count,
1645 Signior Benedick, Don John, and all the gallants of
1646 the town are come to fetch you to church.
HERO 1647 95Help to dress me, good coz, good Meg, good
1648 Ursula.
⌜They exit.⌝