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Much Ado About Nothing - Act 5, scene 4
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Much Ado About Nothing - Act 5, scene 4Act 5, scene 4
⌜Scene 4⌝
Synopsis:
Claudio and Don Pedro appear for the second wedding. The women enter masked. When Claudio takes the hand of Leonato’s “niece,” agreeing to marry her, she unmasks and he learns that she is Hero. Benedick and Beatrice agree to marry, but only out of pity for each other. Love poems each has written to the other are produced to prove that they do, in fact, love each other. Claudio is forgiven by all, and a double wedding is set to follow the closing dance.
Enter Leonato, Benedick, ⌜Beatrice,⌝ Margaret, Ursula,⌜Leonato’s brother,⌝ Friar, Hero.
FRIAR
2635 Did I not tell you she was innocent?
LEONATO
2636 So are the Prince and Claudio, who accused her
2637 Upon the error that you heard debated.
2638 But Margaret was in some fault for this,
2639 5 Although against her will, as it appears
2640 In the true course of all the question.
LEONATO’S BROTHER
2641 Well, I am glad that all things sorts so well.
BENEDICK
2642 And so am I, being else by faith enforced
2643 To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it.
LEONATO
2644 10 Well, daughter, and you gentlewomen all,
2645 Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves,
2646 And when I send for you, come hither masked.
2647 The Prince and Claudio promised by this hour
2648 To visit me.—You know your office, brother.
2649 15 You must be father to your brother’s daughter,
2650 And give her to young Claudio.The ladies exit.
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LEONATO’S BROTHER 2651 Which I will do with confirmed countenance.
BENEDICK
2652 Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think.
FRIAR 2653 To do what, signior?
BENEDICK
2654 20 To bind me, or undo me, one of them.—
2655 Signior Leonato, truth it is, good signior,
2656 Your niece regards me with an eye of favor.
LEONATO
2657 That eye my daughter lent her; ’tis most true.
BENEDICK
2658 And I do with an eye of love requite her.
LEONATO
2659 25 The sight whereof I think you had from me,
2660 From Claudio, and the Prince. But what’s your will?
BENEDICK
2661 Your answer, sir, is enigmatical.
2662 But for my will, my will is your goodwill
2663 May stand with ours, this day to be conjoined
2664 30 In the state of honorable marriage—
2665 In which, good friar, I shall desire your help.
LEONATO
2666 My heart is with your liking.
FRIAR 2667 And my help.
2668 Here comes the Prince and Claudio.
Enter Prince, and Claudio, and two or three other.
PRINCE 2669 35Good morrow to this fair assembly.
LEONATO
2670 Good morrow, prince; good morrow, Claudio.
2671 We here attend you. Are you yet determined
2672 Today to marry with my brother’s daughter?
CLAUDIO
2673 I’ll hold my mind were she an Ethiope.
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LEONATO 2674 40 Call her forth, brother. Here’s the Friar ready.
⌜Leonato’s brother exits.⌝
PRINCE
2675 Good morrow, Benedick. Why, what’s the matter
2676 That you have such a February face,
2677 So full of frost, of storm, and cloudiness?
CLAUDIO
2678 I think he thinks upon the savage bull.
2679 45 Tush, fear not, man. We’ll tip thy horns with gold,
2680 And all Europa shall rejoice at thee,
2681 As once Europa did at lusty Jove
2682 When he would play the noble beast in love.
BENEDICK
2683 Bull Jove, sir, had an amiable low,
2684 50 And some such strange bull leapt your father’s cow
2685 And got a calf in that same noble feat
2686 Much like to you, for you have just his bleat.
CLAUDIO
2687 For this I owe you. Here comes other reck’nings.
Enter ⌜Leonato’s⌝ brother, Hero, Beatrice, Margaret,
Ursula, ⌜the ladies masked.⌝
2688 Which is the lady I must seize upon?
LEONATO
2689 55 This same is she, and I do give you her.
CLAUDIO
2690 Why, then, she’s mine.—Sweet, let me see your face.
LEONATO
2691 No, that you shall not till you take her hand
2692 Before this friar and swear to marry her.
CLAUDIO, ⌜to Hero⌝
2693 Give me your hand before this holy friar.
⌜They take hands.⌝
2694 60 I am your husband, if you like of me.
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193
HERO 2695 And when I lived, I was your other wife,
2696 And when you loved, you were my other husband.
⌜She unmasks.⌝
CLAUDIO
2697 Another Hero!
HERO 2698 Nothing certainer.
2699 65 One Hero died defiled, but I do live,
2700 And surely as I live, I am a maid.
PRINCE
2701 The former Hero! Hero that is dead!
LEONATO
2702 She died, my lord, but whiles her slander lived.
FRIAR
2703 All this amazement can I qualify,
2704 70 When after that the holy rites are ended,
2705 I’ll tell you largely of fair Hero’s death.
2706 Meantime let wonder seem familiar,
2707 And to the chapel let us presently.
BENEDICK
2708 Soft and fair, friar.—Which is Beatrice?
BEATRICE, ⌜unmasking⌝
2709 75 I answer to that name. What is your will?
BENEDICK
2710 Do not you love me?
BEATRICE 2711 Why no, no more than reason.
BENEDICK
2712 Why then, your uncle and the Prince and Claudio
2713 Have been deceived. They swore you did.
BEATRICE
2714 80 Do not you love me?
BENEDICK 2715 Troth, no, no more than reason.
BEATRICE
2716 Why then, my cousin, Margaret, and Ursula
2717 Are much deceived, for they did swear you did.
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BENEDICK 2718 They swore that you were almost sick for me.
BEATRICE
2719 85 They swore that you were well-nigh dead for me.
BENEDICK
2720 ’Tis no such matter. Then you do not love me?
BEATRICE
2721 No, truly, but in friendly recompense.
LEONATO
2722 Come, cousin, I am sure you love the gentleman.
CLAUDIO
2723 And I’ll be sworn upon ’t that he loves her,
2724 90 For here’s a paper written in his hand,
2725 A halting sonnet of his own pure brain,
2726 Fashioned to Beatrice.⌜He shows a paper.⌝
HERO 2727 And here’s another,
2728 Writ in my cousin’s hand, stol’n from her pocket,
2729 95 Containing her affection unto Benedick.
⌜She shows a paper.⌝
BENEDICK 2730 A miracle! Here’s our own hands against
2731 our hearts. Come, I will have thee, but by this light
2732 I take thee for pity.
BEATRICE 2733 I would not deny you, but by this good day, I
2734 100 yield upon great persuasion, and partly to save your
2735 life, for I was told you were in a consumption.
⌜BENEDICK⌝ 2736 Peace! I will stop your mouth.
⌜They kiss.⌝
PRINCE
2737 How dost thou, Benedick, the married man?
BENEDICK 2738 I’ll tell thee what, prince: a college of
2739 105 wit-crackers cannot flout me out of my humor.
2740 Dost thou think I care for a satire or an epigram?
2741 No. If a man will be beaten with brains, he shall
2742 wear nothing handsome about him. In brief, since I
2743 do purpose to marry, I will think nothing to any
2744 110 purpose that the world can say against it, and
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197
2745
therefore never flout at me for what I have said2746 against it. For man is a giddy thing, and this is my
2747 conclusion.—For thy part, Claudio, I did think to
2748 have beaten thee, but in that thou art like to be my
2749 115 kinsman, live unbruised, and love my cousin.
CLAUDIO 2750 I had well hoped thou wouldst have denied
2751 Beatrice, that I might have cudgeled thee out of thy
2752 single life, to make thee a double-dealer, which out
2753 of question thou wilt be, if my cousin do not look
2754 120 exceeding narrowly to thee.
BENEDICK 2755 Come, come, we are friends. Let’s have a
2756 dance ere we are married, that we may lighten our
2757 own hearts and our wives’ heels.
LEONATO 2758 We’ll have dancing afterward.
BENEDICK 2759 125First, of my word! Therefore play, music.—
2760 Prince, thou art sad. Get thee a wife, get thee a wife.
2761 There is no staff more reverend than one tipped
2762 with horn.
Enter Messenger.
MESSENGER, ⌜to Prince⌝
2763 My lord, your brother John is ta’en in flight,
2764 130 And brought with armed men back to Messina.
BENEDICK, ⌜to Prince⌝ 2765 Think not on him till tomorrow.
2766 I’ll devise thee brave punishments for him.—Strike
2767 up, pipers!⌜Music plays. They⌝ dance.
⌜They exit.⌝