1209Prince. I doe but stay till your marriage be consum-

1210mate, and then go I toward Arragon.

1211Clau. Ile bring you thither my Lord, if you'l vouch-

1212safe me.

1213Prin. Nay, that would be as great a soyle in the new

1214glosse of your marriage, as to shew a childe his new coat

1215and forbid him to weare it, I will onely bee bold with

1216Benedicke for his companie, for from the crowne of his

1217head, to the sole of his foot, he is all mirth, he hath twice

1218or thrice cut Cupids bow-string, and the little hang-man

1219dare not shoot at him, he hath a heart as sound as a bell,

1220and his tongue is the clapper, for what his heart thinkes,

1221his tongue speakes.

1222Bene. Gallants, I am not as I haue bin.

1223Leo. So say I, methinkes you are sadder.

1224Claud. I hope he be in loue.

1225Prin. Hang him truant, there's no true drop of bloud

1226in him to be truly toucht with loue, if he be sad, he wants

1227money.

1228Bene. I haue the tooth-ach.

1229Prin. Draw it.

1230Bene. Hang it.

1231Claud. You must hang it first, and draw it afterwards.

1232Prin. What? sigh for the tooth-ach.

1233Leon. Where is but a humour or a worme.

1234Bene. Well, euery one cannot master a griefe, but hee

1235that has it.

1236Clau. Yet say I, he is in loue.

1237Prin. There is no appearance of fancie in him, vnlesse

1238it be a fancy that he hath to strange disguises, as to bee a

1239Dutchman to day, a Frenchman to morrow: vnlesse hee

1240haue a fancy to this foolery, as it appeares hee hath, hee

1241is no foole for fancy, as you would haue it to appeare

1242he is.

1243Clau. If he be not in loue vvith some vvoman, there

1244is no beleeuing old signes, a brushes his hat a mornings,

1245What should that bode?

1246Prin. Hath any man seene him at the Barbers?

1247Clau. No, but the Barbers man hath beene seen with

1248him, and the olde ornament of his cheeke hath alreadie

1249stuft tennis balls.

1250Leon. Indeed he lookes yonger than hee did, by the

1251losse of a beard.

1252Prin. Nay a rubs himselfe vvith Ciuit, can you smell

1253him out by that?

1254Clau. That's as much as to say, the sweet youth's in

1255loue.

1256Prin. The greatest note of it is his melancholy.

1257Clau. And vvhen vvas he vvont to vvash his face?

1258Prin. Yea, or to paint himselfe? for the which I heare

1259vvhat they say of him.

1260Clau. Nay, but his iesting spirit, vvhich is now crept

1261into a lute-string, and now gouern'd by stops.

Much ado about Nothing. 111

1262Prin. Indeed that tels a heauy tale for him: conclude,

1263he is in loue.

1264Clau. Nay, but I know who loues him.

1265Prince. That would I know too, I warrant one that

1266knowes him not.

1267Cla. Yes, and his ill conditions, and in despight of all,

1268dies for him.

1269Prin. Shee shall be buried with her face vpwards.

1270Bene. Yet is this no charme for the tooth-ake, old sig-

1271nior, walke aside with mee, I haue studied eight or nine

1272wise words to speake to you, which these hobby-horses

1273must not heare.

1274Prin. For my life to breake with him about Beatrice.

1275Clau. 'Tis euen so, Hero and Margaret haue by this

1276played their parts with Beatrice, and then the two Beares

1277will not bite one another when they meete.

1279Bast. My Lord and brother, God saue you.

1280Prin. Good den brother.

1281Bast. If your leisure seru'd, I would speake with you.

1282Prince. In priuate?

1283Bast. If it please you, yet Count Claudio may heare,

1284for what I would speake of, concernes him.

1285Prin. What's the matter?

1286Basta. Meanes your Lordship to be married to mor-

1287row?

1288Prin. You know he does.

1289Bast. I know not that when he knowes what I know.

1290Clau. If there be any impediment, I pray you disco-

1291uer it.

1292Bast. You may thinke I loue you not, let that appeare

1293hereafter, and ayme better at me by that I now will ma-

1294nifest, for my brother (I thinke, he holds you well, and in

1295dearenesse of heart) hath holpe to effect your ensuing

1296marriage: surely sute ill spent, and labour ill bestowed.

1297Prin. Why, what's the matter?

1298Bastard. I came hither to tell you, and circumstances

1299shortned, (for she hath beene too long a talking of) the

1300Lady is disloyall.

1301Clau. Who Hero?

1302Bast. Euen shee, Leonatoes Hero, your Hero, euery

1303mans Hero.

1304Clau. Disloyall?

1305Bast. The word is too good to paint out her wicked-

1306nesse, I could say she were worse, thinke you of a worse

1307title, and I will fit her to it: wonder not till further war-

1308rant: goe but with mee to night, you shal see her cham-

1309ber window entred, euen the night before her wedding

1310day, if you loue her, then to morrow wed her: But it

1311would better fit your honour to change your minde.

1312Claud. May this be so?

1313Princ. I will not thinke it.

1314Bast. If you dare not trust that you see, confesse not

1315that you know: if you will follow mee, I will shew you

1316enough, and when you haue seene more, & heard more,

1317proceed accordingly.

1318Clau. If I see any thing to night, why I should not

1319marry her to morrow in the congregation, where I shold

1320wedde, there will I shame her.

1321Prin. And as I wooed for thee to obtaine her, I will

1322ioyne with thee to disgrace her.

1323Bast. I will disparage her no farther, till you are my

1324witnesses, beare it coldly but till night, and let the issue

1325shew it selfe.

1326Prin. O day vntowardly turned!

1327Claud. O mischiefe strangelie thwarting!

1328Bastard. O plague right well preuented! so will you

1329say, when you haue seene the sequele. Exit.