MaximumEdge.com | | Search | | E-Mail | | News | | Weather | | Finance | | Directory | | Music | | Lottery Results | | Horoscopes | | Translation | | Games | | E-Cards | | Maps | | Jobs | | Magazines | | DVDs |

MaximumEdge.com
Shakespeare

Home > Much Ado About Nothing > ACT III - SCENE IV. HERO's apartment.

Search: Much Ado About Nothing


< (Previous) ACT III, SCENE IIIACT III, V (Next) >

ACT III - SCENE IV. HERO's apartment.
Enter HERO, MARGARET, and URSULA

HERO
1    Good Ursula, wake my cousin Beatrice, and desire
2    her to rise.
URSULA
3    I will, lady.
HERO
4    And bid her come hither.
URSULA
5    Well.
Exit

MARGARET
6    Troth, I think your other rabato were better.
HERO
7    No, pray thee, good Meg, I'll wear this.
MARGARET
8    By my troth, 's not so good; and I warrant your
9    cousin will say so.
HERO
10   My cousin's a fool, and thou art another: I'll wear
11   none but this.
MARGARET
12   I like the new tire within excellently, if the hair
13   were a thought browner; and your gown's a most rare
14   fashion, i' faith. I saw the Duchess of Milan's
15   gown that they praise so.
HERO
16   O, that exceeds, they say.
MARGARET
17   By my troth, 's but a night-gown in respect of
18   yours: cloth o' gold, and cuts, and laced with
19   silver, set with pearls, down sleeves, side sleeves,
20   and skirts, round underborne with a bluish tinsel:
21   but for a fine, quaint, graceful and excellent
22   fashion, yours is worth ten on 't.
HERO
23   God give me joy to wear it! for my heart is
24   exceeding heavy.
MARGARET
25   'Twill be heavier soon by the weight of a man.
HERO
26   Fie upon thee! art not ashamed?
MARGARET
27   Of what, lady? of speaking honourably? Is not
28   marriage honourable in a beggar? Is not your lord
29   honourable without marriage? I think you would have
30   me say, 'saving your reverence, a husband:' and bad
31   thinking do not wrest true speaking, I'll offend
32   nobody: is there any harm in 'the heavier for a
33   husband'? None, I think, and it be the right husband
34   and the right wife; otherwise 'tis light, and not
35   heavy: ask my Lady Beatrice else; here she comes.
Enter BEATRICE

HERO
36   Good morrow, coz.
BEATRICE
37   Good morrow, sweet Hero.
HERO
38   Why how now? do you speak in the sick tune?
BEATRICE
39   I am out of all other tune, methinks.
MARGARET
40   Clap's into 'Light o' love;' that goes without a
41   burden: do you sing it, and I'll dance it.
BEATRICE
42   Ye light o' love, with your heels! then, if your
43   husband have stables enough, you'll see he shall
44   lack no barns.
MARGARET
45   O illegitimate construction! I scorn that with my heels.
BEATRICE
46   'Tis almost five o'clock, cousin; tis time you were
47   ready. By my troth, I am exceeding ill: heigh-ho!
MARGARET
48   For a hawk, a horse, or a husband?
BEATRICE
49   For the letter that begins them all, H.
MARGARET
50   Well, and you be not turned Turk, there's no more
51   sailing by the star.
BEATRICE
52   What means the fool, trow?
MARGARET
53   Nothing I; but God send every one their heart's desire!
HERO
54   These gloves the count sent me; they are an
55   excellent perfume.
BEATRICE
56   I am stuffed, cousin; I cannot smell.
MARGARET
57   A maid, and stuffed! there's goodly catching of cold.
BEATRICE
58   O, God help me! God help me! how long have you
59   professed apprehension?
MARGARET
60   Even since you left it. Doth not my wit become me rarely?
BEATRICE
61   It is not seen enough, you should wear it in your
62   cap. By my troth, I am sick.
MARGARET
63   Get you some of this distilled Carduus Benedictus,
64   and lay it to your heart: it is the only thing for a qualm.
HERO
65   There thou prickest her with a thistle.
BEATRICE
66   Benedictus! why Benedictus? you have some moral in
67   this Benedictus.
MARGARET
68   Moral! no, by my troth, I have no moral meaning; I
69   meant, plain holy-thistle. You may think perchance
70   that I think you are in love: nay, by'r lady, I am
71   not such a fool to think what I list, nor I list
72   not to think what I can, nor indeed I cannot think,
73   if I would think my heart out of thinking, that you
74   are in love or that you will be in love or that you
75   can be in love. Yet Benedick was such another, and
76   now is he become a man: he swore he would never
77   marry, and yet now, in despite of his heart, he eats
78   his meat without grudging: and how you may be
79   converted I know not, but methinks you look with
80   your eyes as other women do.
BEATRICE
81   What pace is this that thy tongue keeps?
MARGARET
82   Not a false gallop.
Re-enter URSULA

URSULA
83   Madam, withdraw: the prince, the count, Signior
84   Benedick, Don John, and all the gallants of the
85   town, are come to fetch you to church.
HERO
86   Help to dress me, good coz, good Meg, good Ursula.
Exeunt

< (Previous) ACT III, SCENE IIIACT III, V (Next) >
Scene Index
ACT I
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III


  • ACT II
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III


  • ACT III
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III
  • SCENE IV
  • SCENE V


  • ACT IV
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II


  • ACT V
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III
  • SCENE IV

  • ©1999-. All rights reserved.Contact
    Part of the MaximumEdge.com Network.Add Bookmark