Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing

ACT III SCENE IV	HERO's apartment.
	Enter HERO, MARGARET, and URSULA
HERO	Good Ursula, wake my cousin Beatrice, and desire
	her to rise.
URSULA	I will, lady.
HERO	And bid her come hither.	5
URSULA	Well.
	Exit
MARGARET	Troth, I think your other rabato were better.
HERO	No, pray thee, good Meg, I'll wear this.
MARGARET	By my troth, 's not so good; and I warrant your
	cousin will say so.	10
HERO	My cousin's a fool, and thou art another: I'll wear
	none but this.
MARGARET	I like the new tire within excellently, if the hair
	were a thought browner; and your gown's a most rare
	fashion, i' faith. I saw the Duchess of Milan's	15
	gown that they praise so.
HERO	O, that exceeds, they say.
MARGARET	By my troth, 's but a night-gown in respect of
	yours: cloth o' gold, and cuts, and laced with
	silver, set with pearls, down sleeves, side sleeves,	20
	and skirts, round underborne with a bluish tinsel:
	but for a fine, quaint, graceful and excellent
	fashion, yours is worth ten on 't.
HERO	God give me joy to wear it! for my heart is
	exceeding heavy.	25
MARGARET	'Twill be heavier soon by the weight of a man.
HERO	Fie upon thee! art not ashamed?
MARGARET	Of what, lady? of speaking honourably? Is not
	marriage honourable in a beggar? Is not your lord
	honourable without marriage? I think you would have	30
	me say, 'saving your reverence, a husband:' and bad
	thinking do not wrest true speaking, I'll offend
	nobody: is there any harm in 'the heavier for a
	husband'? None, I think, and it be the right husband
	and the right wife; otherwise 'tis light, and not	35
	heavy: ask my Lady Beatrice else; here she comes.
	Enter BEATRICE
HERO	Good morrow, coz.
BEATRICE	Good morrow, sweet Hero.
HERO	Why how now? do you speak in the sick tune?
BEATRICE	I am out of all other tune, methinks.	40
MARGARET	Clap's into 'Light o' love;' that goes without a
	burden: do you sing it, and I'll dance it.
BEATRICE	Ye light o' love, with your heels! then, if your
	husband have stables enough, you'll see he shall
	lack no barns.	45
MARGARET	O illegitimate construction! I scorn that with my heels.
BEATRICE	'Tis almost five o'clock, cousin; tis time you were
	ready. By my troth, I am exceeding ill: heigh-ho!
MARGARET	For a hawk, a horse, or a husband?
BEATRICE	For the letter that begins them all, H.	50
MARGARET	Well, and you be not turned Turk, there's no more
	sailing by the star.
BEATRICE	What means the fool, trow?
MARGARET	Nothing I; but God send every one their heart's desire!
HERO	These gloves the count sent me; they are an	55
	excellent perfume.
BEATRICE	I am stuffed, cousin; I cannot smell.
MARGARET	A maid, and stuffed! there's goodly catching of cold.
BEATRICE	O, God help me! God help me! how long have you
	professed apprehension?	60
MARGARET	Even since you left it. Doth not my wit become me rarely?
BEATRICE	It is not seen enough, you should wear it in your
	cap. By my troth, I am sick.
MARGARET	Get you some of this distilled Carduus Benedictus,
	and lay it to your heart: it is the only thing for a qualm.	65
HERO	There thou prickest her with a thistle.
BEATRICE	Benedictus! why Benedictus? you have some moral in
	this Benedictus.
MARGARET	Moral! no, by my troth, I have no moral meaning; I
	meant, plain holy-thistle. You may think perchance	70
	that I think you are in love: nay, by'r lady, I am
	not such a fool to think what I list, nor I list
	not to think what I can, nor indeed I cannot think,
	if I would think my heart out of thinking, that you
	are in love or that you will be in love or that you	75
	can be in love. Yet Benedick was such another, and
	now is he become a man: he swore he would never
	marry, and yet now, in despite of his heart, he eats
	his meat without grudging: and how you may be
	converted I know not, but methinks you look with	80
	your eyes as other women do.
BEATRICE	What pace is this that thy tongue keeps?
MARGARET	Not a false gallop.
	Re-enter URSULA
URSULA	Madam, withdraw: the prince, the count, Signior
	Benedick, Don John, and all the gallants of the	85
	town, are come to fetch you to church.
HERO	Help to dress me, good coz, good Meg, good Ursula.
	Exeunt