按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
rage in savage sensuality。
Hero。 Is my lord well that he doth speak so wide？
Leon。 Sweet Prince； why speak not you？
Pedro。 What should I speak？ I stand dishonour'd that have gone about
To link my dear friend to a common stale。
Leon。 Are these things spoken； or do I but dream？
John。 Sir； they are spoken； and these things are true。
Bene。 This looks not like a nuptial。
Hero。 'True！' O God！
Claud。 Leonato； stand I here？ Is this the Prince； Is this the Prince's
brother？ Is this face Hero's？ Are our eyes our own？
Leon。 All this is so； but what of this； my lord？
Claud。 Let me but move one question to your daughter； And by that
fatherly and kindly power That you have in her； bid her answer truly。
Leon。 I charge thee do so； as thou art my child。
Hero。 O； God defend me！ How am I beset！ What kind of catechising
call you this？
Claud。 To make you answer truly to your name。
Hero。 Is it not Hero？ Who can blot that name With any just reproach？
Claud。 Marry； that can Hero！ Hero itself can blot out Hero's virtue。
55
… Page 56…
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
What man was he talk'd with you yesternight； Out at your window betwixt
twelve and one？ Now； if you are a maid； answer to this。
Hero。 I talk'd with no man at that hour； my lord。
Pedro。 Why； then are you no maiden。 Leonato； I am sorry you must
hear。 Upon my honour； Myself； my brother； and this grieved Count Did
see her； hear her； at that hour last night Talk with a ruffian at her chamber
window； Who hath indeed； most like a liberal villain； Confess'd the vile
encounters they have had A thousand times in secret。
John。 Fie； fie！ they are not to be nam'd； my lord Not to be spoke of；
There is not chastity； enough in language Without offence to utter them。
Thus； pretty lady； I am sorry for thy much misgovernment。
Claud。 O Hero！ what a Hero hadst thou been If half thy outward graces
had been plac'd About thy thoughts and counsels of thy heart！ But fare
thee well； most foul； most fair！ Farewell； Thou pure impiety and impious
purity！ For thee I'll lock up all the gates of love； And on my eyelids shall
conjecture hang； To turn all beauty into thoughts of harm； And never shall
it more be gracious。
Leon。 Hath no man's dagger here a point for me？
＇Hero swoons。＇
Beat。 Why； how now； cousin？ Wherefore sink you down？
John。 Come let us go。 These things； come thus to light； Smother her
spirits up。
＇Exeunt Don Pedro； Don Juan； and Claudio。＇
Bene。 How doth the lady？
Beat。 Dead； I think。 Help； uncle！ Hero！ why； Hero！ Uncle！ Signior
Benedick！ Friar！
Leon。 O Fate； take not away thy heavy hand！ Death is the fairest cover
for her shame That may be wish'd for。
Beat。 How now； cousin Hero？
Friar。 Have comfort； lady。
Leon。 Dost thou look up？
Friar。 Yea； wherefore should she not？
Leon。 Wherefore？ Why； doth not every earthly thing Cry shame upon
her？ Could she here deny The story that is printed in her blood？ Do not
56
… Page 57…
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
live； Hero； do not ope thine eyes； For； did I think thou wouldst not quickly
die； Thought I thy spirits were stronger than thy shames； Myself would on
the rearward of reproaches Strike at thy life。 Griev'd I； I had but one？
Child I for that at frugal nature's frame？ O； one too much by thee！ Why
had I one？ Why ever wast thou lovely in my eyes？ Why had I not with
charitable hand Took up a beggar's issue at my gates； Who smirched thus
and mir'd with infamy； I might have said； 'No part of it is mine； This
shame derives itself from unknown loins'？ But mine； and mine I lov'd； and
mine I prais'd； And mine that I was proud onmine so much That I myself
was to myself not mine； Valuing of herwhy； she； O； she is fall'n Into a pit
of ink； that the wide sea Hath drops too few to wash her clean again； And
salt too little which may season give To her foul tainted flesh！
Bene。 Sir； sir； be patient。 For my part； I am so attir'd in wonder； I know
not what to say。
Beat。 O； on my soul； my cousin is belied！
Bene。 Lady； were you her bedfellow last night？
Beat。 No； truly； not； although； until last night； I have this twelvemonth
been her bedfellow。
Leon。 Confirm'd； confirm'd！ O； that is stronger made Which was
before barr'd up with ribs of iron！ Would the two princes lie？ and Claudio
lie； Who lov'd her so that； speaking of her foulness； Wash'd it with tears？
Hence from her！ let her die。
Friar。 Hear me a little； For I have only been silent so long； And given
way unto this course of fortune； By noting of the lady。 I have mark'd A
thousand blushing apparitions To start into her face； a thousand innocent
shames In angel whiteness beat away those blushes； And in her eye there
hath appear'd a fire To burn the errors that these princes hold Against her
maiden truth。 Call me a fool； Trust not my reading nor my observation；
Which with experimental seal doth warrant The tenure of my book； trust
not my age； My reverence； calling； nor divinity； If this sweet lady lie not
guiltless here Under some biting error。
Leon。 Friar； it cannot be。 Thou seest that all the grace that she hath left
Is that she will not add to her damnation A sin of perjury： she not denies it。
Why seek'st thou then to cover with excuse That which appears in proper
57
… Page 58…
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
nakedness？
Friar。 Lady； what man is he you are accus'd of？
Hero。 They know that do accuse me； I know none。 If I know more of
any man alive Than that which maiden modesty doth warrant； Let all my
sins lack mercy！ O my father； Prove you that any man with me convers'd
At hours unmeet； or that I yesternight Maintain'd the change of words with
any creature； Refuse me； hate me； torture me to death！
Friar。 There is some strange misprision in the princes。
Bene。 Two of them have the very bent of honour； And if their wisdoms
be misled in this； The practice of it lives in John the bastard； Whose spirits
toil in frame of villanies。
Leon。 I know not。 If they speak but truth of her； These hands shall tear
her。 If they wrong her honour； The proudest of them shall well hear of it。
Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine； Nor age so eat up my
invention； Nor fortune made such havoc of