Pedro.
Why, these are very crotchets that he speaks!
Note notes, forsooth, and nothing! [Music.]
Bene.
[aside] Now divine air! Now is his soul ravish'd! Is it not
strange that sheep's guts should hale souls out of men's bodies?
Well, a horn for my money, when all's done.
[Balthasar sings.]
The Song.
Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more!
Men were deceivers ever,
One foot in sea, and one on shore;
To one thing constant never.
Then sigh not so,
But let them go,
And be you blithe and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into Hey nonny, nonny.
Sing no more ditties, sing no moe,
Of dumps so dull and heavy!
The fraud of men was ever so,
Since summer first was leavy.
Then sigh not so, &c.
Pedro.
By my troth, a good song.
Balth.
And an ill singer, my lord.
Pedro.
Ha, no, no, faith! Thou sing'st well enough for a shift.
Bene.
[aside] An he had been a dog that should have howl'd thus, they
would have hang'd him; and I pray God his bad voice bode no
mischief. I had as live have heard the night raven, come what
plague could have come after it.
Pedro.
Yea, marry. Dost thou hear, Balthasar? I pray thee get us some
excellent music; for to-morrow night we would have it at the Lady
Hero's chamber window.
Balth.
The best I can, my lord.
Pedro.
Do so. Farewell.
[Exit Balthasar [with Musicians.]
Come hither, Leonato. What was it you told me of to-day? that
your niece Beatrice was in love with Signior Benedick?
Claud.
O, ay!-[Aside to Pedro] Stalk on, stalk on; the fowl sits. --I
did never think that lady would have loved any man.
Leon.
No, nor I neither; but most wonderful that she should so dote on
Signior Benedick, whom she hath in all outward behaviours seem'd
ever to abhor.
Bene.
[aside] Is't possible? Sits the wind in that corner?
Leon.
By my troth, my lord, I cannot tell what to think of it, but that
she loves him with an enraged affection. It is past the infinite
of thought.
Pedro.
May be she doth but counterfeit.
Claud.
Faith, like enough.
Leon.
O God, counterfeit? There was never counterfeit of passion came
so near the life of passion as she discovers it.
Pedro.
Why, what effects of passion shows she?
Claud.
[aside] Bait the hook well! This fish will bite.
Leon.
What effects, my lord? She will sit you--you heard my daughter
tell you how.
Claud.
She did indeed.
Pedro.
How, how, I pray you? You amaze me. I would have thought her
spirit had been invincible against all assaults of affection.
Leon.
I would have sworn it had, my lord--especially against Benedick.
Bene.
[aside] I should think this a gull but that the white-bearded
fellow speaks it. Knavery cannot, sure, hide himself in such
reverence.
Claud.
[aside] He hath ta'en th' infection. Hold it up.
Pedro.
Hath she made her affection known to Benedick?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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