_Claud._ Thou thinkest I am in sport: I pray thee tell 150 me truly how thou likest her. _Bene._ Would you buy her, that you inquire after her? _Claud._ Can the world buy such a jewel? _Bene._ Yea, and a case to put it into. But speak you this with a sad brow? or do you play the flouting Jack, to tell us 155 Cupid is a good hare-finder, and Vulcan a rare carpenter? Come, in what key shall a man take you, to go in the song? _Claud._ In mine eye she is the sweetest lady that ever I looked on. _Bene._ I can see yet without spectacles, and I see no 160 such matter: there’s her cousin, an she were not possessed with a fury, exceeds her as much in beauty as the first of May doth the last of December. But I hope you have no intent to turn husband, have you? _Claud._ I would scarce trust myself, though I had sworn 165 the contrary, if Hero would be my wife. _Bene._ Is’t come to this? In faith, hath not the world one man but he will wear his cap with suspicion? Shall I never see a bachelor of threescore again? Go to, i’faith; an thou wilt needs thrust thy neck into a yoke, wear the 170 print of it, and sigh away Sundays. Look; Don Pedro is returned to seek you. _Re-enter_ DON PEDRO. _D. Pedro._ What secret hath held you here, that you followed not to Leonato’s? _Bene._ I would your Grace would constrain me to tell. 175 _D. Pedro._ I charge thee on thy allegiance. _Bene._ You hear, Count Claudio: I can be secret as a dumb man; I would have you think so; but, on my allegiance, mark you this, on my allegiance. He is in love. With who? now that is your Grace’s part. Mark how 180 short his answer is;—With Hero, Leonato’s short daughter. _Claud._ If this were so, so were it uttered. _Bene._ Like the old tale, my lord: ‘it is not so, nor ’twas not so, but, indeed, God forbid it should be so.’ _Claud._ If my passion change not shortly, God forbid it 185 should be otherwise. _D. Pedro._ Amen, if you love her; for the lady is very well worthy. _Claud._ You speak this to fetch me in, my lord. _D. Pedro._ By my troth, I speak my thought. 190 _Claud._ And, in faith, my lord, I spoke mine. _Bene._ And, by my two faiths and troths, my lord, I spoke mine. _Claud._ That I love her, I feel. _D. Pedro._ That she is worthy, I know. 195 _Bene._ That I neither feel how she should be loved, nor know how she should be worthy, is the opinion that fire cannot melt out of me: I will die in it at the stake. _D. Pedro._ Thou wast ever an obstinate heretic in the despite of beauty. 200 _Claud._ And never could maintain his part but in the force of his will.