deny. Prince John is this morning secretly stol'n away: Hero was in this manner accus'd, in this very manner refus'd, and, upon the grief of this, suddenly died. Master Constable, let these men be bound, and brought to Leonato: I will go before, and show him their examination. Dogb. Come, let them be opinion'd. [Exit. Con. Let them be, in the hands of coxcomb. Dogb. God's my life! where's the Sexton? let him write down the Prince's officer, coxcomb. Come, bind them. - Thou naughty varlet! Con. Away! you are an ass; you are an ass. Dogb. Dost thou not suspect my place? Dost thou not suspect my years? - O, that he were here to write me down, an ass! But, masters, remember, that I am an ass; though it be not written down, yet forget not that I am an ass. - No, thou villain, thou art full of piety, as shall be prov'd upon thee by good witness. I am a wise fellow; and, which is more, an officer; and, which is more, a householder; and, which is more, as pretty a piece of flesh as any in Messina; and one that knows the law, go to; and a rich fellow enough, go to; and a fellow that hath had losses; and one that hath two gowns, and every thing handsome about him. Bring him away. O, that I had been writ down, an ass! 「Exeunt. I ACT V. SCENE I. - Before LEONATO'S House. Enter LEONATO and ANTONIO. ANTONIO. F you go on thus, you will kill yourself; Against yourself. Leon. I pray thee, cease thy counsel, Which falls into mine ears as profitless As water in a sieve. Give not me counsel; Nor let no comforter delight mine ear, But such a one whose wrongs do suit with mine: Bring me a father that so lov'd his child, Whose joy of her is overwhelm'd like mine, And bid him speak of patience; Measure his woe the length and breadth of mine, As thus for thus, and such a grief for such, But there is no such man; for, brother, men $2 Charm ache with air, and agony with words. To be so moral when he shall endure The like himself. Therefore give me no counsel: My griefs cry louder than advertisement. Ant. Therein do men from children nothing differ. Leon. I pray thee, peace! I will be flesh and blood; For there was never yet philosopher Ant. Yet bend not all the harm upon yourself; Make those that do offend you suffer too. Leon. There thou speak'st reason: nay, I will do so. My soul doth tell me Hero is belied, And that shall Claudio know; so shall the Prince, And all of them that thus dishonour her. Enter Don PEDRO and CLAUDIO. Ant. Here comes the Prince and Claudio, hastily. D. Pedro. Good den, good den. Claud. Good day to both of you. Leon. Hear you, my lords, We have some haste, Leonato. Leon. Some haste, my lord! - well, fare you well, my lord: Are you so hasty now? - well, all is one. D. Pedro. Nay, do not quarrel with us, good old man. Ant. If he could right himself with quarrelling, Some of us would lie low. Claud. Who wrongs him? Leon. Marry, thou dost wrong me; thou, dissem Nay, never lay thy hand upon thy sword ; I fear thee not. Claud. Marry, beshrew my hand, If it should give your age such cause of fear. Leon. Tush, tush, man! never fleer and jest at me; I speak not like a dotard, nor a fool; What I have done being young, or what would do, Thou hast so wrong'd mine innocent child and me, That I am forc'd to lay my reverence by, And with gray hairs and bruise of many days, Do challenge thee to trial of a man. I say, thou hast belied mine innocent child: Thy slander hath gone through and through her heart, And she lies buried with her ancestors, O! in a tomb where never scandal slept, Save this of hers, fram'd by thy villainy. Claud. My villainy? Leon. Thine, Claudio; thine, I say. D. Pedro. You say not right, old man. My lord, my lord, I'll prove it on his body, if he dare, Claud. Away! I will not have to do with you. If thou kill'st me, boy, thou shalt kill a man. Ant. He shall kill two of us, and men indeed: But that's no matter; let him kill one first: Win me and wear me; - let him answer me. Come, follow me, boy! come, sir boy, come, follow me. Sir boy, I'll whip you from your foining fence; Ant. Content yourself. God knows I lov'd my niece; And she is dead; slander'd to death by villains, As I dare take a serpent by the tongue. Leon. Brother Antony Ant. Hold you content. What, man! I know them, yea, And what they weigh, even to the utmost scruple: And speak off half a dozen dang'rous words, How they might hurt their enemies - if they durst; Leon. But, brother Antony - Come, 'tis no matter: Do not you meddle; let me deal in this. D. Pedro. Gentlemen both, we will not wake your patience. My heart is sorry for your daughter's death; But, on mine honour, she was charg'd with noth ing But what was true, and very full of proof. Leon. My lord, my lord! D. Pedro. I will not hear you. |