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310 315 |
BEATRICE
Princes and counties! Surely, a princely testimony, a goodly
count, Count Comfect, a sweet gallant, surely! Oh, that I
were a man for his sake! Or that I had any friend would be
a man for my sake! But manhood is melted into curtsies,
valor into compliment, and men are only turned into
tongue, and trim ones too. He is now as valiant as Hercules
that only tells a lie and swears it. I cannot be a man with
wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving.
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BEATRICE
Princes and counts! Oh, of course, it was all so proper and
ceremonious—they gave a truly princely testimony.
He’s a proper count, that Count Sugarplum, a sweet
gentleman, for sure! Oh, if only I were a man! Or had a friend who
would be a man for me! But there are no real men left. Their
manliness has melted into pretty curtsies and fancy manners, and
their bravery is spent on making clever compliments. All this
conversing has turned men into tongues—and fancy ones, at
that. The man who tells a lie and swears by it is now considered as
brave as Hercules. I can’t make myself a man by wishing I
were, so as a woman I’ll die, from grieving.
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BENEDICK
Tarry, good Beatrice. By this hand, I love thee.
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BENEDICK
Wait, good Beatrice. I swear by this hand that I love you.
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BEATRICE
Use it for my love some other way than swearing by it.
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BEATRICE
Don’t just swear by it; put your hand to some use that
will prove you love me.
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320 |
BENEDICK
Think you in your soul the Count Claudio hath wronged
Hero?
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BENEDICK
Do you honestly think, in your soul, that Claudio has wrongly
accused Hero?
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BEATRICE
Yea, as sure as I have a thought or a soul.
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BEATRICE
Yes, as sure as I have a thought or a soul.
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325 |
BENEDICK
Enough, I am engaged. I will challenge him. I will kiss your
hand, and so I leave you. By this hand, Claudio shall render
me a dear account. As you hear of me, so think of me. Go
comfort your cousin. I must say she is dead, and so,
farewell.
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BENEDICK
That’s enough for me, then. I’ll challenge
him. I’ll kiss your hand, and with that I leave you. I
swear that Claudio will pay dearly for this. Keep me in your
thoughts and go comfort your cousin. I’ll go tell them
that she’s dead. Goodbye.
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Exeunt |
They exit. |
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