No Fear Shakespeare
Much Ado About Nothing
Get this No Fear to go!
Act 2, Scene 3, Page 10
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BENEDICK
(coming forward) This can be no
trick. The conference was
sadly borne; they have the truth of this from Hero; they
seem to pity the lady. It seems her affections have their full
bent. Love me? Why, it must be requited! I hear how I am
censured. They sy I will bear myself proudly if I perceive
the love come from her. They say, too, that she will rather
die than give any sign of affection. I did never think to
marry. I must not seem proud. Happy are they that hear
their detractions and can put them to mending. They say
the lady is fair; ’tis a truth, I can bear them
witness. And
virtuous; ’tis so, I cannot reprove it. And wise, but
for
loving me; by my troth, it is no addition to her wit, nor no
great argument of her folly, for I will be horribly in love
with her! I may chance have some odd quirks and remnants
of wit broken on me because I have railed so long against
marriage, but doth not the appetite alter? A man loves the
meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age. Shall
quips and sentences and these paper bullets of the
brain awe a man from the career of his humor?
No! The world must be peopled. When I said I would die a
bachelor, I did not think I should live till I were married.
Here comes Beatrice. By this day, she’s a fair lady. I
do spy
some marks of love in her.
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BENEDICK
(coming forward) This
can’t be a trick. They spoke with great seriousness, and
they have Hero’s testimony. They seem to pity the lady.
It seems her love is stretched to the limit. She loves me? Well,
that love must be returned! I hear how I’m criticized.
They say I’ll be smug if I find out she loves me. They
also say she’d rather die than give any sign of her
feelings. I never thought I’d marry. I can’t
appear to be proud. People who discover their faults and can then
change them are lucky indeed. They say the lady is beautiful;
it’s true, I’ve seen it myself. And virtuous;
that’s true, I can’t disprove that. And smart,
except that she loves me. That may not be any proof of her
intelligence, but I swear it won’t be evidence of her
stupidity—for I’m going to be horribly in love
with her! People might tease me here and there, since I attacked
marriage for so long. But don’t tastes change? A man can
love a dish when he is young that he hates when he turns old. Will
quips and clever remarks and scathing written words keep a man from
getting what his heart desires? No! The world needs to be populated.
When I said that I’d die as a bachelor, I just meant that
I didn’t think I’d live until I got married.
Here comes Beatrice. By God! She’s a beautiful lady. I
think I sense some signs of love in her.
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Enter BEATRICE
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BEATRICE enters. |
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BEATRICE
Against my will, I am sent to bid you come in to dinner.
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BEATRICE
Against my will, I’ve been told to bring you in to
dinner.
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BENEDICK
Fair Beatrice, I thank you for your pains.
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BENEDICK
Lovely Beatrice, I thank you for taking the pains to tell me
that.
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