第 7 节
作者:
嘟嘟 更新:2021-02-19 17:05 字数:8597
Leon。 What effects; my lord? She will sit youyou 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 lordespecially against
Benedick。
Bene。 'aside' I should think this a gull but that the white…bearded
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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?
Leon。 No; and swears she never will。 That's her torment。
Claud。 'Tis true indeed。 So your daughter says。 'Shall I;' says she; 'that
have so oft encount'red him with scorn; write to him that I love him?'〃
Leon。 This says she now when she is beginning to write to him; for
she'll be up twenty times a night; and there will she sit in her smock till
she have writ a sheet of paper。 My daughter tells us all。
Claud。 Now you talk of a sheet of paper; I remember a pretty jest your
daughter told us of。
Leon。 O; when she had writ it; and was reading it over; she found
'Benedick' and 'Beatrice' between the sheet?
Claud。 That。
Leon。 O; she tore the letter into a thousand halfpence; rail'd at herself
that she should be so immodest to write to one that she knew would flout
her。 'I measure him;' says she; 'by my own spirit; for I should flout him if
he writ to me。 Yea; though I love him; I should。'
Claud。 Then down upon her knees she falls; weeps; sobs; beats her
heart; tears her hair; prays; curses'O sweet Benedick! God give me
patience!'
Leon。 She doth indeed; my daughter says so。 And the ecstasy hath so
much overborne her that my daughter is sometime afeard she will do a
desperate outrage to herself。 It is very true。
Pedro。 It were good that Benedick knew of it by some other; if she will
not discover it。
Claud。 To what end? He would make but a sport of it and torment the
poor lady worse。
Pedro。 An he should; it were an alms to hang him! She's an excellent
sweet lady; and (out of all suspicion) she is virtuous。
Claud。 And she is exceeding wise。
Pedro。 In everything but in loving Benedick。
Leon。 O; my lord; wisdom and blood combating in so tender a body;
we have ten proofs to one that blood hath the victory。 I am sorry for her; as
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I have just cause; being her uncle and her guardian。
Pedro。 I would she had bestowed this dotage on me。 I would have
daff'd all other respects and made her half myself。 I pray you tell Benedick
of it and hear what 'a will say。
Leon。 Were it good; think you?
Claud。 Hero thinks surely she will die; for she says she will die if he
love her not; and she will die ere she make her love known; and she will
die; if he woo her; rather than she will bate one breath of her accustomed
crossness。
Pedro。 She doth well。 If she should make tender of her love; 'tis very
possible he'll scorn it; for the man (as you know all) hath a contemptible
spirit。
Claud。 He is a very proper man。
Pedro。 He hath indeed a good outward happiness。
Claud。 Before God! and in my mind; very wise。
Pedro。 He doth indeed show some sparks that are like wit。
Claud。 And I take him to be valiant。
Pedro。 As Hector; I assure you; and in the managing of quarrels you
may say he is wise; for either he avoids them with great discretion; or
undertakes them with a most Christianlike fear。
Leon。 If he do fear God; 'a must necessarily keep peace。 If he break the
peace; he ought to enter into a quarrel with fear and trembling。
Pedro。 And so will he do; for the man doth fear God; howsoever it
seems not in him by some large jests he will make。 Well; I am sorry for
your niece。 Shall we go seek Benedick and tell him of her love?
Claud。 Never tell him; my lord。 Let her wear it out with good counsel。
Leon。 Nay; that's impossible; she may wear her heart out first。
Pedro。 Well; we will hear further of it by your daughter。 Let it cool
the while。 I love Benedick well; and I could wish he would modestly
examine himself to see how much he is unworthy so good a lady。
Leon。 My lord; will you walk? Dinner is ready。
'They walk away。'
Claud。 If he dote on her upon this; I will never trust my expectation。
Pedro。 Let there be the same net spread for her; and that must your
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daughter and her gentlewomen carry。 The sport will be; when they hold
one an opinion of another's dotage; and no such matter。 That's the scene
that I would see; which will be merely a dumb show。 Let us send her to
call him in to dinner。
'Exeunt Don Pedro; Claudio; and Leonato。'
'Benedick advances from the arbour。'
Bene。 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 censur'd。 They say 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 meby 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 alters? 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 humour? 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。
'Enter Beatrice。'
Here comes Beatrice。 By this day; she's a fair lady! I do spy some
marks of love in her。
Beat。 Against my will I am sent to bid You come in to dinner。
Bene。 Fair Beatrice; I thank you for your pains。
Beat。 I took no more pains for those thanks than you take pains to
thank me。 If it had been painful; I would not have come。
Bene。 You take pleasure then in the message?
Beat。 Yea; just so much as you may take upon a knives point; and
choke a daw withal。 You have no stomach; signior。 Fare you well。 'Exit。'
Bene。 Ha! 'Against my will I am sent to bid you come in to dinner。'
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There's a double meaning in that。 'I took no more pains for those thanks
than you took pains to thank me。' That's as much as to say; 'Any pains that
I take for you is as easy as thanks。' If I do not take pity of her; I am a
villain; if I do not love her; I am a Jew。 I will go get her picture。 'Exit。'
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