第 17 节
作者:嘟嘟      更新:2021-02-19 17:05      字数:6473
  is; good signior; Your niece regards me with an eye of favour。
  Leon。 That eye my daughter lent her。 'Tis most true。
  Bene。 And I do with an eye of love requite her。
  Leon。 The sight whereof I think you had from me; From Claudio; and
  the Prince; but what's your will?
  Bene。 Your   answer;   sir;   is   enigmatical;   But;   for   my   will;   my  will   is;
  your good will May stand with ours; this day to be conjoin'd In the state of
  honourable marriage; In which; good friar; I shall desire your help。
  Leon。 My heart is with your liking。
  Friar。 And my  help。 'Enter Don   Pedro and Claudio   and two or   three
  other。 ' Here comes the Prince and Claudio。
  Pedro。 Good morrow to this fair assembly。
  Leon。   Good   morrow;   Prince;   good   morrow;   Claudio。 We   here   attend
  you。 Are you yet determin'd To…day to marry with my brother's daughter?
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  Claud。 I'll hold my mind; were she an Ethiope。
  Leon。   Call   her   forth;   brother。   Here's   the   friar   ready。   'Exit   Antonio。'
  Pedro。   Good   morrow;   Benedick。   Why;   what's   the   matter   That   you   have
  such a February face; So full of frost; of storm; and cloudiness?
  Claud。   I   think   he   thinks   upon   the   savage   bull。   Tush;   fear   not;   man!
  We'll tip thy horns with gold; And all Europa shall rejoice at thee; As once
  Europa did at lusty Jove When he would play the noble beast in love。
  Bene。 Bull Jove; sir; had an amiable low; And some such strange bull
  leap'd your father's cow And got a calf in that same noble feat Much like
  to you; for you have just his bleat。 'Enter 'Leonato's' brother 'Antonio';
  Hero; Beatrice; Margaret; Ursula; 'the ladies wearing masks。'
  Claud。 For this I owe you。 Here comes other reckonings。 Which is the
  lady I must seize upon?
  Ant。 This same is she; and I do give you her。
  Claud。 Why then; she's mine。 Sweet; let me see your face。
  Leon。 No; that you shall not till you take her hand Before this friar and
  swear to marry her。
  Claud。 Give me your hand before this holy friar。 I am your husband if
  you like of me。
  Hero。 And when I liv'd I was your other wife; 'Unmasks。' And when
  you lov'd you were my other husband。
  Claud。 Another Hero!
  Hero。   Nothing   certainer。   One   Hero   died   defil'd;   but   I   do   live;   And
  surely as I live; I am a maid。
  Pedro。 The former Hero! Hero that is dead!
  Leon。 She died; my lord; but whiles her slander liv'd。
  Friar。 All this amazement can I qualify; When; after that the holy rites
  are ended; I'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death。 Meantime let wonder
  seem familiar; And to the chapel let us presently。
  Bene。 Soft and fair; friar。 Which is Beatrice?
  Beat。 'unmasks' I answer to that name。 What is your will?
  Bene。 Do not you love me?
  Beat。 Why; no; no more than reason。
  Bene。 Why; then your uncle; and the Prince; and Claudio Have been
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  deceived; for they swore you did。
  Beat。 Do not you love me?
  Bene。 Troth; no; no more than reason。
  Beat。 Why; then my cousin; Margaret; and Ursula Are much deceiv'd;
  for they did swear you did。
  Bene。 They swore that you were almost sick for me。
  Beat。 They swore that you were well…nigh dead for me。
  Bene。 'Tis no such matter。 Then you do not love me?
  Beat。 No; truly; but in friendly recompense。
  Leon。 Come; cousin; I am sure you love the gentleman。
  Claud。 And I'll be sworn upon't that he loves her; For here's a paper
  written in his hand; A halting sonnet of his own pure brain; Fashion'd to
  Beatrice。
  Hero。 And   here's   another;   Writ   in   my   cousin's   hand;   stol'n   from   her
  pocket; Containing her affection unto Benedick。
  Bene。 A miracle! Here's our own hands against our hearts。 Come; I will
  have thee; but; by this light; I take thee for pity。
  Beat。 I would not deny you; but; by this good day; I yield upon great
  persuasion;   and   partly   to   save   your   life;   for   I   was   told   you   were   in   a
  consumption。
  Bene。 Peace! I will stop your mouth。 'Kisses her。'
  Bene。 I'll tell thee what; Prince: a college of wit…crackers cannot flout
  me out of my humour。 Dost thou think I care for a satire or an epigram?
  No。 If a man will be beaten with brains; 'a shall wear nothing handsome
  about him。 In brief; since I do purpose to marry; I will think nothing to any
  purpose that the world can say against it; and therefore never flout at me
  for what I   have said   against it;   for man is   a giddy  thing; and this is   my
  conclusion。 For thy part; Claudio; I did think to have beaten thee; but in
  that thou art like to be my kinsman; live unbruis'd; and love my cousin。
  Claud。   I   had   well   hop'd   thou   wouldst   have   denied   Beatrice;   that   I
  might   have   cudgell'd   thee   out   of   thy  single   life;   to   make   thee   a   double…
  dealer;   which     out   of  question   thou   wilt   be  if   my  cousin   do   not  look
  exceeding narrowly to thee。
  Bene。   Come;   come;   we   are   friends。   Let's   have   a   dance   ere   we   are
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  married; that we may lighten our own hearts and our wives' heels。
  Leon。 We'll have dancing afterward。
  Bene。 First; of my word! Therefore play; music。 Prince; thou art sad。
  Get thee a wife; get thee a wife! There is no staff more reverent than one
  tipp'd with horn。 'Enter Messenger。' Mess。 My lord; your brother John is
  ta'en in flight; And brought with armed men back to Messina。
  Bene。     Think   not   on  him    till  to…morrow。   I'll  devise  thee   brave
  punishments for him。 Strike up; pipers! Dance。 'Exeunt。' THE END
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