SCENE II. The same. Much Ado About Nothing  Shakespeare homepage  |  Much Ado About Nothing  | Act 2, Scene 2 

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 Enter DON JOHN and BORACHIO  DON JOHN  It is so; the Count Claudio shall marry the 

 daughter of Leonato. 

 BORACHIO  Yea, my lord; but I can cross it. 

 DON JOHN  Any bar, any cross, any impediment will be 

 medicinable to me: I am sick in displeasure to him, 

 and whatsoever comes athwart his affection ranges 

 evenly with mine. How canst thou cross this marriage? 

 BORACHIO  Not honestly, my lord; but so covertly that no 

 dishonesty shall appear in me. 

 DON JOHN  Show me briefly how. 

 BORACHIO  I think I told your lordship a year since, how much 

 I am in the favour of Margaret, the waiting 

 gentlewoman to Hero. 

 DON JOHN  I remember. 

 BORACHIO  I can, at any unseasonable instant of the night, 

 appoint her to look out at her lady's chamber window. 

 DON JOHN  What life is in that, to be the death of this marriage? 

 BORACHIO  The poison of that lies in you to temper. Go you to 

 the prince your brother; spare not to tell him that 

 he hath wronged his honour in marrying the renowned 

 Claudio--whose estimation do you mightily hold 

 up--to a contaminated stale, such a one as Hero. 

 DON JOHN  What proof shall I make of that? 

 BORACHIO  Proof enough to misuse the prince, to vex Claudio, 

 to undo Hero and kill Leonato. Look you for any 

 other issue? 

 DON JOHN  Only to despite them, I will endeavour any thing. 

 BORACHIO  Go, then; find me a meet hour to draw Don Pedro and 

 the Count Claudio alone: tell them that you know 

 that Hero loves me; intend a kind of zeal both to the 

 prince and Claudio, as,--in love of your brother's 

 honour, who hath made this match, and his friend's 

 reputation, who is thus like to be cozened with the 

 semblance of a maid,--that you have discovered 

 thus. They will scarcely believe this without trial: 

 offer them instances; which shall bear no less 

 likelihood than to see me at her chamber-window, 

 hear me call Margaret Hero, hear Margaret term me 

 Claudio; and bring them to see this the very night 

 before the intended wedding,--for in the meantime I 

 will so fashion the matter that Hero shall be 

 absent,--and there shall appear such seeming truth 

 of Hero's disloyalty that jealousy shall be called 

 assurance and all the preparation overthrown. 

 DON JOHN  Grow this to what adverse issue it can, I will put 

 it in practise. Be cunning in the working this, and 

 thy fee is a thousand ducats. 

 BORACHIO  Be you constant in the accusation, and my cunning 

 shall not shame me. 

 DON JOHN  I will presently go learn their day of marriage. 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  Much Ado About Nothing  | Act 2, Scene 2 

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