SCENE II. A room in LEONATO'S house Much Ado About Nothing  Shakespeare homepage  |  Much Ado About Nothing  | Act 3, Scene 2 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE II. A room in LEONATO'S house 

 Enter DON PEDRO, CLAUDIO, BENEDICK, and LEONATO  DON PEDRO  I do but stay till your marriage be consummate, and 

 then go I toward Arragon. 

 CLAUDIO  I'll bring you thither, my lord, if you'll 

 vouchsafe me. 

 DON PEDRO  Nay, that would be as great a soil in the new gloss 

 of your marriage as to show a child his new coat 

 and forbid him to wear it. I will only be bold 

 with Benedick for his company; for, from the crown 

 of his head to the sole of his foot, he is all 

 mirth: he hath twice or thrice cut Cupid's 

 bow-string and the little hangman dare not shoot at 

 him; he hath a heart as sound as a bell and his 

 tongue is the clapper, for what his heart thinks his 

 tongue speaks. 

 BENEDICK  Gallants, I am not as I have been. 

 LEONATO  So say I	methinks you are sadder. 

 CLAUDIO  I hope he be in love. 

 DON PEDRO  Hang him, truant! there's no true drop of blood in 

 him, to be truly touched with love: if he be sad, 

 he wants money. 

 BENEDICK  I have the toothache. 

 DON PEDRO  Draw it. 

 BENEDICK  Hang it! 

 CLAUDIO  You must hang it first, and draw it afterwards. 

 DON PEDRO  What! sigh for the toothache? 

 LEONATO  Where is but a humour or a worm. 

 BENEDICK  Well, every one can master a grief but he that has 

 it. 

 CLAUDIO  Yet say I, he is in love. 

 DON PEDRO  There is no appearance of fancy in him, unless it be 

 a fancy that he hath to strange disguises; as, to be 

 a Dutchman today, a Frenchman to-morrow, or in the 

 shape of two countries at once, as, a German from 

 the waist downward, all slops, and a Spaniard from 

 the hip upward, no doublet. Unless he have a fancy 

 to this foolery, as it appears he hath, he is no 

 fool for fancy, as you would have it appear he is. 

 CLAUDIO  If he be not in love with some woman, there is no 

 believing old signs: a' brushes his hat o' 

 mornings; what should that bode? 

 DON PEDRO  Hath any man seen him at the barber's? 

 CLAUDIO  No, but the barber's man hath been seen with him, 

 and the old ornament of his cheek hath already 

 stuffed tennis-balls. 

 LEONATO  Indeed, he looks younger than he did, by the loss of a beard. 

 DON PEDRO  Nay, a' rubs himself with civet: can you smell him 

 out by that? 

 CLAUDIO  That's as much as to say, the sweet youth's in love. 

 DON PEDRO  The greatest note of it is his melancholy. 

 CLAUDIO  And when was he wont to wash his face? 

 DON PEDRO  Yea, or to paint himself? for the which, I hear 

 what they say of him. 

 CLAUDIO  Nay, but his jesting spirit; which is now crept into 

 a lute-string and now governed by stops. 

 DON PEDRO  Indeed, that tells a heavy tale for him: conclude, 

 conclude he is in love. 

 CLAUDIO  Nay, but I know who loves him. 

 DON PEDRO  That would I know too: I warrant, one that knows him not. 

 CLAUDIO  Yes, and his ill conditions; and, in despite of 

 all, dies for him. 

 DON PEDRO  She shall be buried with her face upwards. 

 BENEDICK  Yet is this no charm for the toothache. Old 

 signior, walk aside with me: I have studied eight 

 or nine wise words to speak to you, which these 

 hobby-horses must not hear. 



 Exeunt BENEDICK and LEONATO  DON PEDRO  For my life, to break with him about Beatrice. 

 CLAUDIO  'Tis even so. Hero and Margaret have by this 

 played their parts with Beatrice; and then the two 

 bears will not bite one another when they meet. 



 Enter DON JOHN  DON JOHN  My lord and brother, God save you! 

 DON PEDRO  Good den, brother. 

 DON JOHN  If your leisure served, I would speak with you. 

 DON PEDRO  In private? 

 DON JOHN  If it please you: yet Count Claudio may hear; for 

 what I would speak of concerns him. 

 DON PEDRO  What's the matter? 

 DON JOHN  [To CLAUDIO]  Means your lordship to be married 

 to-morrow? 

 DON PEDRO  You know he does. 

 DON JOHN  I know not that, when he knows what I know. 

 CLAUDIO  If there be any impediment, I pray you discover it. 

 DON JOHN  You may think I love you not: let that appear 

 hereafter, and aim better at me by that I now will 

 manifest. For my brother, I think he holds you 

 well, and in dearness of heart hath holp to effect 

 your ensuing marriage;--surely suit ill spent and 

 labour ill bestowed. 

 DON PEDRO  Why, what's the matter? 

 DON JOHN  I came hither to tell you; and, circumstances 

 shortened, for she has been too long a talking of, 

 the lady is disloyal. 

 CLAUDIO  Who, Hero? 

 DON PEDRO  Even she; Leonato's Hero, your Hero, every man's Hero: 

 CLAUDIO  Disloyal? 

 DON JOHN  The word is too good to paint out her wickedness; I 

 could say she were worse: think you of a worse 

 title, and I will fit her to it. Wonder not till 

 further warrant: go but with me to-night, you shall 

 see her chamber-window entered, even the night 

 before her wedding-day: if you love her then, 

 to-morrow wed her; but it would better fit your honour 

 to change your mind. 

 CLAUDIO  May this be so? 

 DON PEDRO  I will not think it. 

 DON JOHN  If you dare not trust that you see, confess not 

 that you know: if you will follow me, I will show 

 you enough; and when you have seen more and heard 

 more, proceed accordingly. 

 CLAUDIO  If I see any thing to-night why I should not marry 

 her to-morrow in the congregation, where I should 

 wed, there will I shame her. 

 DON PEDRO  And, as I wooed for thee to obtain her, I will join 

 with thee to disgrace her. 

 DON JOHN  I will disparage her no farther till you are my 

 witnesses: bear it coldly but till midnight, and 

 let the issue show itself. 

 DON PEDRO  O day untowardly turned! 

 CLAUDIO  O mischief strangely thwarting! 

 DON JOHN  O plague right well prevented! so will you say when 

 you have seen the sequel. 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  Much Ado About Nothing  | Act 3, Scene 2 

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