SCENE IV. HERO's apartment. Much Ado About Nothing  Shakespeare homepage  |  Much Ado About Nothing  | Act 3, Scene 4 

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 Enter HERO, MARGARET, and URSULA  HERO  Good Ursula, wake my cousin Beatrice, and desire 

 her to rise. 

 URSULA  I will, lady. 

 HERO  And bid her come hither. 

 URSULA  Well. 



 Exit  MARGARET  Troth, I think your other rabato were better. 

 HERO  No, pray thee, good Meg, I'll wear this. 

 MARGARET  By my troth, 's not so good; and I warrant your 

 cousin will say so. 

 HERO  My cousin's a fool, and thou art another: I'll wear 

 none but this. 

 MARGARET  I like the new tire within excellently, if the hair 

 were a thought browner; and your gown's a most rare 

 fashion, i' faith. I saw the Duchess of Milan's 

 gown that they praise so. 

 HERO  O, that exceeds, they say. 

 MARGARET  By my troth, 's but a night-gown in respect of 

 yours: cloth o' gold, and cuts, and laced with 

 silver, set with pearls, down sleeves, side sleeves, 

 and skirts, round underborne with a bluish tinsel: 

 but for a fine, quaint, graceful and excellent 

 fashion, yours is worth ten on 't. 

 HERO  God give me joy to wear it! for my heart is 

 exceeding heavy. 

 MARGARET  'Twill be heavier soon by the weight of a man. 

 HERO  Fie upon thee! art not ashamed? 

 MARGARET  Of what, lady? of speaking honourably? Is not 

 marriage honourable in a beggar? Is not your lord 

 honourable without marriage? I think you would have 

 me say, 'saving your reverence, a husband:' and bad 

 thinking do not wrest true speaking, I'll offend 

 nobody: is there any harm in 'the heavier for a 

 husband'? None, I think, and it be the right husband 

 and the right wife; otherwise 'tis light, and not 

 heavy: ask my Lady Beatrice else; here she comes. 



 Enter BEATRICE  HERO  Good morrow, coz. 

 BEATRICE  Good morrow, sweet Hero. 

 HERO  Why how now? do you speak in the sick tune? 

 BEATRICE  I am out of all other tune, methinks. 

 MARGARET  Clap's into 'Light o' love;' that goes without a 

 burden: do you sing it, and I'll dance it. 

 BEATRICE  Ye light o' love, with your heels! then, if your 

 husband have stables enough, you'll see he shall 

 lack no barns. 

 MARGARET  O illegitimate construction! I scorn that with my heels. 

 BEATRICE  'Tis almost five o'clock, cousin; tis time you were 

 ready. By my troth, I am exceeding ill: heigh-ho! 

 MARGARET  For a hawk, a horse, or a husband? 

 BEATRICE  For the letter that begins them all, H. 

 MARGARET  Well, and you be not turned Turk, there's no more 

 sailing by the star. 

 BEATRICE  What means the fool, trow? 

 MARGARET  Nothing I; but God send every one their heart's desire! 

 HERO  These gloves the count sent me; they are an 

 excellent perfume. 

 BEATRICE  I am stuffed, cousin; I cannot smell. 

 MARGARET  A maid, and stuffed! there's goodly catching of cold. 

 BEATRICE  O, God help me! God help me! how long have you 

 professed apprehension? 

 MARGARET  Even since you left it. Doth not my wit become me rarely? 

 BEATRICE  It is not seen enough, you should wear it in your 

 cap. By my troth, I am sick. 

 MARGARET  Get you some of this distilled Carduus Benedictus, 

 and lay it to your heart: it is the only thing for a qualm. 

 HERO  There thou prickest her with a thistle. 

 BEATRICE  Benedictus! why Benedictus? you have some moral in 

 this Benedictus. 

 MARGARET  Moral! no, by my troth, I have no moral meaning; I 

 meant, plain holy-thistle. You may think perchance 

 that I think you are in love: nay, by'r lady, I am 

 not such a fool to think what I list, nor I list 

 not to think what I can, nor indeed I cannot think, 

 if I would think my heart out of thinking, that you 

 are in love or that you will be in love or that you 

 can be in love. Yet Benedick was such another, and 

 now is he become a man: he swore he would never 

 marry, and yet now, in despite of his heart, he eats 

 his meat without grudging: and how you may be 

 converted I know not, but methinks you look with 

 your eyes as other women do. 

 BEATRICE  What pace is this that thy tongue keeps? 

 MARGARET  Not a false gallop. 



 Re-enter URSULA  URSULA  Madam, withdraw: the prince, the count, Signior 

 Benedick, Don John, and all the gallants of the 

 town, are come to fetch you to church. 

 HERO  Help to dress me, good coz, good Meg, good Ursula. 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  Much Ado About Nothing  | Act 3, Scene 4 

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