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- $Unique_ID{SSP00903}
- $Title{Much Ado About Nothing: Act I, Scene III}
- $Author{Shakespeare, William}
- $Subject{}
- $Log{Dramatis Personae*00900.txt}
-
- Portions copyright (c) CMC ReSearch, Inc., 1989
-
- The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
-
- MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
-
-
- ACT I
- ................................................................................
-
-
- SCENE III: The same.
- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
-
- {Enter DON JOHN and CONRADE.}
-
- CONRADE: What the good-year, my lord! why are you thus out
- of measure sad?
-
- DON JOHN: There is no measure in the occasion that breeds;
- therefore the sadness is without limit.
-
- CONRADE: You should hear reason.
-
- DON JOHN: And when I have heard it, what blessing brings it?
-
- CONRADE: If not a present remedy, at least a patient
- sufferance.
-
- DON JOHN: I wonder that thou, being, as thou sayest thou art,
- born under Saturn, goest about to apply a moral
- medicine to a mortifying mischief. I cannot hide 10
- what I am: I must be sad when I have cause and smile
- at no man's jests, eat when I have stomach and wait
- for no man's leisure, sleep when I am drowsy and
- tend on no man's business, laugh when I am merry and
- claw no man in his humor.
-
- CONRADE: Yea, but you must not make the full show of this
- till you may do it without controlment. You have of
- late stood out against your brother, and he hath
- ta'en you newly into his grace; where it is
- impossible you should take true root but by the 20
- fair weather that you make yourself: it is needful
- that you frame the season for your own harvest.
-
- DON JOHN: I had rather be a canker in a hedge than a rose in
- his grace, and it better fits my blood to be
- disdained of all than to fashion a carriage to rob
- love from any: in this, though I cannot be said to
- be a flattering honest man, it must not be denied
- but I am a plain-dealing villain. I am trusted with
- a muzzle and enfranchised with a clog; therefore I
- have decreed not to sing in my cage. If I had my 30
- mouth, I would bite; if I had my liberty, I would do
- my liking: in the meantime let me be that I am and
- seek not to alter me.
-
- CONRADE: Can you make no use of your discontent?
-
- DON JOHN: I make all use of it, for I use it only.
- Who comes here?
-
- {Enter BORACHIO.}
-
- What news, Borachio?
-
- BORACHIO: I came yonder from a great supper: the prince your
- brother is royally entertained by Leonato: and I
- can give you intelligence of an intended marriage. 40
-
- DON JOHN: Will it serve for any model to build mischief on?
- What is he for a fool that betroths himself to
- unquietness?
-
- BORACHIO: Marry, it is your brother's right hand.
-
- DON JOHN: Who? the most exquisite Claudio?
-
- BORACHIO: Even he.
-
- DON JOHN: A proper squire! And who, and who? which way looks
- he?
-
- BORACHIO: Marry, on Hero, the daughter and heir of Leonato.
-
- DON JOHN: A very forward March-chick! How came you to this? 50
-
- BORACHIO: Being entertained for a perfumer, as I was smoking a
- musty room, comes me the prince and Claudio, hand
- in hand in sad conference: I whipt me behind the
- arras; and there heard it agreed upon that the
- prince should woo Hero for himself, and having
- obtained her, give her to Count Claudio.
-
- DON JOHN: Come, come, let us thither: this may prove food to
- my displeasure. That young start-up hath all the
- glory of my overthrow: if I can cross him any way, I
- bless myself every way. You are both sure, and will 60
- assist me?
-
- CONRADE: To the death, my lord.
-
- DON JOHN: Let us to the great supper: their cheer is the
- greater that I am subdued. Would the cook were of
- my mind! Shall we go prove what's to be done?
-
- BORACHIO: We'll wait upon your lordship.
-
- [Exeunt.]
-