Much Ado about Nothing : the end of the second extract
| Benedick | This can be no trick, the conference was sadly borne, they have the truth of this from Hero, they seem to pity the lady: it seems her affections have their full bent: love me? Why, it must be requited: I hear how I am censured, they say I will bear myself proudly, if I perceive the love come from her: they say too that she will rather die than give any sign of affection: I did never think to marry, I must not seem proud, happy are they that hear their detractions, and can put them to mending: they say the lady is fair, ‘tis a truth, I can bear them witness: and virtuous, ‘tis so, I cannot reprove it: and wise, but for loving me: by my troth it is not addition to her wit, nor no great argument of her folly, for I will be horribly in love with her: I may chance have some odd quirks and remnants of wit broken on me, because I have railed so long against marriage: but doth not the appetite alter? A man loves the meat in his youth, that he cannot endure in his age. Shall quips and sentences, and these paper bullets of the brain awe a man from the career of his humour? No, the world must be peopled. When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I were married – here comes Beatrice: by this day, she’s a fair lady, I do spy some marks of love in her. |
| Enter Beatrice | |
| Beatrice | Against my will I am sent to bid you come into dinner. |
| Benedick | Fair Beatrice, I thank you for your pains. |
| Beatrice | I took not more pains for those thanks, than you took pains to thank me, if it had been painful I would not have come. |
| Benedick | You take pleasure then in the message. |
| Beatrice | Yea, just so much as you may take upon a knife’s point, and choke a daw withal: you have no stomach, signor, fare you well. |
| Exit | |
| Benedick | Ha, against my will I am sent to bid you come in to dinner: there’s a double meaning in that: I took no more pains for those thanks than you took pains to thank me: that’s as much as to say, any pains that I take for you is as easy as thanks: if I do not take pity of her I am a villain, if I do not love her I am a Jew, I will go get her picture. |