The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (551 page)

‘Suffer love,’ a good way to put it! I do suffer love indeed, for I love you against my will.

BEATRICE

In spite of your heart, I think. Alas, poor heart! If you spite it for my sake, I will spite it for yours; for I will never love that which my friend hates.

BENEDICK

Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably.

You and I are too wise to woo peacefully.

BEATRICE

It appears not in this confession: there's not one wise man among twenty that will praise himself.

It does not appear so in this confession: there’s not one wise man among twenty that will praise himself.

BENEDICK

An old, an old instance, Beatrice, that lived in the time of good neighbours. If a man do not erect in this age his own tomb ere he dies, he shall live no longer in monument than the bell rings and the widow weeps.

An old, old example, Beatrice, that lived in the time of good neighbors. If a man does not construct in this age his own tomb before he dies, he shall live no longer in a monument than the bell rings and the widow cries.

BEATRICE

And how long is that think you?

And how long is that, do you think?

BENEDICK

Question: why, an hour in clamour and a quarter in rheum: therefore is it most expedient for the wise,--if Don Worm, his conscience, find no impediment to the contrary,--to be the trumpet of his own virtues, as I am to myself. So much for praising myself, who, I myself will bear witness, is praiseworthy. And now tell me, how doth your cousin?

Question: why, an hour in chaos and a quarter in sickness: therefore it is most useful for the wise, -- if Don Worm, his conscience, find no obstacle to the contrary,-- to be the trumpet of his own virtues, as I am to myself. So much for praising myself, who, I myself will witness, is praiseworthy. An now tell me, how is your cousin?

BEATRICE

Very ill.

Very unwell.

BENEDICK

And how do you?

And how are you?

BEATRICE

Very ill too.

Very unwell too.

BENEDICK

Serve God, love me, and mend. There will I leave you too, for here comes one in haste.

[Enter URSULA.]

URSULA

Madam, you must come to your uncle. Yonder's old coil at home: it is proved, my Lady Hero hath been falsely accused, the prince and Claudio mightily abused; and Don John is the author of all, who is fled and gone. Will you come presently?

Madam, you must come to your uncle. It has been proven that my Lady Hero has been falsely accused, the prince and Claudio mightily abused; and Don John is responsible for it all, who has run away. Will you come now?

BEATRICE

Will you go hear this news, signior?

Will you go hear this news, sir?

BENEDICK

I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy eyes; and moreover I will go with thee to thy uncle's.

I will live in your heart, die in your lap, and be buried in your eyes; and in addition I will go with you to your uncle’s.

[Exeunt.]

The Inside of a Church

[Enter DON PEDRO, CLAUDIO, and Attendants, with music and tapers,]

CLAUDIO

Is this the monument of Leonato?

A LORD

It is, my lord.

CLAUDIO

[Reads from a scroll.]

Done to death by slanderous tongues

Done to death by false accusation

Was the Hero that here lies:

Was the Hero that lies here:

Death, in guerdon of her wrongs,

Death, in the overcoming of her wrongs,

Gives her fame which never dies.

So the life that died with shame

Lives in death with glorious fame.

Hang thou there upon the tomb,

Hang you there upon the tomb,

Praising her when I am dumb.

Praising her when I am unable to speak.

Now, music, sound, and sing your solemn hymn.

SONG

Pardon, goddess of the night,

Forgive, goddess of the night,

Those that slew thy virgin knight;

Those that killed your virgin knight;

For the which, with songs of woe,

For which, with songs of sadness,

Round about her tomb they go.

Midnight, assist our moan;

Midnight, help us cry out in grief;

Help us to sigh and groan,

Heavily, heavily:

Graves, yawn and yield your dead,

Graves, open and give back your dead,

Till death be uttered,

Until death is said,

Heavily, heavily.

CLAUDIO

Now, unto thy bones good night! Yearly will I do this rite.

DON PEDRO

Good morrow, masters: put your torches out.

Good morning, gentlemen: put out your torches.

The wolves have prey'd; and look, the gentle day,

The wolves have hunted; and look, the gentle day,

Before the wheels of Phoebus, round about

Ahead of the wheels of Phoebus, around about

Dapples the drowsy east with spots of grey.

Thanks to you all, and leave us: fare you well.

CLAUDIO

Good morrow, masters: each his several way.

Good morning, masters: each of you go his different way.

DON PEDRO

Come, let us hence, and put on other weeds;

Come, let us go from here, and change our clothes;

And then to Leonato's we will go.

CLAUDIO

And Hymen now with luckier issue speed's,

And to the god of marriage with a luckier result,

Than this for whom we rend'red up this woe!

Than this for whom we sent up this sadness!

[Exeunt.]

A Room in LEONATO'S House.

[Enter LEONATO, ANTONIO, BENEDICK, BEATRICE, MARGARET, URSULA, FRIAR FRANCIS, and HERO.]

FRIAR

Did I not tell you she was innocent?

LEONATO

So are the prince and Claudio, who accus'd her

So are the prince and Claudio, who accused her

Upon the error that you heard debated:

But Margaret was in some fault for this,

Although against her will, as it appears

In the true course of all the question.

In the true, complete version of the story.

ANTONIO

Well, I am glad that all things sort so well.

Well, I am glad that everything has worked out so well.

BENEDICK

And so am I, being else by faith enforc'd

 
And so am I, being otherwise forced by my promise

To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it.

To challenge young Claudio to a duel for it.

LEONATO

Well, daughter, and you gentlewomen all,

Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves,

Go into a room by yourselves,

And when I send for you, come hither mask'd:

And when I send for you, come here masked:

The prince and Claudio promis'd by this hour

The prince and Claudio promised that by this time

To visit me.

They would come visit me.

[Exeunt Ladies.]

You know your office, brother;

You know your job, brother;

You must be father to your brother's daughter,

And give her to young Claudio.

ANTONIO

Which I will do with confirm'd countenance.

Which I will do with a firm face.

BENEDICK

Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think.

Friar, I must ask something from you, I think.

FRIAR

To do what, signior?

To do what, sir?

BENEDICK

To bind me, or undo me; one of them.

Signior Leonato, truth it is, good signior,

Sir Leonato, it is truth, good sir,

Your niece regards me with an eye of favour.

Your niece favors me.

LEONATO

That eye my daughter lent her: 'tis most true.

That eye my daughter lent her: it is most true.

BENEDICK

And I do with an eye of love requite her.

And I do love her back.

LEONATO

The sight whereof I think, you had from me,

And I think you got that from me,

From Claudio, and the prince.

But what's your will?

But what do you want to do?

BENEDICK

Your answer, sir, is enigmatical:

But, for my will, my will is your good will

May stand with ours, this day to be conjoin'd

May stand with ours, to be brought together this day

In the state of honourable marriage:

In the state of honorable marriage:

In which, good friar, I shall desire your help.

LEONATO

My heart is with your liking.

FRIAR

And my help. Here comes the prince and Claudio.

[Enter DON PEDRO and CLAUDIO, with Attendants.]

DON PEDRO

Good morrow to this fair assembly.

LEONATO

Good morrow, prince; good morrow, Claudio:

Good morning, prince; good morning, Claudio:

We here attend you. Are you yet determin'd

We are here to serve you. Are you still determined

To-day to marry with my brother's daughter?

To marry my brother’s daughter today?

CLAUDIO

I'll hold my mind, were she an Ethiope.

I wouldn’t change my mind, even if she were an African.

LEONATO

Call her forth, brother: here's the friar ready.

Ask her to come, brother: the friar is here ready.

[Exit ANTONIO.]

DON PEDRO

Good morrow, Benedick.

Good morning, Benedick.

Why, what's the matter,

That you have such a February face,

So full of frost, of storm and cloudiness?

CLAUDIO

I think he thinks upon the savage bull.