Much Ado About Nothing E-Book

William Shakespeare

• Herausgeber: Sovereign
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Serie: Timeless Classic
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Seitenzahl: 113

Beschreibung

Much Ado About Nothing, one of Shakespeare's best comedies combining elements of robust hilarity with more serious meditations on honour, shame, and court politics. The story follows two pairs of lovers with different takes on romance.

Leseprobe

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare

Much Ado About Nothing

LONDON ∙ NEW YORK ∙ TORONTO ∙ SAO PAULO ∙ MOSCOW

PARIS ∙ MADRID ∙ BERLIN ∙ ROME ∙ MEXICO CITY ∙ MUMBAI ∙ SEOUL ∙ DOHA

TOKYO ∙ SYDNEY ∙ CAPE TOWN ∙ AUCKLAND ∙ BEIJING

New Edition

Published by Sovereign Classic

www.sovereignclassic.net

This Edition

First published in 2015

Copyright © 2015 Sovereign Classic

Contents

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

ACT I

ACT II

ACT III

ACT IV

ACT V

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

Don Pedro, Prince of Arragon.

Don John, his bastard brother.

Claudio, a young lord of Florence.

Benedick, a Young lord of Padua.

Leonato, Governor of Messina.

Antonio, an old man, his brother.

Balthasar, attendant on Don Pedro.

Borachio, follower of Don John.

Conrade, follower of Don John.

Friar Francis.

Dogberry, a Constable.

Verges, a Headborough.

A Sexton.

A Boy.

Hero, daughter to Leonato.

Beatrice, niece to Leonato.

Margaret, waiting gentlewoman attending on Hero.

Ursula, waiting gentlewoman attending on Hero.

Messengers, Watch, Attendants, etc.

ACT I

SCENE I. BEFORE LEONATO’S HOUSE.

Enter LEONATO, HERO, and BEATRICE, with a Messenger

LEONATO

I learn in this letter that Don Peter of Arragoncomes this night to Messina.

Messenger

He is very near by this: he was not three leagues offwhen I left him.

LEONATO

How many gentlemen have you lost in this action?

Messenger

But few of any sort, and none of name.

LEONATO

A victory is twice itself when the achiever bringshome full numbers. I find here that Don Peter hathbestowed much honour on a young Florentine called Claudio.

Messenger

Much deserved on his part and equally remembered byDon Pedro: he hath borne himself beyond thepromise of his age, doing, in the figure of a lamb,the feats of a lion: he hath indeed betterbettered expectation than you must expect of me totell you how.

LEONATO

He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very muchglad of it.

Messenger

I have already delivered him letters, and thereappears much joy in him; even so much that joy couldnot show itself modest enough without a badge ofbitterness.

LEONATO

Did he break out into tears?

Messenger

In great measure.

LEONATO

A kind overflow of kindness: there are no facestruer than those that are so washed. How muchbetter is it to weep at joy than to joy at weeping!

BEATRICE

I pray you, is Signior Mountanto returned from thewars or no?

Messenger

I know none of that name, lady: there was none suchin the army of any sort.

LEONATO

What is he that you ask for, niece?

HERO

My cousin means Signior Benedick of Padua.

Messenger

O, he’s returned; and as pleasant as ever he was.

BEATRICE

He set up his bills here in Messina and challengedCupid at the flight; and my uncle’s fool, readingthe challenge, subscribed for Cupid, and challengedhim at the bird-bolt. I pray you, how many hath hekilled and eaten in these wars? But how many hathhe killed? for indeed I promised to eat all of his killing.

LEONATO

Faith, niece, you tax Signior Benedick too much;but he’ll be meet with you, I doubt it not.

Messenger

He hath done good service, lady, in these wars.

BEATRICE

You had musty victual, and he hath holp to eat it:he is a very valiant trencherman; he hath anexcellent stomach.

Messenger

And a good soldier too, lady.

BEATRICE

And a good soldier to a lady: but what is he to a lord?

Messenger

A lord to a lord, a man to a man; stuffed with allhonourable virtues.

BEATRICE

It is so, indeed; he is no less than a stuffed man:but for the stuffing,--well, we are all mortal.

LEONATO

You must not, sir, mistake my niece. There is akind of merry war betwixt Signior Benedick and her:they never meet but there’s a skirmish of witbetween them.

BEATRICE

Alas! he gets nothing by that. In our lastconflict four of his five wits went halting off, andnow is the whole man governed with one: so that ifhe have wit enough to keep himself warm, let himbear it for a difference between himself and hishorse; for it is all the wealth that he hath left,to be known a reasonable creature. Who is hiscompanion now? He hath every month a new sworn brother.

Messenger

Is’t possible?

BEATRICE

Very easily possible: he wears his faith but asthe fashion of his hat; it ever changes with thenext block.

Messenger

I see, lady, the gentleman is not in your books.

BEATRICE

No; an he were, I would burn my study. But, I prayyou, who is his companion? Is there no youngsquarer now that will make a voyage with him to the devil?

Messenger

He is most in the company of the right noble Claudio.

BEATRICE

O Lord, he will hang upon him like a disease: heis sooner caught than the pestilence, and the takerruns presently mad. God help the noble Claudio! ifhe have caught the Benedick, it will cost him athousand pound ere a’ be cured.

Messenger

I will hold friends with you, lady.

BEATRICE

Do, good friend.

LEONATO

You will never run mad, niece.

BEATRICE

No, not till a hot January.

Messenger

Don Pedro is approached.

Enter DON PEDRO, DON JOHN, CLAUDIO, BENEDICK, and BALTHASAR

DON PEDRO

Good Signior Leonato, you are come to meet yourtrouble: the fashion of the world is to avoidcost, and you encounter it.

LEONATO

Never came trouble to my house in the likeness ofyour grace: for trouble being gone, comfort shouldremain; but when you depart from me, sorrow abidesand happiness takes his leave.

DON PEDRO

You embrace your charge too willingly. I think thisis your daughter.

LEONATO

Her mother hath many times told me so.

BENEDICK

Were you in doubt, sir, that you asked her?

LEONATO

Signior Benedick, no; for then were you a child.

DON PEDRO

You have it full, Benedick: we may guess by thiswhat you are, being a man. Truly, the lady fathersherself. Be happy, lady; for you are like anhonourable father.

BENEDICK

If Signior Leonato be her father, she would nothave his head on her shoulders for all Messina, aslike him as she is.

BEATRICE

I wonder that you will still be talking, SigniorBenedick: nobody marks you.

BENEDICK

What, my dear Lady Disdain! are you yet living?

BEATRICE

Is it possible disdain should die while she hathsuch meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick?Courtesy itself must convert to disdain, if you comein her presence.

BENEDICK

Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain Iam loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and Iwould I could find in my heart that I had not a hardheart; for, truly, I love none.

BEATRICE

A dear happiness to women: they would else havebeen troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank Godand my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: Ihad rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a manswear he loves me.

BENEDICK

God keep your ladyship still in that mind! so somegentleman or other shall ‘scape a predestinatescratched face.

BEATRICE

Scratching could not make it worse, an ‘twere sucha face as yours were.

BENEDICK

Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher.

BEATRICE

A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of yours.

BENEDICK

I would my horse had the speed of your tongue, andso good a continuer. But keep your way, i’ God’sname; I have done.

BEATRICE

You always end with a jade’s trick: I know you of old.

DON PEDRO

That is the sum of all, Leonato. Signior Claudioand Signior Benedick, my dear friend Leonato hathinvited you all. I tell him we shall stay here atthe least a month; and he heartily prays someoccasion may detain us longer. I dare swear he is nohypocrite, but prays from his heart.

LEONATO

If you swear, my lord, you shall not be forsworn.

To DON JOHN

Let me bid you welcome, my lord: being reconciled tothe prince your brother, I owe you all duty.

DON JOHN

I thank you: I am not of many words, but I thankyou.

LEONATO

Please it your grace lead on?

DON PEDRO

Your hand, Leonato; we will go together.

Exeunt all except BENEDICK and CLAUDIO

CLAUDIO

Benedick, didst thou note the daughter of Signior Leonato?

BENEDICK

I noted her not; but I looked on her.

CLAUDIO

Is she not a modest young lady?

BENEDICK

Do you question me, as an honest man should do, formy simple true judgment; or would you have me speakafter my custom, as being a professed tyrant to their sex?

CLAUDIO

No; I pray thee speak in sober judgment.

BENEDICK

Why, i’ faith, methinks she’s too low for a highpraise, too brown for a fair praise and too littlefor a great praise: only this commendation I canafford her, that were she other than she is, shewere unhandsome; and being no other but as she is, Ido not like her.

CLAUDIO

Thou thinkest I am in sport: I pray thee tell metruly how thou likest her.

BENEDICK

Would you buy her, that you inquire after her?

CLAUDIO

Can the world buy such a jewel?

BENEDICK

Yea, and a case to put it into. But speak you thiswith a sad brow? or do you play the flouting Jack,to tell us Cupid is a good hare-finder and Vulcan arare carpenter? Come, in what key shall a man takeyou, to go in the song?

CLAUDIO

In mine eye she is the sweetest lady that ever Ilooked on.

BENEDICK

I can see yet without spectacles and I see no suchmatter: there’s her cousin, an she were notpossessed with a fury, exceeds her as much in beautyas the first of May doth the last of December. But Ihope you have no intent to turn husband, have you?

CLAUDIO

I would scarce trust myself, though I had sworn thecontrary, if Hero would be my wife.

BENEDICK

Is’t come to this? In faith, hath not the worldone man but he will wear his cap with suspicion?Shall I never see a bachelor of three-score again?Go to, i’ faith; an thou wilt needs thrust thy neckinto a yoke, wear the print of it and sigh awaySundays. Look Don Pedro is returned to seek you.

Re-enter DON PEDRO

DON PEDRO

What secret hath held you here, that you followednot to Leonato’s?

BENEDICK

I would your grace would constrain me to tell.

DON PEDRO

I charge thee on thy allegiance.

BENEDICK

You hear, Count Claudio: I can be secret as a dumbman; I would have you think so; but, on myallegiance, mark you this, on my allegiance. He isin love. With who? now that is your grace’s part.Mark how short his answer is;--With Hero, Leonato’sshort daughter.

CLAUDIO

If this were so, so were it uttered.

BENEDICK

Like the old tale, my lord: ‘it is not so, nor‘twas not so, but, indeed, God forbid it should beso.’

CLAUDIO

If my passion change not shortly, God forbid itshould be otherwise.

DON PEDRO

Amen, if you love her; for the lady is very well worthy.

CLAUDIO

You speak this to fetch me in, my lord.

DON PEDRO

By my troth, I speak my thought.

CLAUDIO

And, in faith, my lord, I spoke mine.

BENEDICK

And, by my two faiths and troths, my lord, I spoke mine.

CLAUDIO

That I love her, I feel.

DON PEDRO

That she is worthy, I know.

BENEDICK

That I neither feel how she should be loved norknow how she should be worthy, is the opinion thatfire cannot melt out of me: I will die in it at the stake.

DON PEDRO

Thou wast ever an obstinate heretic in the despiteof beauty.

CLAUDIO

And never could maintain his part but in the forceof his will.

BENEDICK

That a woman conceived me, I thank her; that shebrought me up, I likewise give her most humblethanks: but that I will have a recheat winded in myforehead, or hang my bugle in an invisible baldrick,all women shall pardon me. Because I will not dothem the wrong to mistrust any, I will do myself theright to trust none; and the fine is, for the whichI may go the finer, I will live a bachelor.

DON PEDRO

I shall see thee, ere I die, look pale with love.

BENEDICK

With anger, with sickness, or with hunger, my lord,not with love: prove that ever I lose more bloodwith love than I will get again with drinking, pickout mine eyes with a ballad-maker’s pen and hang meup at the door of a brothel-house for the sign ofblind Cupid.

DON PEDRO

Well, if ever thou dost fall from this faith, thouwilt prove a notable argument.

BENEDICK

If I do, hang me in a bottle like a cat and shootat me; and he that hits me, let him be clapped onthe shoulder, and called Adam.

DON PEDRO

Well, as time shall try: ‘In time the savage bulldoth bear the yoke.’

BENEDICK

The savage bull may; but if ever the sensibleBenedick bear it, pluck off the bull’s horns and setthem in my forehead: and let me be vilely painted,and in such great letters as they write ‘Here isgood horse to hire,’ let them signify under my sign‘Here you may see Benedick the married man.’

CLAUDIO

If this should ever happen, thou wouldst be horn-mad.

DON PEDRO

Nay, if Cupid have not spent all his quiver inVenice, thou wilt quake for this shortly.

BENEDICK

I look for an earthquake too, then.

DON PEDRO

Well, you temporize with the hours. In themeantime, good Signior Benedick, repair toLeonato’s: commend me to him and tell him I willnot fail him at supper; for indeed he hath madegreat preparation.

BENEDICK