第 7 节
作者:嘟嘟      更新:2021-02-19 17:05      字数:8597
  Leon。 What effects; my lord? She will sit youyou heard my daughter
  tell you how。
  Claud。 She did indeed。
  Pedro。 How; how; I pray  you? You amaze me。 I would have thought
  her spirit had been invincible against all assaults of affection。
  Leon。     I  would    have    sworn     it  had;   my   lordespecially     against
  Benedick。
  Bene。   'aside'   I   should   think   this   a   gull   but   that   the   white…bearded
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  fellow speaks it。 Knavery cannot; sure; hide himself in such reverence。
  Claud。 'aside' He hath ta'en th' infection。 Hold it up。
  Pedro。 Hath she made her affection known to Benedick?
  Leon。 No; and swears she never will。 That's her torment。
  Claud。 'Tis true indeed。 So your daughter says。 'Shall I;' says she; 'that
  have so oft encount'red him with scorn; write to him that I love him?'〃
  Leon。 This says   she now when   she is beginning to write to him;   for
  she'll be up twenty times a night; and there will she sit in her smock till
  she have writ a sheet of paper。 My daughter tells us all。
  Claud。 Now you talk of a sheet of paper; I remember a pretty jest your
  daughter told us of。
  Leon。   O;   when   she   had   writ   it;   and   was   reading   it   over;   she   found
  'Benedick' and 'Beatrice' between the sheet?
  Claud。 That。
  Leon。 O; she tore the letter into a thousand halfpence; rail'd at herself
  that she should be so immodest to write to one that she knew would flout
  her。 'I measure him;' says she; 'by my own spirit; for I should flout him if
  he writ to me。 Yea; though I love him; I should。'
  Claud。   Then   down   upon   her   knees   she   falls;   weeps;   sobs;   beats   her
  heart;   tears   her  hair;  prays;   curses'O    sweet    Benedick!     God   give   me
  patience!'
  Leon。 She doth indeed; my daughter says so。 And the ecstasy hath so
  much   overborne   her   that   my   daughter   is   sometime   afeard   she   will   do   a
  desperate outrage to herself。 It is very true。
  Pedro。 It were good that Benedick knew of it by some other; if she will
  not discover it。
  Claud。 To what end? He would make but a sport of it and torment the
  poor lady worse。
  Pedro。 An he should; it were an alms to hang him! She's an excellent
  sweet lady; and (out of all suspicion) she is virtuous。
  Claud。 And she is exceeding wise。
  Pedro。 In everything but in loving Benedick。
  Leon。 O; my lord; wisdom and blood combating in so tender a body;
  we have ten proofs to one that blood hath the victory。 I am sorry for her; as
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  I have just cause; being her uncle and her guardian。
  Pedro。   I   would   she   had   bestowed   this   dotage   on   me。   I   would   have
  daff'd all other respects and made her half myself。 I pray you tell Benedick
  of it and hear what 'a will say。
  Leon。 Were it good; think you?
  Claud。 Hero thinks surely she will die; for she says she will die if he
  love her not; and she will die ere she make her love known; and she will
  die; if he woo her; rather than she will bate one breath of her accustomed
  crossness。
  Pedro。 She doth well。 If she should make tender of her love; 'tis very
  possible he'll scorn it; for the man (as you know all) hath a contemptible
  spirit。
  Claud。 He is a very proper man。
  Pedro。 He hath indeed a good outward happiness。
  Claud。 Before God! and in my mind; very wise。
  Pedro。 He doth indeed show some sparks that are like wit。
  Claud。 And I take him to be valiant。
  Pedro。 As Hector; I assure you; and in the managing of quarrels you
  may   say   he   is   wise;   for   either   he   avoids   them   with   great   discretion;   or
  undertakes them with a most Christianlike fear。
  Leon。 If he do fear God; 'a must necessarily keep peace。 If he break the
  peace; he ought to enter into a quarrel with fear and trembling。
  Pedro。 And   so   will   he   do;   for   the   man   doth   fear   God;   howsoever   it
  seems not in him by some large jests he will make。 Well; I am sorry for
  your niece。 Shall we go seek Benedick and tell him of her love?
  Claud。 Never tell him; my lord。 Let her wear it out with good counsel。
  Leon。 Nay; that's impossible; she may wear her heart out first。
  Pedro。 Well; we will hear further of it by your daughter。 Let it cool
  the   while。   I   love   Benedick   well;   and   I   could   wish   he   would   modestly
  examine himself to see how much he is unworthy so good a lady。
  Leon。 My lord; will you walk? Dinner is ready。
  'They walk away。'
  Claud。 If he dote on her upon this; I will never trust my expectation。
  Pedro。   Let   there   be   the   same   net   spread   for   her;   and   that   must   your
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  daughter   and her   gentlewomen   carry。 The   sport   will   be;  when   they  hold
  one an opinion of another's dotage; and no such matter。 That's the scene
  that I would see; which will be merely a dumb show。 Let us send her to
  call him in to dinner。
  'Exeunt Don Pedro; Claudio; and Leonato。'
  'Benedick advances from the arbour。'
  Bene。 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 censur'd。 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   meby   my   troth;   it   is   no
  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   alters? 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。
  'Enter Beatrice。'
  Here   comes   Beatrice。   By   this   day;   she's   a   fair   lady!   I   do   spy   some
  marks of love in her。
  Beat。 Against my will I am sent to bid You come in to dinner。
  Bene。 Fair Beatrice; I thank you for your pains。
  Beat。   I   took   no   more   pains   for   those   thanks   than   you   take   pains   to
  thank me。 If it had been painful; I would not have come。
  Bene。 You take pleasure then in the message?
  Beat。   Yea;   just   so   much   as   you   may   take   upon   a   knives   point;   and
  choke a daw withal。 You have no stomach; signior。 Fare you well。 'Exit。'
  Bene。 Ha! 'Against my  will I am sent to bid you come in to dinner。'
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  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。 'Exit。'
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  A