Now much beshrew my manners and my pride, If Herinia meant to say, Lysander lied. But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy Lie further off; In human modesty. Such separation as may well be said Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid: So far be distant; and, good night, sweet friend: Thy love ne'er alter till thy sweet life end 1 Lys. Amen, amen, to that fair prayer, say I; Enter Puck. {Squeezes tlujloioer on Lysander's Hel. O, wilt thou darkling leave me? do not so. Dent. Stay, on thy peril: I alone will go. [Exit Demetrius. Hel. O, I am out of breath in this fond chase 1 Lys. [Aiuaktng.\ And run through fire I win, for Hel. Do not say so, Lysander; say not so. Yet Herinia still loves you : then be content. Lys. Content with Herniia 1 No; I do repent Hel. Wherefore was I to this keen mockery bom? O, that a lady, of one man refus'd. And never niayst thou come Lysander near I To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast I ACT III. SCENE I.—The Wood. Titania lying asleep. Starveling. Quin. Pat, pat; and here's a marvellous convenient Sot. Not a whit: I have a device to make all well. Write me a prologue; and let the prologue seem to say, we will do no harm with our swords, and that Pyramus is not killed indeed; and, for the more better assurance, that I. Pyramus, am not Pyramus, but Bottom the weaver. This will put them out of fear. Quin. Well, we will have such a prologue; and it shall be written in eight and six. (and eight. Bot. No, make it two more; let it be written in eight Bot. Masters, you ought to consider with yourselves: to bring in,—God shield us!—a lion among ladies, is a most dreadful thing; for there is not a more fearful mid-fowl than your lion, living; and we ought to look, to it. [not a lion. Snout. Therefore, another prologue must tell he is Bat. Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must be seen through the lion's neck ; and he himself roust speak through, saying thus, or to the same defect, —" Ladies,—o , fair ladies,—I would wish you,—or, I would ret] nest you,—or, I would entreat you,—not to fear, not to tremble : my life for yours. If you think I come hither as a lion, it were pity of my life: no, I am no such thing; I am a man as other men are :"— ami there, indeed, let him name his name, and tell them plainly, he is Snug, the joiner. Quin. Well, it shall be so. But there is two hard thin,»%—rhat is, to bring the moonlight into a chamber; for, you know, Pyramus and Thisby meet by moonlight, [play? Snug. Doth the moon shine that night we play our Bot. A calendar, a calendar I look in the almanack; find out moonshine, find out moonshine. On in. Yes, it doth shine that night. Be'. Why, then may you leave a casement of the great chamber window, where we play, open; and the moon may shine in at the casement. Quin. Ay; or else one must come in with a bush ol thorns and a lanthorn, and say he comes to disfigure. or to present, the person of moonshine. Then, there Is another thing-: we must have a wall in the great chamber ; for Pyrainus and Thisby, says the story, did, talk through the chink of a wall. [you- bottom? Snug. You can never bring in a wall.—What say Bot, Some man or other must present wall: and let him have some plaster, or some loam, or some roughcast about him, to signify wall; and let him hold n\< fingers thus, and through that cranny shall Pyramus and Thisby whisper. Quirt. If that may be, then all is well. Come, sil down, every mother's son, and rehearse your parts. Pyramus, you begin. When you have spoken your speech, enter into that brake ;—and so every one according to his cue. Enter Puck, behind. Puck. What hempen home-spuns have we swagger. So near the cradle of the fairy queen? [ing here, What, a play toward I I'll be an auditor; An actor too, perhaps, if I see cause. Quin. Speak, Pyramus.—Thisby, stand forth. Pyr. "Thisby, the flowers of odious savours Quin. "Odours," " odours." [sweet,"— Pyr. —" Odours savours sweet. But hark, a voice! stay thou but here awhile. And by and by I -will to thee appear." [Exit. Puck. [Aside.] A stranger Pyramus than e'er play'd here I [Exit. This. Must I speak nowf Quin. Ay, marry, must you; for you must understand, he goes but to see a noise that he heard, and is to come again. [hue. This. "Most radiant Pyramus, most lily-white oj Of colour like the red rose on triumphant brier. Most brisky Juvenal, and eke most lovely Jew, As true as truest horse, that yet -would never tire. Til meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb." Quin. "Ninus' tomb," man. why, you must not speak that yet; that you answer to Pyramus: you speak all your part at once, cues and all,—Pyramus, enter: your cue is past; it is, "never tire." This. O,—" As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire." Re-enter Puck, and Bottom with an ass's head. Pyr. "If I ivercfair Thisby, 1wereonlythine Quin. O monstrous! O strange 1 we are haunted.— Pray, masters! fly, masters I—Help 1 [Exit, with Snug, Flute, Snout, and Starveling. Puck. I'll follow you, 1*11 lead you about a round. Through bog, through bush, through brake, through brier I Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound, A hog, a headless bear, sometime a lire; And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn, Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn. {Exit. Bot. Why do they run away? this is a knavery of them, to make me afeard. Re-enter Snout. Snout. O Bottom! thou art changed 1 what do I see on thee? Bot. What do you see? you see an ass's head of your own, do you? [Exit Snout. Reenter Quince, Quin. Bless thee. Bottom I bless thee I thou art translated. [ Exit. Bot. I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me, to fright me, if they could. But I will not stir from this place, do what they can: I will walk up and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear I am not afraid. [Sings. The ousel-cock, so black of hue. With orange-tawny bill. The throstle with his note so true, The wren with little quill: Tila. [Waking.] What angel wakes me from my Bot. [Sings. 1 [flowery bed? The finch, the sparrow, and the lark, The plain song cuckoo gray, Whose note full many a man doth mark. And dares not answer, nay ;— for indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish a bird? who would give a bird the lie, though he cry " cuckoo" never so? Tita. I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again: And thy fair virtue's force, perforce doth move me, On the first view, to say, to swear, I love thee. Bot. Mcthinks, mistress, you should have- little reason for that: and yet. to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together now-a-days;—the more the pity, that some honest neighbours will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleet upon occasion. Tita. Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful. Bot. Not so. neither: but if I had wit enough to get out of this wood, I have enough to serve mine own turn. Tita. Out of this wood do not desire to go: Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no. I am a spirit of no common rate; The summer still doth tend upon my state; And I do love thee: therefore go with me j I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee; And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep. And sing, while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep; And I will purge thy mortal grossness so. That thou shalt like an airy spirit go.— Peas-blossoin! Cobweb I Moth! andi Mustard-seed 1 Enter Peas-blossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustard-seed. Peas. Ready. Cob. And I. Moth. And I. Mus. And I. All Four. Where shall we gol Tita. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman: Peas. Hail, mortal! Cob. Hail! Moth. Hail! Mus. Hail! Bot. I cry your worships' mercy, heartily.—I be Cob. Cobweb. [seech your worship's name. Bot. I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good master Cobweb: if I cut my finger, I shall make bold with you.—Your name, honest gentleman? Peas. Peas-blossom. Bot. I pray you, commend me to mistress Squash, your mother, and to master Peascod, your father. Good master Peas-blossom, I shall desire you of more acquaintance.—Your name, I beseech you, sir? Mus. Mustard-seed. Bot. Good master Mustard-seed, I know your patience well; that same cowardly, giant-like ox-bcef, hath devoured many a gentleman of your house; I promise you, your kindred hath made mine eyes water ere now. 1 desire you of more acquaintance, good master Mustard-seed. Tita. Come, wait upon him ; lead him to my bower. The moon, methinks, looks with a wafry eye; And when she weeps, weeps every little flower, Lamenting some enforced chastity. Tie up my love's tongue, bring him silently. [Exeunt. SCENE U.—Another part ofthe Wood. Enter Oberon. Obe. I wonder if Titania be awak'd; Then, what it was that next came in her eye, Which she must dote on in extremity. Here comes my messenger.—[Enter Puck.] How now, inad spirit I What night-rule now about this haunted grove? Puck. My mistress with a monster is in love. An ass's nowl I fixed on his head: Ancn liis Thisbe must be answered. And forth my mimic comes. When they him Spy, As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye. Or russet-p.ited choughs, many in sort. Rising and cawing at the gun's report. Sever themselves, and madly sweep the sky; So. at his sight, away his fellows fly j And, at our stamp, here o*er and o'er one falls; He murder cries, and help from Athens calls. Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears thus strong, Made senseless things begin to do them wrong; For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch; Some, sleeves,—some, hats,—from yielders all things I led them on in this distracted fear, [catch. And left sweet Pyramus translated there: When in that moment {so it came to pass,) TItania wak'd, and straightway lov'il art ass. Obe. This falls out better than I could devise. Puck. I took him sleeping, (that is finish'd too,) Enter Demetrius and Herniia. Obe. Stand close: this is the same Athenian. Puck. This is the woman; but not this the man. Dem. O, why rebuke you him that loves you so I Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe. (worse, tier. Now I but chide; but I should use thee For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse. If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep. Being o'er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep, And kill me too. The sun was not so true unto the day. As he to me: would he have stol'n away From sleeping Hermia? 111 believe as soon, This whole earth may be bor'd ; and that the moon May through the centre creep, and so displease Her brother's noon-tide with th' Antipodes. It cannot be but thou hast murdcr'd him; So should a murderer look; so dead, so grim. Dem. So should the murder'd look ; and so should I, Pierc'd through the heart with your stern cruelty: Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear, As yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere. Her. What's this to my Lysander? where is he t Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me? Dem. I had rather give his carcase to my hounds. Her. Out, dog! out, cur! thou driv'st me past the bounds Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him, then t Dem. You spend your passion on a mispris'd mood: Her. I pray thee, tell me, then, that he is well. Dem. An if I could, what should I get therefore?; Her, A privilege never to see me more:— And from thy hated presence part I so: Sec me no more, whether he be dead or no. \Exii. Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vein: Here, therefore, for a while 1 will remain. So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe; Which now in some slight measure it will pay. If for his tender here 1 make some stay. [Lies down. Obe. What hast thou done ? thou hast mistaken quite. And laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight: Of thy misprision must perforce ensue Some true-love turn'd. and not a false turn'd true. Puck. Then fate o'er-rules; that, one man holding A million fail, confounding oath on oath. [troth, Obe. About the wood go swifter than the wind, Puck. I go, 1 go; look how 1 go; Obe. Flower of this purple die, Re-enter Puck. Will cause Demetrius to awake. Enter Lysander and Helena. Lys. Why should you think that I should woo in Scorn and derision never come in tears: [scorn t Look, when I vow, I weep, and vows so born. In their nativity all truth appears. How can these things in me seem scorn to you, Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true? Hel. You do advance your cunning more and more. When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray! These vows are Hermia's: will you give her o'er? Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh: Lys. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so; Dem. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, The ear more quick of apprehension makes; Lys. Lysander's love, that would not let him bide; Both warbling of one song. Doth in one key; As if our hands, our sides, voices, ami minds. Had been incorporate. So we grew together, Like to a double cherry, seeming parted; Her. I am amazed at your passionate words. Hel. Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn, Lys. Stay, gentle Helena; hear iny excuse: Her. Sweet, do not scorn her so. Dent. If she cannot entreat, I can compel. Lys. Thou canst compel no more than she entreat: Thy threats have no more strength than her weak prayers.— Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do: 1 swear by that which I will lose for thee, To prove him false that says I love thee not Don. I say 1 love thee more than he can do. Lys. If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too. Dern. Quick, come 1 Her. Lysander, whereto tends all this? Lys. Away, you Ethiop 1 Dent. No, no, sir :— Seem to break loose; take on, as you would follow; But yet come not: you are a tam; man, go I Lys. [To Hermia.] Hnng off, thou cat, thou burr! vile thing, let loose, Or I will shake thee from ine like a serpent 1 Her. Why are you grown so rude? what c _, Sweet love? (this; Lys. Thy love? out, tawny Tartar, outf Out, loathed medicine I O hated potion, hence! Hel. Yes, 'sooth; and so do you. Lys. Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee. Dern. I would I had your bond, for I perceive A weak bond holds you: 111 not trust your word. Lys. What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so. [dead? Her. Wli.it, can you do me greater harm than hate? Hate me! wherefore? O me 1 what news, my love? Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lysander? I am as fair now, as I was erewhile. Since night, you lov'd me; yet, since night you left Why, then you left me (U, the gods forbid!) [me: In earnest, shall 1 say? Lys. Ay, by my life; And never did desire to see thee more. Her. O me !—you juggler J you canker-blossom I Hel. Fine, i* faith I Have you no modesty, no maiden shame. Her. Puppet 1 why, so: ay, that way goes the game. Hel. I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen* Let her not hurt me: I was never curst; 1 have no gift at all in shrewishness; I am a right maid for my cowardice: Let her not strike me. You perhaps may think. Because she is something lower than myself. That I can match her. Her. . Lower! hark, again. Hel. Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with roe. Her. Why, get you gone: who is't that hinders you? Hel. A foolish heart, that I leave here behind. Her. What, with Lysander? Hel. With Demetrius. Lys. Be not afraid; she shall not harm thee, Helena. Dem. No, sir, she shall not, though you take her part. Hel. O, when she is angry, she is keen and shrewd; Her. Little again! nothing but low and little? Lys. Get you gone, you dwarf 1 You minimus, of hindering knot-grass made; Dem. You are too officious In her behalf that scorns your services. Lys. Now she holds me not; Now follow, if thou dar'st, to try whose right,— Dent. Follow? nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jole. [Fxeuitt Lys. and Dem, Her. You, mistress, all this coil la 'long of you: Nay, go not back. Hel. I will not trust you, I, Nor longer stay in your curst company. Jler. I am amaz'd, and know not what to say, [Exit. Obe. This is thy negligence: still thou mistak'st, Puck. Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook. Obe. Thou seest, these lovers seek a place to fight: Puck. My fairy lord, this must be done with haste. Obe. But we are spirits of another sort: [Exit Oberon Puck. Up and down, up and down, Re-enter Lysander. Puck. Here, villain 1 drawn and ready. Where art Lys I will be with thee straight. [thou? Puck. ' Follow me, then, To plainer ground. [Exit Lys. as following the voice. Re-enter Demetrius. Dem. Lysander I speak again. Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou tied? Speak! In some bush? Where dost thou hide thy head? Puck. Thou coward! art thou bragging to the stars Telling the bushes that thou look'st tor wars. And wilt not come? Come, recreant; come, thou child I'll whip thee with a rod: he is defil'd That draws a sword on thee. Dem. Yea, art thou there? Puck. Follow my voice: we'll try no manhood here. [Exeunt. Re-enter Lysander. I follow'd fast, but faster he did fly; That fallen am I in dark uneven way. And here will rest me. [Lies down..} Come, thou gentle For if but once thou show me thy grey light, [day 1 I'll find Demetrius, and revenge this spite. Re-enter Puck ana Demetrius. Puck. Ho! ho! ho! Coward, why coin'st thou notf Dem. Abide me, if thou dar'st; for well I wot Thou runn'st before me, shifting every place, And dar'st not stand, nor look me in the face. Where art thou now 1 Puck. Come hither: I am here. Dem. Nay, then, thou mock'st me. Thou shalt 'by If ever I thy face by day-light see: [this dear. Now, go thy way. Faintness constraineth me [Lies doiun and sleeps. From these that my poor company detest: Two of both kinds make up four. My legs can keep no pace with my desires. [Lies down. Puck. On the ground sleep sound* [Squeezing the herb on Lysander's eyelids. Jack shall have Jill; Nought shall go ill; ACT IV. SCENE I.—The IVood. Oberon behind unseen. Rot. Scratch my head, Peas-blossom. — Where's monsieur Cobweb? Cob. Ready. Rot. Monsieur Cobweb, good monsieur, get your weapons in your hand, and kill me a red-hipped humble-bee on the top of a thistle ; and, good monsieur, bring me the honey-bag. Do not fret yourself too much in the action, monsieur; and, good monsieur, have a care the honey-bag break not; I would be loth to have you overflown with a honey-bag, signior.—Where's monsieur Mustard-seed? Must. Ready. Rot. Give me your neif, monsieur Mustard-seed. Pray you, leave your courtesy, good monsieur. Must. What's your will? Rot. Nothing, good monsieur, but to help cavalero Cobweb to scratch. I must to the barber's, monsieur j for methinks I am marvellous hairy about the face; and I am such a tender ass, if my hair do but tickle me, I must scratch. Tita. What, wilt thou hear some music, my sweet love? |