Lys. One turf shall serve as pillow for us both; One heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth. Her. Nay, good Lysander; for my sake, my dear, Lie farther off yet; do not lie so near. Lys. O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence;' Love takes the meaning, in love's conference. I mean, that my heart unto yours is knit; 2 Her. Lysander riddles very prettily.- So far be distant; and good night, sweet friend. Here is my bed. Sleep give thee all his rest! pressed! Enter PUCK. Puck. Through the forest have I gone, 1 i. e. "understand the meaning of my innocence, or my innocent mean ing. Let no suspicion of ill enter thy mind." This word here means the same as if she had said, “Now ill befall my manners," &c. And here the maiden, sleeping sound, All the power this charm doth owe.1 [Exit. Enter DEMETRIUS and HELENA, running. Hel. Stay, though thou kill me, sweet Demetrius. Dem. I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt me thus. Hel. O, wilt thou darkling leave me? Do not so. Dem. Stay, on thy peril; I alone will go. [Exit DEMETRIUS. Hel. O, I am out of breath in this fond chase! The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace. Happy is Hermia, wheresoe'er she lies; For she hath blessed and attractive eyes. How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt tears; If so, my eyes are oftener washed than hers No, no, I am as ugly as a bear; For beasts that meet me, run away for fear. sake. Lys. And run through fire I will, for thy sweet [Waking. Transparent Helena! Nature shows her art, That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart. 1 Possess. 2 The quartos have only-" Nature shows art." ture her shows art." The second folio changes thought we should read, "Nature shows her art." The first folio-"Naher to here. Malone Where is Demetrius? O, how fit a word Hel. Do not say so, Lysander; say not so. Not Hermia, but Helena now I love. Hel. Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born? When, at your hands, did I deserve this scorn? Is't not enough, is't not enough, young man, That I did never, no, nor never can, Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius' eye, But you must flout my insufficiency? Good troth, you do me wrong, good sooth, you do, In such disdainful manner me to woo. But fare you well. Perforce I must confess, I thought you lord of more true gentleness. O, that a lady, of one man refused, Should of another, therefore, be abused! [Exit. Lys. She sees not Hermia!-Hermia, sleep thou there, And never mayst thou come Lysander near! The deepest loathing to the stomach brings; 1 i. e. do not ripen to it. And all my powers, address your love and might, [Exit. Her. [Starting.] Help me, Lysander, help me! To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast! 1 [Exit. ACT III. SCENE I. The same. The Queen of Fairies lying asleep. Enter QUINCE, SNUG, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING. Bot. Are we all met? Quin. Pat, pat; and here's a marvellous convenient place for our rehearsal. This green plot shall be our stage, this hawthorn brake our tyring house; and we will do it in action, as we will do it before the duke. Bot. Peter Quince, Quin. What say'st thou, bully Bottom? Bot. There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and Thisby, that will never please. First, Pyramus 1 By all that is dear. must draw a sword to kill himself; which the ladies cannot abide. How answer you that? Snout. By'rlakin, a parlous1 fear. Star. I believe we must leave the killing out, when all is done. Bot. 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, tell them, 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.2 Bot. No, make it two more; let it be written in eight and eight. Snout. Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion? Star. I fear it, I promise you. 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 wild-fowl than your lion, living; and we ought to look to it. Snout. Therefore, another prologue must tell, he is not a lion. Bot. Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must be seen through the lion's neck; and he himself must speak through, saying thus, or to the same defect,-Ladies, or fair ladies, I would wish you, or, I would request 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. And 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 things; that is, to bring the moon-light into a chamber; 1 Perilous; used for alarming, amazing. 2 That is, in alternate verses of eight and six syllables. |