much ado about nothing(无事生非)-第12章
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of fear。 In faith； my hand meant nothing to my sword。 Leon。 Tush； tush；
man！ never fleer and jest at me I speak not like a dotard nor a fool； As
under privilege of age to brag What I have done being young； or what
would do； Were I not old。 Know； Claudio； to thy head； Thou hast so
wrong'd mine innocent child and me That I am forc'd to lay my reverence
by And； with grey hairs and bruise of many days； Do challenge thee to
trial of a man。 I say thou hast belied mine innocent child； Thy slander hath
gone through and through her heart； And she lies buried with her
ancestors… O； in a tomb where never scandal slept； Save this of hers；
fram'd by thy villany！
Claud。 My villany？
Leon。 Thine； Claudio； thine I say。
Pedro。 You say not right； old man。
Leon。 My lord； my lord； I'll prove it on his body if he dare； Despite his
nice fence and his active practice； His May of youth and bloom of
lustihood。
Claud。 Away！ I will not have to do with you。
Leon。 Canst thou so daff me？ Thou hast kill'd my child。 If thou kill'st
me； boy； thou shalt kill a man。
Ant。 He shall kill two of us； and men indeed But that's no matter； let
him kill one first。 Win me and wear me！ Let him answer me。 Come； follow
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me； boy；。 Come； sir boy； come follow me。 Sir boy； I'll whip you from your
foining fence！ Nay； as I am a gentleman； I will。
Leon。 Brother
Ant。 Content yourself。 God knows I lov'd my niece； And she is dead；
slander'd to death by villains； That dare as well answer a man indeed As I
dare take a serpent by the tongue。 Boys； apes； braggarts； jacks； milksops！
Leon。 Brother Anthony Ant。
Hold you content。 What； man！ I know them； yea； And what they weigh；
even to the utmost scruple； Scambling； outfacing； fashion…monging boys；
That lie and cog and flout； deprave and slander； Go anticly； show outward
hideousness； And speak off half a dozen dang'rous words； How they might
hurt their enemies； if they durst； And this is all。
Leon。 But； brother Anthony
Ant。 Come； 'tis no matter。 Do not you meddle； let me deal in this。
Pedro。 Gentlemen both； we will not wake your patience。 My heart is
sorry for your daughter's death； But； on my honour； she was charg'd with
nothing But what was true； and very full of proof。
Leon。 My lord； my lord
Pedro。 I will not hear you。
Leon。 No？ Come； brother； away！I will be heard。
Ant。 And shall； or some of us will smart for it。 ＇Exeunt ambo。＇ ＇Enter
Benedick。＇
Pedro。 See； see！ Here comes the man we went to seek。
Claud。 Now； signior； what news？
Bene。 Good day； my lord。
Pedro。 Welcome； signior。 You are almost come to part almost a fray。
Claud。 We had lik'd to have had our two noses snapp'd off with two
old men without teeth。
Pedro。 Leonato and his brother。 What think'st thou？ Had we fought； I
doubt we should have been too young for them。
Bene。 In a false quarrel there is no true valour。 I came to seek you
both。
Claud。 We have been up and down to seek thee； for we are high…proof
melancholy； and would fain have it beaten away。 Wilt thou use thy wit？
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Bene。 It is in my scabbard。 Shall I draw it？
Pedro。 Dost thou wear thy wit by thy side？
Claud。 Never any did so； though very many have been beside their wit。
I will bid thee draw； as we do the minstreldraw to pleasure us。
Pedro。 As I am an honest man； he looks pale。 Art thou sick or angry？
Claud。 What； courage； man！ What though care kill'd a cat； thou hast
mettle enough in thee to kill care。
Bene。 Sir； I shall meet your wit in the career an you charge it against
me。 I pray you choose another subject。
Claud。 Nay then； give him another staff； this last was broke cross。
Pedro。 By this light； he changes more and more。 I think he be angry
indeed。
Claud。 If he be； he knows how to turn his girdle。
Bene。 Shall I speak a word in your ear？
Claud。 God bless me from a challenge！
Bene。 ＇aside to Claudio＇ You are a villain。 I jest not； I will make it
good how you dare； with what you dare； and when you dare。 Do me right；
or I will protest your cowardice。 You have kill'd a sweet lady； and her
death shall fall heavy on you。 Let me hear from you。
Claud。 Well； I will meet you； so I may have good cheer。
Pedro。 What； a feast； a feast？
Claud。 I' faith； I thank him； he hath bid me to a calve's head and a
capon； the which if I do not carve most curiously； say my knife's naught。
Shall I not find a woodcock too？
Bene。 Sir； your wit ambles well； it goes easily。
Pedro。 I'll tell thee how Beatrice prais'd thy wit the other day。 I said
thou hadst a fine wit： 'True；' said she； 'a fine little one。' 'No；' said I； 'a great
wit。' 'Right；' says she； 'a great gross one。' 'Nay；' said I； 'a good wit。' 'Just；'
said she； 'it hurts nobody。' 'Nay；' said I； 'the gentleman is wise。' 'Certain；'
said she； a wise gentleman。' 'Nay；' said I； 'he hath the tongues。' 'That I
believe' said she； 'for he swore a thing to me on Monday night which he
forswore on Tuesday morning。 There's a double tongue； there's two
tongues。' Thus did she an hour together transshape thy particular virtues。
Yet at last she concluded with a sigh； thou wast the proper'st man in Italy。
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Claud。 For the which she wept heartily and said she cared not。
Pedro。 Yea； that she did； but yet； for all that； an if she did not hate him
deadly； she would love him dearly。 The old man's daughter told us all。
Claud。 All； all！ and moreover； God saw him when he was hid in the
garden。
Pedro。 But when shall we set the savage bull's horns on the sensible
Benedick's head？
Claud。 Yea； and text underneath； 'Here dwells Benedick； the married
man'？
Bene。 Fare you well； boy； you know my mind。 I will leave you now to
your gossiplike humour。 You break jests as braggards do their blades；
which God be thanked hurt not。 My lord； for your many courtesies I thank
you。 I must discontinue your company。 Your brother the bastard is fled
from Messina。 You have among you kill'd a sweet and innocent lady。 For
my Lord Lackbeard there； he and I shall meet； and till then peace be with
him。 ＇Exit。＇
Pedro。 He is in earnest。
Claud。 In most profound earnest； and； I'll warrant you； for the love of
Beatrice。
Pedro。 And hath challeng'd thee。
Claud。 Most sincerely。
Pedro。 What a pretty thing man is when he goes in his doublet and
hose and leaves off his wit！ ＇Enter Constables Dogberry and Verges； with
the Watch； leading Conrade and Borachio。＇
Claud。 He is then a giant to an ape； but then is an ape a doctor to such
a man。
Pedro。 But； soft you； let me be！ Pluck up； my heart； and be sad！ Did he
not say my brother was fled？
Dog。 Come you； sir。 If justice cannot tame you； she shall ne'er weigh
more reasons in her balance。 Nay； an you be a cursing hypocrite once； you
must be look'd to。
Pedro。 How now？ two of my brother's men bound？ Borachio one。
Claud。 Hearken after their offence； my lord。
Pedro。 Officers； what offence have these men done？
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Dog。 Marry； sir； they have committed false report； moreover； they have
spoken untruths； secondarily； they are slanders； sixth and lastly； they have
belied a lady； thirdly； they have verified unjust things； and to conclude；
they are lying knaves。
Pedro。 First； I ask thee what they have done； thirdly； I ask thee what's
their offence； sixth and lastly； why they are committed； and to conclude；
what you lay to their charge。
Claud。 Rightly reasoned； and in his own division； and by my troth
there's one meaning well suited。
Pedro。 Who have you offended； masters； that you are thus bound to
your answer？ This learned constable is too cunning to be understood。
What's your offence？
Bora。 Sweet Prince； let me go no farther to mine answer。 Do you hear
me； and let this Count kill me。 I have deceived even your very eyes。 What
your wisdoms could not discover； these shallow fools have brought to
light； who in the night overheard me confessing to this man； how Don
John your brother incensed me to slander the Lady Hero； how you were
brought into the orchard and saw me court Margaret in Hero's garments；
how you disgrac'd her when you should marry her。 My villany they have
upon record； which I had rather seal with my death than repeat over to my
shame。 The lady is dead upon mine and my master's false accusation； and
briefly； I desire nothing but the reward of a villain。
Pedro。 Runs not this speech like iron through your blood？
Claud。 I have drunk poison whiles he utter'd it。 Pedro。
But did my brother set thee on to this？
Bora。 Yea； and paid me richly for the practice of it。
Pedro。 He is compos'd and fram'd of treachery； And fled he is upon
this villany。
Claud。 Sweet Hero； now thy image doth appear In the rare semblance
that I lov'd it first。
Dog。 Come； bring away the plaintiffs。 By this time our sexton hath
reformed Signior Leonato of the matter。 And； masters； do not forget to
specify； when time and place shall serve； that I am an ass。
Verg。 Here； here comes Master Signior Leonato； and the sexton too。
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＇Enter Leonato； his brother ＇Antonio＇； and the Sexton。＇
Leon。 Which is the villain？ Let me see his eyes； That； when I note
another man like him； I may avoid him。 Which of these is he？
Bora。 If you would know your wronger； look on me。
Leon。 Art thou the sl
