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Much Ado About Nothing: Act I, Scene 3

Much Ado About Nothing
Act I, Scene 3

A hall in Leonato’s house.

  1. Enter Don John the Bastard and Conrade, his companion.

Conrade

1 - 2
  1. What the good-year, my lord, why are you thus out of measure
  2. sad?

Don John

3 - 4
  1. There is no measure in the occasion that breeds, therefore
  2. the sadness is without limit.

Conrade

5
  1. You should hear reason.

Don John

6
  1. And when I have heard it, what blessing brings it?

Conrade

7
  1. If not a present remedy, at least a patient sufferance.

Don John

8 - 14
  1. I wonder that thou (being, as thou say’st thou art, born
  2. under Saturn) goest about to apply a moral medicine to a
  3. mortifying mischief. I cannot hide what I am: I must be sad
  4. when I have cause, and smile at no man’s jests; eat when I
  5. have stomach, and wait for no man’s leisure; sleep when I am
  6. drowsy, and tend on no man’s business; laugh when I am
  7. merry, and claw no man in his humor.

Conrade

15 - 20
  1. Yea, but you must not make the full show of this till you
  2. may do it without controlment. You have of late stood out
  3. against your brother, and he hath ta’en you newly into his
  4. grace, where it is impossible you should take true root but
  5. by the fair weather that you make yourself. It is needful
  6. that you frame the season for your own harvest.

Don John

21 - 30
  1. I had rather be a canker in a hedge than a rose in his
  2. grace, and it better fits my blood to be disdain’d of all
  3. than to fashion a carriage to rob love from any. In this
  4. (though I cannot be said to be a flattering honest man) it
  5. must not be denied but I am a plain-dealing villain. I am
  6. trusted with a muzzle, and enfranchis’d with a clog,
  7. therefore I have decreed not to sing in my cage. If I had my
  8. mouth, I would bite; if I had my liberty, I would do my
  9. liking. In the mean time let me be that I am, and seek not
  10. to alter me.

Conrade

31
  1. Can you make no use of your discontent?

Don John

32 - 33
  1. I make all use of it, for I use it only. Who comes here?
  2. Enter Borachio.
  3. What news, Borachio?

Borachio

34 - 36
  1. I came yonder from a great supper. The Prince your brother
  2. is royally entertain’d by Leonato, and I can give you
  3. intelligence of an intended marriage.

Don John

37 - 38
  1. Will it serve for any model to build mischief on? What is he
  2. for a fool that betroths himself to unquietness?

Borachio

39
  1. Marry, it is your brother’s right hand.

Don John

40
  1. Who, the most exquisite Claudio?

Borachio

41
  1. Even he.

Don John

42
  1. A proper squire! And who, and who? Which way looks he?

Borachio

43
  1. Marry, one Hero, the daughter and heir of Leonato.

Don John

44
  1. A very forward March-chick! How came you to this?

Borachio

45 - 49
  1. Being entertain’d for a perfumer, as I was smoking a musty
  2. room, comes me the Prince and Claudio, hand in hand in sad
  3. conference. I whipt me behind the arras, and there heard it
  4. agreed upon that the Prince should woo Hero for himself, and
  5. having obtain’d her, give her to Count Claudio.

Don John

50 - 53
  1. Come, come, let us thither, this may prove food to my
  2. displeasure. That young start-up hath all the glory of my
  3. overthrow. If I can cross him any way, I bless myself every
  4. way. You are both sure, and will assist me?

Conrade

54
  1. To the death, my lord.

Don John

55 - 57
  1. Let us to the great supper, their cheer is the greater that
  2. I am subdu’d. Would the cook were a’ my mind! Shall we go
  3. prove what’s to be done?

Borachio

58
  1. We’ll wait upon your lordship.
  1. Exeunt.
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