Much Ado About Nothing | Act V, Scene I - Page 3

VERGES:
Here, here comes Master Signior Leonato, and the(245)
sexton too.

Enter Leonato, [his brother, Antonio, and the sexton.]]

LEONATO:
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?
BORACHIO:
If you would know your wronger, look on me.(250)
LEONATO:
Art thou the slave that with thy breath hast killed
Mine innocent child?
BORACHIO:
Yea, even I alone.
LEONATO:
No, not so, villain! thou beliest thyself.
Here stand a pair of honourable men—(255)
A third is fled—that had a hand in it.
I thank you princes for my daughter's death.
Record it with your high and worthy deeds.
'Twas bravely done, if you bethink you of it.
CLAUDIO:
I know not how to pray your patience;(260)
Yet I must speak. Choose your revenge yourself;
Impose me to what penance your invention
Can lay upon my sin. Yet sinned I not
But in mistaking.
DON PEDRO:
By my soul, nor I!(265)
And yet, to satisfy this good old man,
I would bend under any heavy weight
That he'll enjoin me to.
LEONATO:
I cannot bid you bid my daughter live;
That were impossible; but I pray you both,(270)
Possess the people in Messina here
How innocent she died; and if your love
Can labour aught in sad invention,
Hang her an epitaph upon her tomb,
And sing it to her bones—sing it to-night.(275)
To-morrow morning come you to my house,
And since you could not be my son-in-law,
Be yet my nephew. My brother hath a daughter,
Almost the copy of my child that's dead,
And she alone is heir to both of us.(280)
Give her the right you should have giv'n her cousin,
And so dies my revenge.
CLAUDIO:
O noble sir!
Your over-kindness doth wring tears from me.
I do embrace your offer; and dispose(285)
For henceforth of poor Claudio.
LEONATO:
To-morrow then I will expect your coming;
To-night I take my leave. This naughty man
Shall face to face be brought to Margaret,
Who I believe was packed in all this wrong,(290)
Hired to it by your brother.
BORACHIO:
No, by my soul, she was not;
Nor knew not what she did when she spoke to me;
But always hath been just and virtuous
In anything that I do know by her.(295)
DOGBERRY:
Moreover, my lord, which indeed is not under
white and black, this plaintiff here, the offender, did call
me ass. I beseech you let it be remembered in his punishment.
And also the watch heard them talk of one
Deformed. They say he wears a key in his ear, and a lock(300)
hanging by it, and borrows money in God's name, the
which he hath used so long and never paid that now men
grow hard-hearted and will lend nothing for God's sake.
Pray you examine him upon that point.
LEONATO:
I thank thee for thy care and honest pains.(305)
DOGBERRY:
Your worship speaks like a most thankful and reverent
youth, and I praise God for you.
LEONATO:
There's for thy pains.

[Gives money.]

DOGBERRY:
God save the foundation!
LEONATO:
Go, I discharge thee of thy prisoner, and I thank thee.(310)
DOGBERRY:
I leave an arrant knave with your worship, which I
beseech your worship to correct yourself, for the example of
others. God keep your worship! I wish your worship well.
God restore you to health! I humbly give you leave to
depart; and if a merry meeting may be wished, God(315)
prohibit it! Come neighbour.

Exeunt [Dogberry and Verges.]

LEONATO:
Until to-morrow morning, lords, farewell.
ANTONIO:
Farewell, my lords. We look for you to-morrow.
DON PEDRO:
We will not fail.
CLAUDIO:
To-night I'll mourn with Hero.(320)
LEONATO:

[To the Watch]

Bring you these fellows on.–We'll talk with Margaret,
How her acquaintance grew with this lewd fellow.

Exeunt.

  • any
  • ask your leave
  • permit
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