And, to speak troth, I have forgot our way; We'll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good, And tarry for the comfort of the day. Her. Be it so, Lysander, find you out a bed, For I upon this bank will rest my head. 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 Lie further off yet, do not lie so near. [dear, Lys. O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence; Love takes the meaning, in love's conference. mean, that my heart unto yours is knit; I So that but one heart we can make of it: Her. Lysander riddles very prettily: So far be distant: and good night, sweet friend: Thy love ne'er alter, till thy sweet life end! Puck. Through the forest have I gone, But Athenian found I none On whose eyes I might approve This flower's force in stirring love. Night and silence! who is here? Weeds of Athens he doth wear: This is he, my master said, Despised the Athenian maid; And here the maiden, sleeping sound, On the dank and dirty ground. Pretty soul! she durst not lie Near this lack-love, kill-courtesy. Churl, upon thy eyes I throw All the power this charm doth owe: When thou wak'st, let love forbid Sleep his seat on thy eye-lid. So awake, when I am gone; For I must now to Oberon. Enter Demetrius and Helena, running. Hel. Stay, though thou kill me, sweet Demetrius. [me thus. Dem. I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt Hel. O, wilt thou darkling leave me? do not Dem. Stay, on thy peril; I alone will go. [so. [exit Dem. 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. [tears: How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt If so, my eyes are oftener wash'd than hers. No, no, I am as ugly as a bear; [exit. For beasts that meet me, run away for fear: Therefore, no marvel, though Demetrius Lys. And run through fire I will, for thy sweet sake. [wakes. Transparent Helena! Nature here shows art, That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart. Where is Demetrius? O, how fit a word Is that vile name, to perish on my sword! Hel. Do not say so, Lysander; say not so What though he love your Hermia? Lord, what though Yet Hermia still loves you: then be content. Lys. Content with Hermia? no: I do repent When, at your hands, did I deserve this scorn? thou there; [do, And never may'st thou come Lysander near! Her. [starting.] Help me, Lysander help me! do thy best, To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast! SCENE 1. THE SAME. ACT III. The Queen of the 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 Button? Bot. There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and Thisby, that will never please. First, Pyramus must draw a sword to kill himself; which the ladies cannot abide. How answer you that? Snout. By'rlakin, a parlous 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. Bot. No, make it two more; let it be written in eight and eight. Snout. Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion? Bot. Masters, you ought to consider with yourBelves: 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 for you know, Pyramus and Thisby meet by moonlight. Snug. Doth the moon shine that night we play our play? Bot. A calendar, a calendar! look in the almanack; find out moonshine! find out moonshine. Quin. Yes, it doth shine that night. Bot. Why, then you may 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 of 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 Pyramus and Thisby, says the story, did talk through the chink of a wall. Snug. You never can bring in a wall.-What say you, Bottom? Bot. Some man or other must present wall: and let him have some plaster, or some lome, or some rough-cast about him, to signify wall; or let him hold his fingers thus, and through that cranny shall Pyramus and Thisby whisper. Quin. If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit 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 swaggering here, So near the cradle of the fairy queen? Quin. Speak, Pyramus:-Thisby, stand forth. Pyr. odours savours sweet: So doth thy breath, my dearest Thisby dear.But, hark, a voice! stay thou but here a while, And by and by I will to thee appear.' [arit. Puck. A stranger Pyramus than e'er play'd here! [aside; exit. This. Must I speak now? Quin. Ay, marry, must you: for you must understand, he goes but to see a noise that he heard, and is to come again. (of hue, This. Most radiant Pyramus, most lily-white Of colour like the red-rose on triumphant brier, Most briskly juvenal, and eke most lovely Jew, As true as truest horse, that yet would never I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb.' [tire, Quin. Ninus' tomb, man: why you mus. 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.' Re-enter Puck, and Bottom with an ass's head. This. O, As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire.' Pyr. If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine. Quin. O, monstrous! O, strange! we are haunted. Pray, masters! fly, masters! help! [exeunt Clowns Puck. I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round, [through brier; Through bog, through bush, through brake, Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound, A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire; 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. Quin. Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! 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. The ousel-cock, so black of hue, With orange-tawney bill, The throstle with his note so true,. The wren with little quill; [sings. The finch, the sparrow, and the lark, 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: Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note, So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape; And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me, On the first view, to say, to swear, I love thee. Bot. Methinks, 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 gleek 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: herefore. go with me; I give thee fairis to attend on thes; 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. [seed! Peas-blossom! Cobweb! Moth! and MustardEnter four Fairies. 1 Fai. Ready. 2 Fai. And I. 8 Fai. And I. 4 Fai. Where shall we go? Tita. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman; Hop in his walks, and gambol in his eyes; Feed him with apricocks, and dewberries, With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries; The honey bags steal from the humble-bees, And, for night tapers, crop their waxen thighs, And light them at the fiery glow-worm's eyes, To have my love to bed, and to arise; And pluck the wings from painted butterflies, To fan the moon-beams from his sleeping eyes: Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies. Bot. Good master Mustard-seed, I know your patience well: that same cowardly, giant-like ox-beef hath devoured many a gentleman of your house: I promise you, your kindred hath made my eyes water ere now. I desire you more acquaintance, good master Mustard-seed. [bower. Tita. Come, wait upon him; lead him to my The moon, methinks, looks with a watery eye; And when she weeps, weeps every little flower, Lamenting some enforced chastity. Tie up my love's tongue, bring him silently. SCENE II. ANOTHER PART OF THE WOOD. Obe. I wonder, if Titania be awak'd; Enter Puck. Here comes my messenger.-How now, mad spirit? What night-rule now about this haunted grove And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls; And left sweet Pyramus translated there: Obe. This falls out better than I could devise. But bast thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do? Puck. I took him sleeping,—that is finish'd too, And the Athenian woman by his side; Of thy misprision must perforce ensue A million fail, confounding oath on oath. Obe. About the wood go swifter than the wind, All fancy-sick she is, and pale of cheer That, when he wak'd, of force she must be ey'd. By some illusion see thou bring her here; May through the centre creep, and so displease Her brother's noon-tide with the Antipodes. t cannot be, but thou hast murdered 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 uelty: 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? Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me? Dem. I had rather give his carcase to my hounds. Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him then? Her. I pray thee, tell me then, that he is well. vein : | I'll charm his eyes, against she do appear. Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow. [ert Re-enter Puck. Puck. Captain of our fairy band, And the youth, mistook by me, Shall we their fond pageant see? Obe. Stand aside: the noise they make Will cause Demetrius to awake, Puck. Then will two, at once, woo one; Enter Lysander and Helena. Lys. Why should you think, that I should woo in scorn? Scorn and derision never come in tears: 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 perfect divine! To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show Here, therefore, for a while I will remain. Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow! So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow That pure congealed white, high Taurus' snow, For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe; Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow, Which now, in some slight measure, it will pay, When thou hold'st up thy hand: O let me kiss If for his tender here I make some stay. [lies down. This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss! Obe. What hast thou done? thou hast mistaken Hel. O spite! O hell! I see you all are benɩ quite, To set against me, for your merriment. AD1 laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight: If you were civil, and knew courtesy You would not do me thus much injury. To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, A trim exploit, a manly enterprise, To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes, Lys. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so; Lys. Helen, it is not so. Dem. Disparage not the faith thou dost not Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear.- [know, Look, where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear. Enter Hermia. Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function takes, The ear more quick of apprehension makes; It pays the hearing double recompense :- Lys. Why should he stay, whom love doth press to go? Her. What love could press Lysander from my side? Lys. Lysander's love, that would not let him Fair Helena; who more engilds the night [bide, Than all yon fiery oes and eyes of light. Why seek'st thou me? could not this make thee know, The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so? Her. You speak not as you think; it cannot be. Is all the counsel, that we two have shar'd, Had been incorporate. So we grew together, Two lovely berries moulded on one stem:.00 Her. I am amazed at your passionate words: I scorn you not: it seems that you scorn me. Hel. Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn, Lys. Stay, gentle Helena; hear my excuse 13 Her. Sweet, do not scorn her so.. Thy threats have no more strength, than her weak prayers. Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do Her. Lysander, whereto tends all this? [low; Seem to break loose; take on, as you would folBut yet come not. You are a tame man, go! Lys. Hang off, thou cat, thou burr; vile thing, let loose; Or I will shake thee from me, like a serpent. Her. Why are you grown so rude? what change is this, Sweet love? Lys. Thy love? out, tawny Tartar, out o Out, loathed medicine! hated Her. Do you not jest? |