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MUCHADOABOUTNOTHING1MUCHADOABOUTNOTHINGWilliamShakespeare1599MUCHADOABOUTNOTHING2DramatisPersonaeDonPedro,PrinceofArragon.DonJohn,hisbastardbrother.Claudio,ayounglordofFlorence.Benedick,aYounglordofPadua.Leonato,GovernorofMessina.Antonio,anoldman,hisbrother.Balthasar,attendantonDonPedro.Borachio,followerofDonJohn.Conrade,followerofDonJohn.FriarFrancis.Dogberry,aConstable.Verges,aHeadborough.ASexton.ABoy.Hero,daughtertoLeonato.Beatrice,niecetoLeonato.Margaret,waitinggentlewomanattendingonHero.Ursula,waitinggentlewomanattendingonHero.Messengers,Watch,Attendants,etc.MUCHADOABOUTNOTHING3ACTI.MUCHADOABOUTNOTHING4SCENEI.AnorchardbeforeLeonato'shouse.[EnterLeonato(GovernorofMessina),Hero(hisDaughter),andBeatrice(hisNiece),withaMessenger.]Leon.IlearninthisletterthatDonPedroofArragoncomesthisnighttoMessina.Mess.Heisverynearbythis.HewasnotthreeleaguesoffwhenIlefthim.Leon.Howmanygentlemenhaveyoulostinthisaction?Mess.Butfewofanysort,andnoneofname.Leon.Avictoryistwiceitselfwhentheachieverbringshomefullnumbers.IfindherethatDonPedrohathbestowedmuchhonouronayoungFlorentinecalledClaudio.Mess.Muchdeserv'donhispart,andequallyrememb'redbyDonPedro.Hehathbornehimselfbeyondthepromiseofhisage,doinginthefigureofalambthefeatsofalion.Hehathindeedbetterbett'redexpectationthanyoumustexpectofmetotellyouhow.Leon.HehathanunclehereinMessinawillbeverymuchgladofit.Mess.Ihavealreadydeliveredhimletters,andthereappearsmuchjoyinhim;evensomuchthatjoycouldnotshowitselfmodestenoughwithoutabadgeofbitterness.Leon.Didhebreakoutintotears?Mess.Ingreatmeasure.Leon.Akindoverflowofkindness.Therearenofacestruerthanthosethataresowash'd.Howmuchbetterisittoweepatjoythantojoyatweeping!Beat.Iprayyou,isSigniorMountantoreturn'dfromthewarsorno?Mess.Iknownoneofthatname,lady.Therewasnonesuchinthearmyofanysort.Leon.Whatishethatyouaskfor,niece?Hero.MycousinmeansSigniorBenedickofPadua.Mess.O,he'sreturn'd,andaspleasantaseverhewas.Beat.HesetuphisbillshereinMessinaandchalleng'dCupidattheMUCHADOABOUTNOTHING5flight,andmyuncle'sfool,readingthechallenge,subscrib'dforCupidandchalleng'dhimattheburbolt.Iprayyou,howmanyhathhekill'dandeateninthesewars?Buthowmanyhathhekill'd?ForindeedIpromisedtoeatallofhiskilling.Leon.Faith,niece,youtaxSigniorBenedicktoomuch;buthe'llbemeetwithyou,Idoubtitnot.Mess.Hehathdonegoodservice,lady,inthesewars.Beat.Youhadmustyvictual,andhehathholptoeatit.Heisaveryvalianttrencherman;hehathanexcellentstomach.Mess.Andagoodsoldiertoo,lady.Beat.Andagoodsoldiertoalady;butwhatishetoalord?Mess.Alordtoalord,amantoaman;stuff'dwithallhonourablevirtues.Beat.Itissoindeed.Heisnolessthanastuff'dman;butforthestuffing--well,weareallmortal.Leon.Youmustnot,sir,mistakemyniece.ThereisakindofmerrywarbetwixtSigniorBenedickandher.Theynevermeetbutthere'saskirmishofwitbetweenthem.Beat.Alas,hegetsnothingbythat!Inourlastconflictfourofhisfivewitswenthaltingoff,andnowisthewholemangovern'dwithone;sothatifhehavewitenoughtokeephimselfwarm,lethimbearitforadifferencebetweenhimselfandhishorse;foritisallthewealththathehathlefttobeknownareasonablecreature.Whoishiscompanionnow?Hehatheverymonthanewswornbrother.Mess.Is'tpossible?Beat.Veryeasilypossible.Hewearshisfaithbutasthefashionofhishat;iteverchangeswiththenextblock.Mess.Isee,lady,thegentlemanisnotinyourbooks.Beat.No.Anhewere,Iwouldburnmystudy.ButIprayyou,whoishiscompanion?Istherenoyoungsquarernowthatwillmakeavoyagewithhimtothedevil?Mess.HeismostinthecompanyoftherightnobleClaudio.Beat.OLord,hewillhanguponhimlikeadisease!Heissoonercaughtthanthepestilence,andthetakerrunspresentlymad.GodhelptheMUCHADOABOUTNOTHING6nobleClaudio!IfhehavecaughttheBenedick,itwillcosthimathousandpoundere'abecured.Mess.Iwillholdfriendswithyou,lady.Beat.Do,goodfriend.Leon.Youwillneverrunmad,niece.Beat.No,nottillahotJanuary.Mess.DonPedroisapproach'd.[EnterDonPedro,Claudio,Benedick,Balthasar,andJohntheBastard.]Pedro.GoodSigniorLeonato,areyoucometomeetyourtrouble?Thefashionoftheworldistoavoidcost,andyouencounterit.Leon.NevercametroubletomyhouseinthelikenessofyourGrace;fortroublebeinggone,comfortshouldremain;butwhenyoudepartfromme,sorrowabidesandhappinesstakeshisleave.Pedro.Youembraceyourchargetoowillingly.Ithinkthisisyourdaughter.Leon.Hermotherhathmanytimestoldmeso.Bene.Wereyouindoubt,sir,thatyouask'dher?Leon.SigniorBenedick,no;forthenwereyouachild.Pedro.Youhaveitfull,Benedick.Wemayguessbythiswhatyouare,beingaman.Trulytheladyfathersherself.Behappy,lady;foryouarelikeanhonourablefather.Bene.IfSigniorLeonatobeherfather,shewouldnothavehisheadonhershouldersforallMessina,aslikehimassheis.Beat.Iwonderthatyouwillstillbetalking,SigniorBenedick.Nobodymarksyou.Bene.What,mydearLadyDisdain!areyouyetliving?Beat.IsitpossibleDisdainshoulddiewhileshehathsuchmeetfoodtofeeditasSigniorBenedick?Courtesyitselfmustconverttodisdainifyoucomeinherpresence.Bene.Theniscourtesyaturncoat.ButitiscertainIamlovedofallladies,onlyyouexcepted;andIwouldIcouldfindinmyheartthatIhadnotahardheart,fortrulyIlovenone.Beat.Adearhappinesstowomen!TheywouldelsehavebeentroubledMUCHADOABOUTNOTHING7withapernicioussuitor.Itha