No Fear Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing: Act 4 Scene 1 Page 13

Original Text	Modern Text
BENEDICK Tarry, sweet Beatrice.	BENEDICK Wait, sweet Beatrice.
BEATRICE I am gone, though I am here. There is no love in you. Nay, 290I pray you let me go.	BEATRICE My body waits here, but the rest of me is gone. You don’t really love me. I beg you to let me go.
BENEDICK Beatrice—	BENEDICK Beatrice—
BEATRICE In faith, I will go.	BEATRICE I swear, I’m going.
BENEDICK We’ll be friends first.	BENEDICK Not until we part as friends.
BEATRICE You dare easier be friends with me than fight with mine 295enemy.	BEATRICE How dare you try to be my friend when you refuse to fight my enemy.
BENEDICK Is Claudio thine enemy?	BENEDICK Is Claudio your enemy?
BEATRICE Is he not approved in the height a villain, that hath slandered, scorned, dishonored my kinswoman? Oh, that I were a man! What, bear her in hand until they come to take 300hands and then, with public accusation, uncovered slander, unmitigated rancor—O God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the marketplace.	BEATRICE Hasn’t he proven himself to be a great villain—slandering, scorning, and dishonoring my cousin? Oh, I wish I were a man! He pretended that everything was fine until the moment they were exchanging vows, and then—with public accusation, blatant slander, pure hatred—Oh God, if only I were a man! I would rip his heart out in public and eat it.
BENEDICK Hear me, Beatrice—	BENEDICK Listen to me, Beatrice—
BEATRICE Talk with a man out at a window! A proper saying!	BEATRICE Talking with a man outside her bedroom window! A likely story!
BENEDICK 305Nay, but Beatrice—	BENEDICK No, but Beatrice—
BEATRICE Sweet Hero, she is wronged, she is slandered, she is undone.	BEATRICE Sweet Hero, she’s been wronged, she’s been slandered, she’s been ruined.
BENEDICK Beat—	BENEDICK Beat—