Much Ado About Nothing

by: William Shakespeare

Act 3 Scene 1

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Original Text	Modern Text
Enter HERO,MARGARET, and URSULA	HERO, MARGARET, andURSULA enter.
HERO Good Margaret, run thee to the parlor. There shalt thou find my cousin Beatrice Proposing with the Prince and Claudio. Whisper her ear and tell her I and Ursula 5Walk in the orchard, and our whole discourse Is all of her. Say that thou overheardst us, And bid her steal into the pleachèd bower Where honeysuckles ripened by the sun Forbid the sun to enter, like favorites 10Made proud by princes, that advance their pride Against that power that bred it. There will she hide her To listen our propose. This is thy office. Bear thee well in it and leave us alone.	HERO Margaret, run into the sitting room. You’ll find Beatrice there, talking to Claudio and the Prince. Whisper to her that Ursula and I are walking in the orchard and that we’re talking all about her. Tell her you heard us, and that she should sneak into the arbor where the crisscrossing branches overhead keep the honeysuckles out of the sun. (The same honeysuckles that were once ripened in the sun; they’re like courtiers who rise because the king favors them, then plot to overthrow his Majesty.) She can hide there and eavesdrop on our conversation. This is your job. Do it well, and then leave us.
MARGARET I’ll make her come, I warrant you, presently.	MARGARET I’ll make her come right away, I promise you.
Exit	She exits.
HERO 15Now, Ursula, when Beatrice doth come, As we do trace this alley up and down, Our talk must only be of Benedick. When I do name him, let it be thy part To praise him more than ever man did merit. 20My talk to thee must be how Benedick Is sick in love with Beatrice. Of this matter Is little Cupid’s crafty arrow made, That only wounds by hearsay.	HERO All right Ursula, as Beatrice arrives, we’ll be walking up and down this alley and speaking about nothing but Benedick. Whenever I mention him, praise him more than any man deserves. It’ll be my job to talk about how Benedick is sick with love for Beatrice. We’ll make our arrows the same way Cupid does: with gossip and rumor.
Enter BEATRICE, behind	BEATRICE enters, behind.

Read the Summary of Act III, scenes i–ii

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