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Enter
HERO,MARGARET, and
URSULA
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HERO, MARGARET,
andURSULA enter.
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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.
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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.
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MARGARET I’ll make her come, I warrant you, presently.
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MARGARET I’ll make her come right away, I promise you.
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Exit
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She exits.
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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.
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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.
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Enter BEATRICE, behind
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BEATRICE enters,
behind.
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