And when she weeps, weeps every little flower, [Exeunt. SCENE II-Another part of the Wood. Obe. I wonder, if Titania be awaked; Enter PUCK. Here comes my messenger.-How now, mad spirit! And forth my mimic | comes: when they him spy, Rising and cawing at the gun's report Sever themselves, and madly sweep the sky; And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls; strong, Made senseless things begin to do them wrong; I led them on in this distracted fear, And left sweet Pyramus translated there: * Revelry + Simple Head. Stupid company. Obe. This falls out better than I could devise. But hast 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; That, when he waked, of force she must be eyed. Enter DEMETRIUS and HERMIA. Obe. Stand close; this is the same Athenian. Puck. This is the woman, but not this the man. Dem. O, why rebuke you him that loves you so! Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe. Her. Now I but chide, but I should use thee worse, For thou, I fear, has given me cause to curse. If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep, Being o'er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep, And kill me too. The sun was not so true unto the day, As he to me: Would he have stolen away This whole earth may be bored; and that the moon 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. Her. Out, dog! out, cur! thou driv'st me past the bounds Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him then? An adder did it; for with a doubler tongue Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung. Dem. You spend your passion on a misprised mood: I am not guilty of Lysander's blood; Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell. Her. I pray thee, tell me then that he is well. Dem. An if I could, what should I get therefore? • Infected. + Exploit. Mistaken. [Erit. Her. A privilege never to see me more.And from thy hated presence part I so: See me no more, whether he be dead or no. Dem. There is no following her in this fierce vein: Here, therefore, for a while I will remain. So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe; Which now in some slight measure it will pay, If for his tender here I make some stay. [Lies down. Obe. What hast thou done? Thou hast mistaken quite, And laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight: Of thy misprision must perforce ensue Some true love turn'd, and not a false turn'd true. Puck. Then fate o'er-rules; that, one man holding troth, A million fail, confounding oath on oath. Obe. About the wood go swifter than the wind, And Helena of Athens look thou find : All fancy-sick ‡ she is, and pale of cheer $ With sighs of love, that cost the fresh blood dear: Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow. Re-enter PUCK. Puck. Captain of our fairy band, And the youth, mistook by me, Pleading for a lover's fee; Shall we their fond pageant see? Lord, what fools these mortals be! Obe. Stand aside; the noise they make, Will cause Demetrius to awake. Puck. Then will two, at once, woo one; That must needs be sport alone: And those things do best please me, That befal preposterously. [Exit. • Love-sick. VOL. I. + Countenance. lii 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, How can these things in me seem scorn to you, more. When truth kills truth, Odevilish-holy fray! These vows are Hermia's; Will you give her o'er? Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh: Your vows to her and me, put in two scales, Will even weigh; and both as light as tales. Lys. I had no judgment, when to her I swore. To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow! To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes, A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport. • Heartily. + Degree. And here, with all good will, with all my heart, Whom I do love, and will do to my death. Hel. Never did mockers waste more idle breath. Dem. Lysander, keep thy Hermia; I will none: If e'er I loved her, all that love is gone. My heart with her but, as guest-wise, sojourn'd; Lys. Helen, it is not so. Dem. Desparage not the faith thou dost not know, Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear. 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; 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 bide, Fair Helena; who more engilds the night 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. Hel. Lo, she is one of this confederacy! Now I perceive they have conjoin'd, all three, To fashion this false sport in spite of me. Injurious Hermia! most ungrateful maid! Have you conspired, have you with these contrived To bait me with this foul derision? Is all the counsel that we too have shared, The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent, For parting us,-0, and is all forgot? All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence ? We, Hermia, like two artificial ‡ gods, Pay dearly for it. + Circles. Ingeniou |