Much Ado About Nothing, Act 5, Scene 4

Did I not tell you she was innocent?

Didn't I tell you she was innocent?

So are the Prince and Claudio, who accus’d her Upon the error that you heard debated: But Margaret was in some fault for this, Although against her will, as it appears In the true course of all the question.

So are the Prince and Claudio, who accused her because of the mistake you heard argued out. But Margaret was somewhat at fault in this, though not by her own choice, as it appears from the true course of the whole investigation.

Well, I am glad that all things sort so well.

Well, I'm glad that everything has turned out so well.

And so am I, being else by faith enforc’d To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it.

And so am I, since otherwise my promise would have forced me to call young Claudio to account for it.

Well, daughter, and you gentlewomen all, Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves, And when I send for you, come hither mask’d: The Prince and Claudio promis’d by this hour To visit me.

Well, daughter, and all you gentlewomen, go off into a room by yourselves, and when I send for you, come here masked. The Prince and Claudio promised to visit me by this hour.

You know your office, brother; You must be father to your brother’s daughter, And give her to young Claudio.

You know your part, brother. You must be a father to your brother's daughter, and give her to young Claudio.

Which I will do with confirm’d countenance.

Which I will do with a steady face.

Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think.

Friar, I must ask you to take some trouble, I think.

To do what, signior?

To do what, sir?

To bind me, or undo me; one of them. Signior Leonato, truth it is, good signior, Your niece regards me with an eye of favour.

To bind me, or to undo me; one of the two. Signior Leonato, the truth is, good sir, your niece looks on me with a favourable eye.

That eye my daughter lent her. ’Tis most true.

That eye my daughter lent her. It's perfectly true.

And I do with an eye of love requite her.

And I repay her with an eye of love.

The sight whereof I think, you had from me, From Claudio, and the Prince. But what’s your will?

The sight for it, I think, you got from me, from Claudio and the Prince. But what do you want?

Your answer, sir, is enigmatical: But, for my will, my will is your good will May stand with ours, this day to be conjoin’d In the state of honourable marriage: In which, good friar, I shall desire your help.

Your answer, sir, is a riddle. But as for my will, my will is that your goodwill may agree with ours, so that today we may be joined in the state of honourable marriage. In which, good friar, I'll need your help.

My heart is with your liking.

My heart agrees with your wish.

And my help. Here comes the Prince and Claudio.

And my help is yours. Here come the Prince and Claudio.

Good morrow to this fair assembly.

Good morning to this fine gathering.

Good morrow, Prince; good morrow, Claudio: We here attend you. Are you yet determin’d Today to marry with my brother’s daughter?

Good morning, Prince; good morning, Claudio. We're waiting for you here. Are you still determined to marry my brother's daughter today?

I’ll hold my mind, were she an Ethiope.

I'll keep to my decision, even if she were an Ethiope.

Call her forth, brother: here’s the friar ready.

Bring her out, brother. Here's the friar, ready.

Good morrow, Benedick. Why, what’s the matter, That you have such a February face, So full of frost, of storm and cloudiness?

Good morning, Benedick. Why, what's the matter, that you wear such a February face, so full of frost, of storm and cloudiness?

I think he thinks upon the savage bull. Tush! fear not, man, we’ll tip thy horns with gold, And all Europa shall rejoice at thee, As once Europa did at lusty Jove, When he would play the noble beast in love.

I think he's thinking about the savage bull. Come on! Don't be afraid, man, we'll cap your horns with gold, and all Europe will delight in you, just as Europa once delighted in lusty Jove, when he chose to play the noble beast in love.

Bull Jove, sir, had an amiable low: And some such strange bull leap’d your father’s cow, And got a calf in that same noble feat, Much like to you, for you have just his bleat.

Bull Jove, sir, had a pleasant bellow, and some such odd bull mounted your father's cow, and fathered a calf in that same noble act, very much like you, for you have exactly his bleat.

For this I owe you: here comes other reckonings.

I owe you for that one. Here come other accounts to settle.

Which is the lady I must seize upon?

Which is the lady I must take hold of?

This same is she, and I do give you her.

This is she, and I give her to you.

Why then, she’s mine. Sweet, let me see your face.

Why then, she's mine. Sweet, let me see your face.

No, that you shall not, till you take her hand Before this friar, and swear to marry her.

No, you shall not, until you take her hand in front of this friar and swear to marry her.

Give me your hand: before this holy friar, I am your husband, if you like of me.

Give me your hand. In front of this holy friar, I am your husband, if you'll have me.

And when I liv’d, I was your other wife: [Unmasking.] And when you lov’d, you were my other husband.

And when I was alive, I was your other wife. [Taking off her mask.] And when you loved, you were my other husband.

Another Hero!

Another Hero!

Nothing certainer: One Hero died defil’d, but I do live, And surely as I live, I am a maid.

Nothing is more certain. One Hero died disgraced, but I am alive, and as surely as I live, I am a virgin.

The former Hero! Hero that is dead!

The first Hero! The Hero who is dead!

She died, my lord, but whiles her slander liv’d.

She was dead, my lord, only while the slander against her was alive.

All this amazement can I qualify: When after that the holy rites are ended, I’ll tell you largely of fair Hero’s death: Meantime, let wonder seem familiar, And to the chapel let us presently.

I can explain away all this astonishment. Once the holy rites are finished, I'll tell you fully about fair Hero's death. In the meantime, treat the wonder as if it were ordinary, and let's go to the chapel right away.

Soft and fair, friar. Which is Beatrice?

Gently and slowly, friar. Which one is Beatrice?

[Unmasking.] I answer to that name. What is your will?

[Taking off her mask.] I answer to that name. What do you want?

Do not you love me?

Don't you love me?

Why, no; no more than reason.

Why, no; no more than is reasonable.

Why, then, your uncle and the Prince and Claudio Have been deceived; for they swore you did.

Why then, your uncle and the Prince and Claudio have been fooled, because they swore that you did.

Do not you love me?

Don't you love me?

Troth, no; no more than reason.

Honestly, no; no more than is reasonable.

Why, then my cousin, Margaret, and Ursula, Are much deceiv’d; for they did swear you did.

Why then, my cousin, Margaret and Ursula have been badly fooled, because they swore that you did.

They swore that you were almost sick for me.

They swore that you were almost sick with love for me.

They swore that you were well-nigh dead for me.

They swore that you were nearly dead for love of me.

’Tis no such matter. Then you do not love me?

There's nothing in it. So you don't love me?

No, truly, but in friendly recompense.

No, truly, only as a friendly return of your feelings.

Come, cousin, I am sure you love the gentleman.

Come now, niece, I'm certain you love the gentleman.

And I’ll be sworn upon ’t that he loves her; For here’s a paper written in his hand, A halting sonnet of his own pure brain, Fashion’d to Beatrice.

And I'll swear to it that he loves her, because here's a paper written in his own hand, a limping sonnet out of his own brain, made for Beatrice.

And here’s another, Writ in my cousin’s hand, stolen from her pocket, Containing her affection unto Benedick.

And here's another, written in my cousin's hand, stolen from her pocket, telling of her love for Benedick.

A miracle! here’s our own hands against our hearts. Come, I will have thee; but, by this light, I take thee for pity.

A miracle! Here's our own handwriting testifying against our hearts. Come, I'll have you; but, by this light, I take you out of pity.

I would not deny you; but, by this good day, I yield upon great persuasion, and partly to save your life, for I was told you were in a consumption.

I wouldn't refuse you; but, by this good day, I give in only after a great deal of persuading, and partly to save your life, because I was told you were wasting away.

Peace! I will stop your mouth. [Kisses her.]

Quiet! I'll shut your mouth. [He kisses her.]

How dost thou, Benedick, the married man?

How are you, Benedick, the married man?

I’ll tell thee what, Prince; a college of witcrackers cannot flout me out of my humour. Dost thou think I care for a satire or an epigram? No; if man will be beaten with brains, a’ shall wear nothing handsome about him. In brief, since I do purpose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the world can say against it; and therefore never flout at me for what I have said against it, for man is a giddy thing, and this is my conclusion. For thy part, Claudio, I did think to have beaten thee; but, in that thou art like to be my kinsman, live unbruised, and love my cousin.

I'll tell you what, Prince: a whole college of joke-makers can't mock me out of my mood. Do you think I care about a satire or an epigram? No. If a man is going to be beaten down by other people's cleverness, he'll never wear anything fine about him. In short, since I intend to marry, I'll pay no attention at all to anything the world can say against it; and so never mock me for what I've said against it in the past, because a man is a changeable thing, and that's my conclusion. As for you, Claudio, I did mean to beat you; but since you're likely to be my relative, live on unbruised, and love my cousin.

I had well hoped thou wouldst have denied Beatrice, that I might have cudgelled thee out of thy single life, to make thee a double-dealer; which, out of question, thou wilt be, if my cousin do not look exceeding narrowly to thee.

I had really hoped you would turn Beatrice down, so that I might have clubbed you out of your single life, and made you a double-dealer; which, without question, you will be, unless my cousin watches you extremely closely.

Come, come, we are friends. Let’s have a dance ere we are married, that we may lighten our own hearts and our wives’ heels.

Come, come, we're friends. Let's have a dance before we're married, so that we can lighten our own hearts and our wives' heels.

We’ll have dancing afterward.

We'll have the dancing afterwards.

First, of my word; therefore play, music! Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee a wife: there is no staff more reverent than one tipped with horn.

First, on my word; so play, music! Prince, you look sad; get yourself a wife, get yourself a wife: there's no walking stick more worthy of respect than one capped with horn.

My lord, your brother John is ta’en in flight, And brought with armed men back to Messina.

My lord, your brother John has been captured while fleeing, and brought back to Messina by armed men.

Think not on him till tomorrow: I’ll devise thee brave punishments for him. Strike up, pipers!

Don't think about him until tomorrow: I'll come up with splendid punishments for him for you. Start playing, pipers!