have a wall in the great chamber; for Pyramus and Thisby, says the story, did talk through the chinks of a wall. Snug. You never can bring in a wall.-What say you, Bottom ? Bot. Some man or other must present wall: and let him have some plaster, or some lome, or some rough-cast about him, to signify wall; or let him hold his fingers thus, and through that cranny shall Pyramus and Thisby whisper. Quin. If that may be, then all is well. "Come, sit down, every mother's son, and rehearse your parts. Pyramus, you begin : when you have spoken your speech, enter into that brake* and so every one according to his cue. Enter PUCK behind. Puck. What hempen home-spuns have we swaggering here, So near the cradle of the fairy queen? What, a play toward? I'll be an auditor; An actor too, perhaps, if I see cause. Quin. Speak, Pyramus: Thisby, stand forth. Pyr. Thisby, the flowers of odious savours sweet, Quin. Odours, odours. Pyr.-odours savours sweet: So doth thy breath, my dearest Thisby dear.— But, hark, a voice! stay thou but here a while, [Exit. Puck. A stranger Pyramus than e'er played here! [Aside.-Exit. This. Must I speak now? Quin. Ay, marry, must you: for you must understand, he goes but to see a noise that he heard, and is to come again. This. Most radiant Pyramus, most lily-white of hue, Most brisky juvenal,† and eke most lovely Jew, I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb. Quin. Ninus' tomb, man: Why you must not speak that yet; that you answer to Pyramus: you speak all your part at once, cuest and all.-Pyramus enter; your cue is past; it is, never tire. Re-enter PUCK, and BOTTOM with an ass' head. This. O,-As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire. Pray, masters, fly, masters! help! [Exeunt CLOWNS. Puck. I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round, Through bog, through bush, through brake, through brier, Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound, A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire; And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn, *Thicket. +Young man. [Exit. The last words of the preceding speech, which serve as a hint to him who is to speak next. Bot. Why do they run away? this is a knavery of them, to make me afeard.* Re-enter SNOUT. Snout. O Bottom, thou art changed! what do I see on thee? Bot. What do you see? you see an ass' head of your own; Do you? Re-enter QUINCE. Quin. Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art translated. [Exit. Bot. I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me; to fright me, if they could. But I will not stir from this place, do what they can: I will walk up and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear I am not afraid. [Sings. The ousel-cock, so black of hue, The throstle with his note so true, Tita. What angel wakes me from my flowery bed? [Waking. Whose note full many a man doth mark, And dares not answer, nay; for, indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish a bird? Who would give a bird the lie, though he cry cuckoo, never so? Tita. I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again, Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note, So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape; And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me, Bot. Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that: And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together now-a-days: The more the pity, that some honest neighbours will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek upon occasion. Tita. Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful. Bot. Not so, neither: but if I had wit enough to get out of this wood, I have enough to serve mine own turn. Tita. Out of this wood do not desire to go; Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no. I am a spirit, of no common rate; The summer still doth tend upon my state, And I do love thee: therefore, go with me; I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee; And they shall fetch thee jewels, from the deep, And sing, while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep, Peas-blossom! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustard-seed! * Afrail. †The cuckoo with his uniform note. Joke. 4 Fai. Where shall we go? Tita. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman; And pluck the wings from painted butterflies, 1 Fai. Hail, mortal! 2 Fai. Hail! 3 Fai. Hail! 4 Fai. Hail! Bot. I cry your worship's mercy, heartily.-I beseech, your worship's name. Cob. Cobweb. Bot. I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good master Cobweb: If I cut my finger, I shall make bold with you.-Your name, honest gentleman ? Peas. Peas-blossom. Bot. I pray you, commend me to mistress Squash, your mother, and to master Peascod, your father. Good master Peasblossom, I shall desire you of more acquaintance too.-Your name, I beseech you, Sir? Mus. Mustard-seed. Bot. Good master Mustard-seed, I know your patience well: that same cowardly, giant-like ox-beef hath devoured many a gentleman of your house: I promise you, your kindred hath made my eyes water ere now. I desire you more acquaintance, good master Mustard-seed. Tita. Come, wait upon him; lead him to my bower. Tie up my love's tongue, bring him silently. SCENE II.—Another part of the Wood. Obe. I wonder, if Titania be awaked; Then, what it was that next came in her eye, Which she must dote on in extremity. Enter PUCK. Here comes my messenger.-How now, mad spirit? [Exeunt. *Gooseberries. + Frolic of the night. Puck. My mistress with a monster is in love. And forth my mimic§ comes: When they him spy, So, at his sight, away his fellows fly: And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls; He murder cries, and help from Athens calls. Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears, thus strong, Made senseless things begin to do them wrong: For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch; Some, sleeves; some, hats: from yielders all things catch. And left sweet Pyramus translated there: Obe. This falls out better than I could devise. Puck. I took him sleeping, that is finish'd too,- That when he waked, of force she must be eyed. Obe. Stand close; this is the same Athenian. Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe. Her. Now I but chide, but I should use thee worse; For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse. If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep, Being o'er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep, The sun was not so true unto the day, As he to me: Would he have stol'n away From sleeping Hermia? I'll believe as soon, This whole earth may be bored; and that the moon * Simple fellows. + Stupid company. Infected. Head. May through the centre creep, and so displease Dem. So should the murder'd look; and so should I, Her. What's this to my Lysander? where is he? Dem. I had rather give his carcass to my hounds. O! once tell true, tell true, even for my sake; An adder did it; for with doubler tongue Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung. Dem. You spend your passion on a mispris'dt 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. And if I could, what should I get therefore? 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 awhile I will remain. So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe; If for his tender here I make some stay. [Exit. [Lies down. Obe. What hast thou done? thou hast mistaken quite, And laid the love-juice on some true love's sight: Of thy misprison 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 cheers With sighs of love, that cost the fresh blood dear: Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow. * Exploit. + Mistaken. $ Countenance. [Exit. |