You would not do me thus much injury. Το vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, Lys. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so; HEL. Never did mockers waste more idle breath. My heart to her but as guest-wise sojourn'd, There to remain. Lys. Helen, it is not so. DEM. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear. Look, where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear. Re-enter HERMIA. 150 160 170 180 HER. Dark night, that from the eye his function takes, The ear more quick of apprehension makes; Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense, It pays the hearing double recompense. Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found; Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound. But why unkindly didst thou leave me so? 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, 190 HER. You speak not as you think it cannot be. Is all the counsel that we two have shared, All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence? Have with our needles created both one flower, HER. I am amazed at your passionate words. 200 210 220 230 But by your setting on, by your consent? HEL. O excellent! HER. Sweet, do not scorn her so. DEM. If she cannot entreat, I can compel. 240 LYS. Thou canst compel no more than she entreat : Thy threats have no more strength than her weak prayers. Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do : I swear by that which I will lose for thee, To prove him false that says I love thee not. HER. 251 Lysander, whereto tends all this? Lys. Away, you Ethiope! No, no; he'll....... Seem to break loose; take on as you would follow, But yet come not you are a tame man, go! Lys. Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! vile thing, let loose, Or I will shake thee from me like a serpent! HER. Why are you grown so rude? what change is this? Sweet love, Lys. HEL. Yes, sooth; and so do you. Lys. What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead? Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so. 270 HER. What, can you do me greater harm than hate? Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my love! Am not I Hermia? are not you Lysander? I am as fair now as I was erewhile. Since night you loved me; yet since night you left me : Why, then you left me— -O, the gods forbid !— In earnest, shall I say? Lys. Ay, by my life ; And never did desire to see thee more. Therefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt; HER. O me! you juggler! you canker-blossom! HEL. 280 HER. Puppet? why so? ay, that way goes the game. Now I perceive that she hath made compare Between our statures; she hath urged her height; Her height, forsooth, she hath prevail'd with him. How low am I, thou painted maypole? speak; But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes. HEL. I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen, Let her not hurt me: I was never curst; I have no gift at all in shrewishness; I am a right maid for my cowardice: Let her not strike me. You perhaps may think, HER. Lower! hark, again. HEL. Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me. I evermore did love you, Hermia, Did ever keep your counsels, never wrong'd you ; D 290 300 310 Save that, in love unto Demetrius, I told him of your stealth unto this wood. To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too : HER. Why, get you gone : who is't that hinders you? 320 HEL. With Demetrius. Lys. Be not afraid; she shall not harm thee, Helena. DEM. No, sir, she shall not, though you take her part. HEL. O, when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd? She was a vixen when she went to school; And though she be but little, she is fierce. HER. 'Little' again! nothing but 'low' and 'little'! Why will you suffer her to flout me thus? Let me come to her. LYS. Get you gone, you dwarf; You minimus, of hindering knot-grass made; You bead, you acorn. DEM. You are too officious In her behalf that scorns your services. Let her alone: speak not of Helena; Take not her part; for, if thou dost intend Thou shalt aby it. Lys. Now she holds me not; Now follow, if thou darest, to try whose right, 330 DEM. Follow! nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jole. [Exeunt LYSANDER and DEMETRIUS. HER. You, mistress, all this coil is 'long of you: Nay, go not back. HEL. Nor longer stay in your curst company. I will not trust you, I, Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray, My legs are longer though, to run away. 340 [Exit. HER. I am amazed, and know not what to say. [Exit. OBE. This is thy negligence: still thou mistakest, |