Brick Shakespeare: The Comedies—A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Taming of the Shrew Read Online Free PDF Page A

that love is gone.
    My heart to her but as guest-wise sojourn’d,
    And now to Helen is it home return’d,
    There to remain.
    LYSANDER
    Helen, it is not so.

    DEMETRIUS
    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.

    HERMIA
    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?

    LYSANDER
    Why should he stay, whom love doth press to go?
    HERMIA
    What love could press Lysander from my side?

    LYSANDER
    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?

    HERMIA
    You speak not as you think: it cannot be.

    HELENA
    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?

    HELENA (cont.)
    Is all the counsel that we two have shared,
    The sisters’ vows, the hours that we have spent,
    When we have chid the hasty-footed time
    For parting us,—O, is it all forgot?
    All school-days’ friendship, childhood innocence?
    We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,
    Have with our needles created both one flower,
    Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,
    Both warbling of one song, both in one key,
    As if our hands, our sides, voices and minds,
    Had been incorporate.

    HELENA (cont.)
    So we grow together,
    Like to a double cherry, seeming parted,
    But yet an union in partition;
    Two lovely berries moulded on one stem;
    So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart;
    Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,
    Due but to one and crowned with one crest.
    And will you rent our ancient love asunder,
    To join with men in scorning your poor friend?
    It is not friendly, ’tis not maidenly:
    Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it,
    Though I alone do feel the injury.

    HERMIA
    I am amazed at your passionate words.
    I scorn you not: it seems that you scorn me.

    HELENA
    Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn,
    To follow me and praise my eyes and face?
    And made your other love, Demetrius,
    Who even but now did spurn me with his foot,
    To call me goddess, nymph, divine and rare,
    Precious, celestial? Wherefore speaks he this
    To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lysander
    Deny your love, so rich within his soul,
    And tender me, forsooth, affection,
    But by your setting on, by your consent?
    What thought I be not so in grace as you,
    So hung upon with love, so fortunate,
    But miserable most, to love unloved?
    This you should pity rather than despise.

    HERMIA
    I understand not what you mean by this.

    HELENA
    Ay, do, persever, counterfeit sad looks,
    Make mouths upon me when I turn my back;
    Wink each at other; hold the sweet jest up:
    This sport, well carried, shall be chronicled.
    If you have any pity, grace, or manners,
    You would not make me such an argument.
    But fare ye well: ’tis partly my own fault;
    Which death or absence soon shall remedy.

    LYSANDER
    Stay, gentle Helena; hear my excuse:
    My love, my life, my soul, fair Helena!
    HELENA
    O excellent!
    HERMIA
    Sweet, do not scorn her so.

    DEMETRIUS
    If she cannot entreat, I can compel.
    LYSANDER
    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.
    DEMETRIUS
    I say I love thee more than he can do.

    LYSANDER
    If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too.
    DEMETRIUS
    Quick, come!
    HERMIA
    Lysander,