ected so much
diversion; those friends who were now overwhelmed with affliction, and
from whose minds all thoughts of merriment seemed for ever banished.

Benedick was the first who spoke, and he said, "Lady Beatrice, have
you wept all this while?" "Yea, and I will weep a while longer," said
Beatrice. "Surely," said Benedick, "I do believe your fair cousin is
wronged." "Ah!" said Beatrice, "how much might that man deserve of me
who would right her!" Benedick then said, "Is there any way to show
such friendship? I do love nothing in the world so well as you; is not
that strange?" "It were as possible," said Beatrice, "for me to say I
loved nothing in the world so well as you; but believe me not, and yet
I lie not. I confess nothing, nor I deny nothing. I am sorry for my
cousin." "By my sword," said Benedick, "you love me, and I protest I
love you. Come, bid me do any thing for you." "Kill Claudio," said
Beatrice. "Ha! not for the wide world," said Benedick: for he loved
his friend Claudio, and he believed he had been imposed upon. "Is not
Claudio a villain that has slandered, scorned, and dishonoured my
cousin?" said Beatrice: "O that I were a man!" "Hear me, Beatrice!"
said Benedick. But Beatrice would hear nothing in Claudio's defence;
and she continued to urge on Benedick to revenge her cousin's wrongs:
and she said, "Talk with a man out of the window; a proper saying!
Sweet Hero! she is wronged; she is slandered; she is undone. O that
I were a man for Claudio's sake! or that I had any friend, who would
be a man for my sake! but valour is melted into courtesies and
compliments. I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a
woman with grieving." "Tarry, good Beatrice," said Benedick: "by this
hand, I love you." "Use it for my love some other way than swearing by
it," said Beatrice. "Think you on your soul, that Claudio has wronged
Hero?" asked Benedick. "Yea," answered Beatrice; "as sure as I have a
thought, or a soul." "Enough," said Benedick; "I am engaged; I will
challenge him. I will kiss your hand, and so leave you. By this hand,
Claudio shall render me a dear account! As you hear from me, so think
of me. Go, comfort your cousin."

While Beatrice was thus powerfully pleading with Benedick, and working
his gallant temper by the spirit of her angry words, to engage in the
cause of Hero, and fight even with his dear friend Claudio, Leonato
was challenging the prince and Claudio to answer with their swords t