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 lov'd 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; That I do hate thee, and love Helena. Her. O me!-you juggler! you canker-blossom! Hel. No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear Fie, fie! you counterfeit, you puppet you! Her. Puppet! why so? Ay, that way goes the game. Now I perceive that she hath made compare Between our statures: she hath urg'd her height, 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, Because she is something lower than myself, Her. Lower! hark, again. Hel. Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me. Did ever keep your counsels, never wrong'd you; I told him of your stealth unto this wood. Her. Why, get you gone. Who is't that hinders you? Hel. A foolish heart, that I leave here behind. Her. What, with Lysander? 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 is 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 made3; Dem. You are too officious In her behalf that scorns your services. 2 3 - and how FOND I am.] i. e. "How foolish I am." See note 5, p. 37. of hindering KNOT-GRASS made ;] Knot-grass was formerly supposed to have the property of "hindering" growth. 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 dar'st, to try whose right, Of thine or mine", is most in Helena. Dem. Follow? nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jowl. [Exeunt Lys. and DEM. 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; [Exit. Her. I am amaz'd, and know not what to say. [Exit. Obe. This is thy negligence: still thou mistak'st, Or else commit'st thy knaveries wilfully. Puck. Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook. Obe. Thou seest, these lovers seek a place to fight: ♦ Thou shalt ABY it.] i. e. answer for it. See note 2, p. 432. 5 OF thine or mine,] This is the reading of all the old copies; and it requires no change, though modern editors have substituted or for “of.” 6 I am amaz'd, and know not what to say.] This speech, though in both the 4to. editions, is omitted in the folio. In the next line but one the folio substitutes willingly for "wilfully," which is the word in the quartos. 7 he HAD on ?] Roberts's 4to. and the folio read hath, though, of course, Puck is speaking in the past tense. As one come not within another's way. From monster's view, and all things shall be peace. At whose approach, ghosts, wandering here and there, Already to their wormy beds are gone; For fear lest day should look their shames upon, I with the morning's love have oft made sport; 8 do thee EMPLOY,] So Fisher's 4to that of Roberts's apply, and the folio, 1623, imply, while the second folio adopts the error. But, notwithstanding, haste; make no delay: [Exit OBERON. Puck. Up and down, up and down; I will lead them up and down: I am fear'd in field and town; Goblin, lead them up and down. Here comes one. Enter LYSANDER. Lys. Where art thou, proud Demetrius? speak thou now. Puck. Here, villain! drawn and ready. Where art Lysander! speak again. Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled? Speak! In some bush? Where dost thou hide thy head? Puck. Thou coward! art thou bragging to the stars, Telling the bushes that thou look'st for wars, And wilt not come? Come, recreant; come, thou child; I'll whip thee with a rod: he is defil'd, That draws a sword on thee. Dem. Yea; art thou there? Puck. Follow my voice: we'll try no manhood here. [Exeunt. Re-enter LYSANDER. Lys. He goes before me, and still dares me on: Goblin, lead them up and down.] These four lines are possibly a quotation from some lost ballad respecting Puck and his pranks. He would otherwise hardly address himself as "Goblin." The exit of Oberon is not marked in the old copies, and the last line might belong to him. |