SCENE VII.

Her. D
DARK

Enter Hermia.

ARK night, that from the eye his function
takes,

The ear more quick of apprehenfion makes:
Wherein it doth impair the feeing sense,
It pays the earing double recompence.
Thou art not by mine eye, Lyfander, found;
Mine ear, I thank, it brought me to thy found.
But why unkindly didft thou leave me fo?

Lyf. Why should he stay, whom love doth prefs to go?

Her. What love could prefs Lyfander from my fide? Lyf. Lyfander's love, that would not let him 'bide, Fair Helena; who more engilds the night,

Than all yon fiery O's and eyes of light.

Why feek'st thou me? could not this make thee know, The hate, I bear thee, made me leave thee fo?

Her. You speak not, as you think; it cannot be.
Hel. Lo, fhe is one of this confed'racy;

Now, I perceive, they have conjoin'd all three,
To fashion this falfe fport in fpight of me.
Injurious Hermia, moft ungrateful maid,

Have you confpir'd, have you with these contriv'd
To bait me with this foul derifion?

Is all the counsel that we two have fhar'd,
The fifters vows, the hours that we have spent,
When we have chid the hafty-footed time
For parting us; O! and is all forgot?
All school-days friendship, childhood innocence?
We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,
Created with our needles both one flower,
Both on one fampler, fitting on one cushion;
Both warbling of one fong, both in one key;
As if our hands, our fides, voices, and minds

Had

"

Had been incorp'rate. So we grew together,
Like to a double cherry, feeming parted,
But yet an union in partition;

Two lovely berries molded on one stem,
So with two seeming bodies, but one heart;
Two of the firft, like coats in heraldry,
Due but to one, and crowned with one creft.
And will you rend our ancient love asunder,
To join with men in fcorning your poor friend?
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly;

Our fex, as well as I, may chide you for it;
Though I alone do feel the injury.

Her. I am amazed at your paffionate words:
I fcorn you not; it seems, that you scorn me.
Hel. Have you not set Lyfander, 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, celeftial? wherefore fpeaks he this
To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lysander
Deny your love, fo rich within his foul,
And tender me, forfooth, affection;

But by your setting on, by your consent?
What though I be not fo in grace as you,
So hung upon with love, fo fortunate;
But miferable moft, to love unlov'd?
This you should pity, rather than despise.
Her. I understand not what you mean by this.
Hel. Ay, do, perfevere, counterfeit fad looks,
Make mouths upon me, when I turn my back;
Wink each at other, hold the fweet jeft up:
This fport, well carried, fhall be chronicled.
If you have any pity, grace, or manners,
You would not make me fuch an argument:
But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine own fault,
Which death or absence foon fhall remedy.
Lyf. Stay, gentle Helena; hear my excufe;

My

My love, my life, my foul, fair Helena!

Hel. O excellent!

Her. Sweet, do not fcorn her fo.

Dem. If fhe cannot entreat, I can compel.

Lyf. Thou canst compel, no more than fhe entreat: Thy threats have no more ftrength, than her weak Prayers.

Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do;

I fwear, by that which I will lofe for thee,
To prove him falfe, that fays, I love thee not.
Dem. I fay, I love thee more than he can do.
Lyf. If thou lay fo, withdraw and prove it too.
Dem. Quick, come-

Her. Lyfander, whereto tends all this?
Lyf. Away, you Ethiope!

Dem. No, no, he'll seem

To break away; take on as he would follow,

But yet come not; you are a tame man, go.

Lyf. Hang off, thou cat, thou burr; vile thing, let loofe;

Or I will shake thee from me, like a ferpent.

Her. Why are you grown fo rude? what change is this?

Sweet love!

Lyf. Thy love? out, tawny Tartar, out; Out, loathed medicine: hated poison, hence. Her. Do you not jeft?

Hel. Yes, footh, and fo do you.

Lyf. Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee. Dem. I would, I had your bond; for, I perceive, A weak bond holds you; I'll not truft your word. Lyf. What, fhould I hurt her, ftrike her, kill her

dead?

Although I hate her, I'll not harm her fo.

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 Lyfander?

I am as fair now, as I was ere-while.

Since night, you lov'd me; yet, fince night, you

left me;

Why then you left me-(O the gods forbid it!) In earnest, fhall I fay?

Lyf. Ay, by my life;

And never did defire to fee thee more.
Therefore be out of hope, of queftion, doubt;
Be certain, nothing truer; 'tis no jeft;
That I do hate thee, and love Helena.

Her. O me, you jugler; oh, you canker-blossom, You thief of love; what, have you come by night, And ftoll'n my love's heart from him?

Hel. Fine, i'faith!

Have you no modefty, no maiden fhame,
No touch of bafhfulness? what, will you tear
Impatient answers from my gentle tongue?
Fie, fie, you counterfeit; you puppet, you.
Her. Puppet! why, fo: "ay, that way goes the game.
Now, I perceive, that he hath made compare
Between our ftatures; fhe hath urg'd her height;
And with her perfonage, her tall perfonage,
Her height, forfooth, fhe hath prevail'd with him.
And are you grown fo high in his efteem,
Because I am so dwarfish and low?

How low am I, thou painted maypole? fpeak,
How low am I? I am not yet so low,

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 ftrike me. You, perhaps, may think,
Because she's something lower than myself,
That I can match her.

Her. Lower! hark, again.

Hel. Good Hermia, do not be fo bitter with me;

I evermore did love you, Hermia,

Did ever keep your counfels, never wrong'd you;

Save that, in love unto Demetrius,

I told him of your ftealth unto this wood:
He follow'd you, for love I follow'd him,
But he hath chid me hence, and threaten'd me
To ftrike me, fpurn me, nay, to kill me too;
And now, fo you will let me quiet go,
To Athens will I bear my folly back,
And follow you no further. Let me go.
You fee, how fimple and how fond I am.

Her. Why, get you gone: who is't that hinders you?

Hel. A foolish heart, that I leave here behind.
Her. What, with Lyfander?

Hel. With Demetrius.

Lys. Be not afraid, she shall not harm thee, Helena. Dem. No, Sir, fhe fhall 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, fhe is fierce.

Her. Little, again? nothing but low, and little? Why will you fuffer her to flout me thus; Let me come to her.

Lyf. Get you gone, you dwarf,

You Minimus, of hind'ring knot-grass made;
You bead, you acorn.

Dem. You are too officious,

In her behalf that fcorns your fervices.

Let her alone, speak not of Helena,

Take not her part: for if thou doft intend

Never fo little fhew of love to her,

Thou shalt aby it.

Lyf. Now fhe holds me not;

Now follow, if thou dar'ft; to try whose right,

Or thine, or mine, is most in Helena.

Dem. Follow? nay, I'll go with thee cheek by jowl.

Exeunt Lyfander and Demetrius. Her. You, miftrefs, all this coil is long of you:

Nay, go not back.

Hel.