Much Ado about Nothing
Act 3, Scene 4
Margaret
Of what, lady? of speaking honourably? Is not
marriage honourable in a beggar? Is not your lord
honourable without marriage? I think you would have
me say, “saving your reverence, a husband:” and bad
thinking do not wrest true speaking, I’ll offend
nobody: is there any harm in “the heavier for a
husband”? None, I think, and it be the right husband
and the right wife; otherwise ‘tis light, and not
heavy: ask my Lady Beatrice else; here she comes.
marriage honourable in a beggar? Is not your lord
honourable without marriage? I think you would have
me say, “saving your reverence, a husband:” and bad
thinking do not wrest true speaking, I’ll offend
nobody: is there any harm in “the heavier for a
husband”? None, I think, and it be the right husband
and the right wife; otherwise ‘tis light, and not
heavy: ask my Lady Beatrice else; here she comes.
Margaret
Moral! no, by my troth, I have no moral meaning; I
meant, plain holy-thistle. You may think perchance
that I think you are in love: nay, by’r lady, I am
not such a fool to think what I list, nor I list
not to think what I can, nor indeed I cannot think,
if I would think my heart out of thinking, that you
are in love or that you will be in love or that you
can be in love. Yet Benedick was such another, and
now is he become a man: he swore he would never
marry, and yet now, in despite of his heart, he eats
his meat without grudging: and how you may be
converted I know not, but methinks you look with
your eyes as other women do.
meant, plain holy-thistle. You may think perchance
that I think you are in love: nay, by’r lady, I am
not such a fool to think what I list, nor I list
not to think what I can, nor indeed I cannot think,
if I would think my heart out of thinking, that you
are in love or that you will be in love or that you
can be in love. Yet Benedick was such another, and
now is he become a man: he swore he would never
marry, and yet now, in despite of his heart, he eats
his meat without grudging: and how you may be
converted I know not, but methinks you look with
your eyes as other women do.