DON PEDRO
By my troth, a good song.
BALTHASAR
And an ill singer, my lord.
DON PEDRO
Ha, no, no, faith; thou singest well enough for a shift.
BENEDICK
An he had been a dog that should have howled thus,
they would have hanged him: and I pray God his bad
voice bode no mischief. I had as lief have heard the
night-raven, come what plague could have come after
it.
DON PEDRO
Yea, marry, dost thou hear, Balthasar? I pray thee,
get us some excellent music; for to-morrow night we
would have it at the Lady Hero's chamber-window.
BALTHASAR
The best I can, my lord.
DON PEDRO
Do so: farewell.
Exit BALTHASAR
Come hither, Leonato. What was it you told me of
to-day, that your niece Beatrice was in love with
Signior Benedick?
CLAUDIO
O, ay: stalk on. stalk on; the fowl sits. I did
never think that lady would have loved any man.
LEONATO
No, nor I neither; but most wonderful that she
should so dote on Signior Benedick, whom she hath in
all outward behaviors seemed ever to abhor.
BENEDICK
Is't possible? Sits the wind in that corner?
LEONATO
By my troth, my lord, I cannot tell what to think
of it but that she loves him with an enraged
affection: it is past the infinite of thought.
DON PEDRO
May be she doth but counterfeit.