Much Ado About Nothing: Act 2, Scene 2
Enter [DON] JOHN and BORACHIO.
DON JOHN
1. shall: is going to.
1 It is so; the Count Claudio shall marry the 2 daughter of Leonato. BORACHIO
3. cross: thwart.
3 Yea, my lord; but I can cross it. DON JOHN
4 Any bar, any cross, any impediment will be 5-6. med'cinable: medicinal, healing. displeasure to: anger against. 6-7. whatsoever comes athwart his affection ranges evenly with mine: i.e., whatever makes him unhappy makes me happy.
5 med'cinable to me: I am sick in displeasure 6 to him, and whatsoever comes athwart his 7 affection ranges evenly with mine. How 8 canst thou cross this marriage? BORACHIO
9 Not honestly, my lord; but so covertly that 10 no dishonesty shall appear in me. DON JOHN
11. briefly: quickly.
11 Show me briefly how. BORACHIO
12 I think I told your lordship a year since, how 13 much I am in the favour of Margaret, the waiting 14 gentlewoman to Hero. DON JOHN
15 I remember. BORACHIO
16-18. I can, at any unseasonable instant of the night, appoint her to look out at her lady's chamber window: i.e., I can make an arrangement with her to meet me at Hero's bedroom window at any time of the night.
16 I can, at any unseasonable instant of the night, 17 appoint her to look out at her lady's chamber 18 window. DON JOHN
19 What life is in that, to be the death of 20 this marriage? BORACHIO
21. The poison of that lies in you to temper: it depends upon you to brew up the poison in that.
21 The poison of that lies in you to temper. 22 Go you to the prince your brother; spare 23 not to tell him that he hath wronged his 24 honor in marrying the renowned Claudio
25. whose estimation do you mightily hold up: whose reputation and honor you hold in high esteem. 26. contaminated stale: common prostitute.
25 —whose estimation do you mightily hold up— 26 to a contaminated stale, such a one as Hero. DON JOHN
27 What proof shall I make of that? BORACHIO
28. misuse: abuse; deceive. vex: afflict, torment.
28 Proof enough to misuse the prince, to vex 29 Claudio, to undo Hero and kill Leonato.
30. Look you for any other issue?: do you expect any other result?; i.e., what more could you want?
30 Look you for any other issue? DON JOHN
31 Only to despite them, I will endeavor 32 any thing. BORACHIO
33. meet: suitable.
33 Go, then; find me a meet hour to draw Don 34 Pedro and the Count Claudio alone: tell them
35. intend: pretend.
35 that you know that Hero loves me; intend 36 a kind of zeal both to the prince and Claudio, 37 as,—in love of your brother's honor, who 38 hath made this match, and his friend's reputation,
39. cozened: deceived, cheated. semblance: outward appearance. 40. maid: virgin. discovered: revealed.
39 who is thus like to be cozened with the semblance 40 of a maid,—that you have discovered thus. They 41 will scarcely believe this without trial: offer them
42. instances: evidence, proofs.
42 instances; which shall bear no less likelihood than 43 to see me at her chamber window, hear me call
44. term me Claudio: —Apparently Borachio and Margaret, high-ranking servants, play at being aristocrats.
44 Margaret Hero, hear Margaret term me Claudio; 45 and bring them to see this the very night before 46 the intended wedding,—for in the meantime I will 47 so fashion the matter that Hero shall be absent,— 48 and there shall appear such seeming truth of Hero's
49. jealousy: suspicion. assurance: certainty.
49 disloyalty that jealousy shall be called assurance
50. preparation: preparation for the wedding of Claudio and Hero.
50 and all the preparation overthrown. DON JOHN
51 Grow this to what adverse issue it can, I will put 52 it in practise. Be cunning in the working this, and53. ducats: gold coins. —Borachio's reward is going to be rich.
53 thy fee is a thousand ducats. BORACHIO
54 Be you constant in the accusation, and my cunning 55 shall not shame me. DON JOHN
56. presently: at once.
56 I will presently go learn their day of 57 marriage. Exeunt.