ece. She amused herself by saying witty and
severe things about Benedick, who called her Dear Lady Disdain. She
was wont to say that she was born under a dancing star, and could not
therefore be dull.

Claudio and Benedick were still talking when Don Pedro came up and said
good-humoredly, "Well, gentlemen, what's the secret?"

"I am longing," answered Benedick, "for your Grace to command me to
tell."

"I charge you, then, on your allegiance to tell me," said Don Pedro,
falling in with his humor.

"I can be as dumb as a mute," apologized Benedick to Claudio, "but his
Grace commands my speech." To Don Pedro he said, "Claudio is in love
with Hero, Leonato's short daughter."

Don Pedro was pleased, for he admired Hero and was fond of Claudio. When
Benedick had departed, he said to Claudio, "Be steadfast in your love
for Hero, and I will help you to win her. To-night her father gives a
masquerade, and I will pretend I am Claudio, and tell her how Claudio
loves her, and if she be pleased, I will go to her father and ask his
consent to your union."

Most men like to do their own wooing, but if you fall in love with a
Governor's only daughter, you are fortunate if you can trust a prince to
plead for you.

Claudio then was fortunate, but he was unfortunate as well, for he
had an enemy who was outwardly a friend. This enemy was Don Pedro's
stepbrother Don John, who was jealous of Claudio because Don Pedro
preferred him to Don John.

It was to Don John that Borachio came with the interesting conversation
which he had overheard.

"I shall have some fun at that masquerade myself," said Don John when
Borachio ceased speaking.

On the night of the masquerade, Don Pedro, masked and pretending he was
Claudio, asked Hero if he might walk with her.

They moved away together, and Don John went up to Claudio and said,
"Signor Benedick, I believe?" "The same," fibbed Claudio.

"I should be much obliged then," said Don John, "if you would use your
influence with my brother to cure him of his love for Hero. She is
beneath him in rank."

"How do you know he loves her?" inquired Claudio.

"I heard him swear his affection," was the reply, and Borachio chimed in
with, "So did I too."

Claudio was then left to himself, and his thought was that his Prince
had betrayed him. "Farewell, Hero," he muttered; "I was a fool to trust
to an agent."

Meanwhile Beatrice and Benedick (who was masked) were having a brisk
exchange of opinio