e net they had spread for him,
it was now Hero's turn to play her part with Beatrice; and for
this purpose she sent for Ursula and Margaret, two gentlewomen who
attended upon her, and she said to Margaret, "Good Margaret, run to
the parlour; there you will find my cousin Beatrice talking with the
prince and Claudio. Whisper in her ear, that I and Ursula are walking
in the orchard, and that our discourse is all of her. Bid her steal
into that pleasant arbour, where honey-suckles, ripened by the sun,
like ungrateful minions, forbid the sun to enter." This arbour,
into which Hero desired Margaret to entice Beatrice, was the very
same pleasant arbour where Benedick had so lately been an attentive
listener. "I will make her come, I warrant, presently," said Margaret.

Hero, then taking Ursula with her into the orchard, said to her, "Now,
Ursula, when Beatrice comes, we will walk up and down this alley, and
our talk must be only of Benedick, and when I name him, let it be
your part to praise him more than ever man did merit. My talk to you
must be how Benedick is in love with Beatrice. Now begin; for look
where Beatrice like a lapwing runs close by the ground, to hear
our conference." They then began; Hero saying, as if in answer to
something which Ursula had said, "No truly, Ursula. She is too
disdainful; her spirits are as coy as wild birds of the rock."
"But are you sure," said Ursula, "that Benedick loves Beatrice so
entirely?" Hero replied, "So says the prince, and my lord Claudio, and
they intreated me to acquaint her with it; but I persuaded them, if
they loved Benedick, never to let Beatrice know of it." "Certainly,"
replied Ursula, "it were not good she knew his love, lest she made
sport of it." "Why to say truth," said Hero, "I never yet saw a man,
how wise soever, or noble, young or rarely featured, but she would
dispraise him." "Sure, sure, such carping is not commendable," said
Ursula. "No," replied Hero, "but who dare tell her so? if I should
speak, she would mock me into air." "O you wrong your cousin," said
Ursula: "she cannot be so much without true judgment, as to refuse
so rare a gentleman as signior Benedick." "He hath an excellent
good name," said Hero: "indeed he is the first man in Italy, always
excepting my dear Claudio." And now, Hero giving her attendant a hint
that it was time to change the discourse, Ursula said, "And when are
you to be married, madam?" Hero then told her, that she was to be
marri