ed to Claudio the next day, and desired she would go in with her,
and look at some new attire, as she wished to consult with her on what
she should wear on the morrow. Beatrice, who had been listening with
breathless eagerness to this dialogue, when they went away, exclaimed,
"What fire is in my ears? Can this be true? Farewel, contempt, and
scorn and maiden pride, adieu! Benedick, love on! I will requite you,
taming my wild heart to your loving hand."

It must have been a pleasant sight to see these old enemies converted
into new and loving friends; and to behold their first meeting
after being cheated into mutual liking by the merry artifice of the
good-humoured prince. But a sad reverse in the fortunes of Hero must
now be thought of. The morrow, which was to have been her wedding day,
brought sorrow on the heart of Hero and her good father Leonato.

The prince had a half-brother, who came from the wars along with him
to Messina. This brother (his name was Don John) was a melancholy,
discontented man, whose spirits seemed to labour in the contriving
of villanies. He hated the prince his brother, and he hated Claudio,
because he was the prince's friend, and determined to prevent
Claudio's marriage with Hero, only for the malicious pleasure of
making Claudio and the prince unhappy: for he knew the prince had set
his heart upon this marriage, almost as much as Claudio himself: and
to effect this wicked purpose, he employed one Borachio, a man as bad
as himself, whom he encouraged with the offer of a great reward. This
Borachio paid his court to Margaret, Hero's attendant; and Don John,
knowing this, prevailed upon him to make Margaret promise to talk with
him from her lady's chamber-window that night, after Hero was asleep,
and also to dress herself in Hero's clothes, the better to deceive
Claudio into the belief that it was Hero; for that was the end he
meant to compass by this wicked plot.

Don John then went to the prince and Claudio, and told them that
Hero was an imprudent lady, and that she talked with men from her
chamber-window at midnight. Now this was the evening before the
wedding, and he offered to take them that night, where they should
themselves hear Hero discoursing with a man from her window; and they
consented to go along with him, and Claudio said, "If I see any thing
to-night why I should not marry her, to-morrow in the congregation,
where I intended to wed her, there will I shame her." The prince a