The friar promised them an explanation of this seeming miracle,
after the ceremony was ended; and was proceeding to marry them, when he
was interrupted by Benedick, who desired to be married at the same time
to Beatrice. Beatrice making some demur to this match, and Benedick
challenging her with her love for him, which he had learned from Hero, a
pleasant explanation took place; and they found they had both been
tricked into a belief of love, which had never existed, and had become
lovers in truth by the power of a false jest: but the affection, which
a merry invention had cheated them into, was grown too powerful to be
shaken by a serious explanation; and since Benedick proposed to marry,
he was resolved to think nothing to the purpose that the world could say
against it; and he merrily kept up the jest, and swore to Beatrice, that
he took her but for pity, and because he heard she was dying of love for
him; and Beatrice protested, that she yielded but upon great persuasion,
and partly to save his life, for she heard he was in a consumption. So
these two mad wits were reconciled, and made a match of it, after
Claudio and Hero were married; and to complete the history, Don John,
the contriver of the villany, was taken in his flight, and brought back
to Messina; and a brave punishment it was to this gloomy, discontented
man, to see the joy and feastings which, by the disappointment of his
plots, took place in the palace in Messina.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

AS YOU LIKE IT

During the time that France was divided into provinces (or dukedoms as
they were called) there reigned in one of these provinces an usurper,
who had deposed and banished his elder brother, the lawful duke.

The duke, who was thus driven from his dominions, retired with a few
faithful followers to the forest of Arden; and here the good duke lived
with his loving friends, who had put themselves into a voluntary exile
for his sake, while their land and revenues enriched the false usurper;
and custom soon made the life of careless ease they led here more sweet
to them than the pomp and uneasy splendour of a courtier's life. Here
they lived like the old Robin Hood of England, and to this forest many
noble youths daily resorted from the court, and did fleet the time
carelessly, as they did who lived in the golden age. In the summer they
lay along under the fine shade of the large forest trees, marking the
playful sports of the wild deer;