e 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.

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; and so fond were they of these poor
dappled fools, who seemed to be the native inhabitants of the forest,
that it grieved them to be forced to kill them to supply themselves
with venison for their food. When the cold winds of winter made the
duke feel the change of his adve