ACT II
SCENE II The same.


 [Enter DON JOHN and BORACHIO]

DON JOHN It is so; the Count Claudio shall marry the
 daughter of Leonato.

BORACHIO Yea, my lord; but I can cross it.

DON JOHN Any bar, any cross, any impediment will be
 medicinable to me: I am sick in displeasure to him,
 and whatsoever comes athwart his affection ranges
 evenly with mine. How canst thou cross this marriage?

BORACHIO Not honestly, my lord; but so covertly that no
 dishonesty shall appear in me.

DON JOHN Show me briefly how.

BORACHIO I think I told your lordship a year since, how much
 I am in the favour of Margaret, the waiting
 gentlewoman to Hero.

DON JOHN I remember.

BORACHIO I can, at any unseasonable instant of the night,
 appoint her to look out at her lady's chamber window.

DON JOHN What life is in that, to be the death of this marriage?

BORACHIO The poison of that lies in you to temper. Go you to
 the prince your brother; spare not to tell him that
 he hath wronged his honour in marrying the renowned
 Claudio--whose estimation do you mightily hold
 up--to a contaminated stale, such a one as Hero.

DON JOHN What proof shall I make of that?

BORACHIO Proof enough to misuse the prince, to vex Claudio,
 to undo Hero and kill Leonato. Look you for any
 other issue?

DON JOHN Only to despite them, I will endeavour any thing.

BORACHIO Go, then; find me a meet hour to draw Don Pedro and
 the Count Claudio alone: tell them that you know
 that Hero loves me; intend a kind of zeal both to the
 prince and Claudio, as,--in love of your brother's
 honour, who hath made this match, and his friend's
 reputation, who is thus like to be cozened with the
 semblance of a maid,--that you have discovered
 thus. They will scarcely believe this without trial:
 offer them instances; which shall bear no less
 likelihood than to see me at her chamber-window,
 hear me call Margaret Hero, hear Margaret term me
 Claudio; and bring them to see this the very night
 before the intended wedding,--for in the meantime I
 will so fashion the matter that Hero shall be
 absent,--and there shall appear such seeming truth
 of Hero's disloyalty that jealousy shall be called
 assurance and all the preparation overthrown.

DON JOHN Grow this to what adverse issue it can, I will put
 it in practise. Be cunning in the working this, and
 thy fee is a thousand ducats.

BORACHIO Be you constant in the accusation, and my cunning
 shall not shame me.

DON JOHN I will presently go learn their day of marriage.

 [Exeunt]




 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING


ACT II