SCENE II. Another part of the wood.
OBERON
I wonder if Titania be awaked;
OBERON
Then, what it was that next came in her eye,
OBERON
Which she must dote on in extremity.
OBERON
Here comes my messenger.
OBERON
How now, mad spirit!
OBERON
What night-rule now about this haunted grove?
PUCK
My mistress with a monster is in love.
PUCK
Near to her close and consecrated bower,
PUCK
While she was in her dull and sleeping hour,
PUCK
A crew of patches, rude mechanicals,
PUCK
That work for bread upon Athenian stalls,
PUCK
Were met together to rehearse a play
PUCK
Intended for great Theseus' nuptial-day.
PUCK
The shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort,
PUCK
Who Pyramus presented, in their sport
PUCK
Forsook his scene and enter'd in a brake
PUCK
When I did him at this advantage take,
PUCK
An ass's nole I fixed on his head:
PUCK
Anon his Thisbe must be answered,
PUCK
And forth my mimic comes. When they him spy,
PUCK
As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye,
PUCK
Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort,
PUCK
Rising and cawing at the gun's report,
PUCK
Sever themselves and madly sweep the sky,
PUCK
So, at his sight, away his fellows fly;
PUCK
And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls;
PUCK
He murder cries and help from Athens calls.
PUCK
Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears
PUCK
Made senseless things begin to do them wrong;
PUCK
For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch;
PUCK
Some sleeves, some hats, from yielders all
PUCK
I led them on in this distracted fear,
PUCK
And left sweet Pyramus translated there:
PUCK
When in that moment, so it came to pass,
PUCK
Titania waked and straightway loved an ass.
OBERON
This falls out better than I could devise.
OBERON
But hast thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes
OBERON
With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do?
PUCK
I took him sleeping,--that is finish'd too,--
PUCK
And the Athenian woman by his side:
PUCK
That, when he waked, of force she must be eyed.
Enter HERMIA and DEMETRIUS
OBERON
Stand close: this is the same Athenian.
PUCK
This is the woman, but not this the man.
DEMETRIUS
O, why rebuke you him that loves you so?
DEMETRIUS
Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe.
HERMIA
Now I but chide; but I should use thee worse,
HERMIA
For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse,
HERMIA
If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep,
HERMIA
Being o'er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep,
HERMIA
The sun was not so true unto the day
HERMIA
As he to me: would he have stolen away
HERMIA
From sleeping Hermia? I'll believe as soon
HERMIA
This whole earth may be bored and that the moon
HERMIA
May through the centre creep and so displease
HERMIA
Her brother's noontide with Antipodes.
HERMIA
It cannot be but thou hast murder'd him;
HERMIA
So should a murderer look, so dead, so grim.
DEMETRIUS
So should the murder'd look, and so should I,
DEMETRIUS
Pierced through the heart with your stern cruelty:
DEMETRIUS
Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear,
DEMETRIUS
As yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere.
HERMIA
What's this to my Lysander? where is he?
HERMIA
Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me?
DEMETRIUS
I had rather give his carcass to my hounds.
HERMIA
Out, dog! out, cur! thou drivest me past the bounds
HERMIA
Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him, then?
HERMIA
Henceforth be never number'd among men!
HERMIA
O, once tell true, tell true, even for my sake!
HERMIA
Durst thou have look'd upon him being awake,
HERMIA
And hast thou kill'd him sleeping? O brave touch!
HERMIA
Could not a worm, an adder, do so much?
HERMIA
An adder did it; for with doubler tongue
HERMIA
Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung.
DEMETRIUS
You spend your passion on a misprised mood:
DEMETRIUS
I am not guilty of Lysander's blood;
DEMETRIUS
Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell.
HERMIA
I pray thee, tell me then that he is well.
DEMETRIUS
An if I could, what should I get therefore?
HERMIA
A privilege never to see me more.
HERMIA
And from thy hated presence part I so:
HERMIA
See me no more, whether he be dead or no.
DEMETRIUS
There is no following her in this fierce vein:
DEMETRIUS
Here therefore for a while I will remain.
DEMETRIUS
So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow
DEMETRIUS
For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe:
DEMETRIUS
Which now in some slight measure it will pay,
DEMETRIUS
If for his tender here I make some stay.
