DEM. Lyfander, keep thy Hermia, I will none;
If e'er I lov'd her, all that love is gone.

My heart with her but, as guest-wife, fojourn'd;
And now to Helen it is home return'd,

There ever to remain.

Lys. It is not so.

DEM. Difparage not the faith, thou doft not know, Left to thy peril thou abide it dear.

Look, where thy love comes, yonder is thy dear.

SCENE VII.

Enter Hermia.

HER. Dark night, that from the eye his function takes, The ear more quick of apprehension makes:

Wherein it doth impair the feeing fenfe,
It pays the hearing double recompence.
Thou art not by mine eye, Lyfander, found;
Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy found.
But why unkindly did'st thou leave fo?

Lys. Why fhould he stay, whom love doth prefs to HER. What love could prefs Lyfander from my fide? Lys. Lyfander's love, that would not let him 'bide, Fair Helena; who more engilds the night,

Than all yon fiery Orbs and eyes of light.

Why feek'st thou me? could not this make thee know,
The hate, I bear thee, made me leave thee fo?

HER. You speak not, as you think: it cannot be.
HEL. Lo, she is one of this confed'racy;

Now, I perceive, they have conjoin'd all three,)
To fashion this false sport in fpight to me.

go

?

Injurious Hermia, most ungrateful maid,

Have you confpir'd, have you with these contriv'd To bait me with this foul derifion ?

Is all the counsel that we two have thar'd,

The fifters vows, the hours that we have spent,
When we have chid the hasty-footed time
For parting us; O! and is all forgot?

All fchool-days friendship, childhood innocence ?
We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,
Created with our needles both one flower,
Both on one sampler, fitting on one cushion;
Both warbling of one fong, both in one key;
As if our hands, our fides, voices, and minds
Had been incorp'rate. So we grew together,
Like to a double cherry, feeming parted,
But yet an union in partition :

Two lovely berries molded on one stem,
So with two seeming bodies, but one heart;
Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,
Due but to one, and crowned with one creft.
And will you rend our ancient love afunder,
To join with men in fcorning your poor friend?
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly;
Our fex, as well as I, may chide you for it;
Though I alone do feel the injury.

HER. Í am amazed at your paffionate words:
I fcorn you not; it seems that you fcorn me.
HEL. Have you not fet Lyfander, as in scorn,
To follow me, and praise my eyes and face ?
And made your other love, Demetrius,
(Who even but now, did fpurn me with his foot)

To call me goddess, nymph divine, and rare,
Precious, celestial? wherefore speaks he this
To her he hates ? and wherefore doth Lyfander
Deny your love, so rich within his foul,
And tender me, forfooth, affection;
But by your setting on, by your consent?
What though I be not fo in grace as you,
So hung upon with love, so fortunate;
But miferable moft, to love unlov'd?
This you should pity, rather than despise.

HER. I understand not what you mean by this..
HEL. Ay, do, perfevere, counterfeit fad looks,
Make mouths upon me, when I turn my back;
Wink at each other, hold the sweet jeft up:
This fport, well carried, fhall be chronicled.
If you have any pity, grace, or manners,
You would not make me fuch an argument:
But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine own fault,
Which death or absence foon fhall remedy.

Lys. Stay, gentle Helena; hear my excufe;
My love, my life, my foul, fair Helena !
HEL. O excellent!

HER. Sweet, do not fcorn her fo.

DEM. If the cannot intreat, I can compel.

Lys. Thou canst compel no more than the entreat; Thy threats have no more strength, than her weak prayers. Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do;

I swear, by that which I will lofe for thee,

To

prove him falfe, that fays, I love thee not. DEM. I fay, I love thee more than he can do.

Lys. If thou fay fo, withdraw and prove it too.

DEM. Quick, come

HER. Lyfander, whereto tends all this?

Lys. Away, you Ethiope!

DEM. No, no, he'll feem

To break away: take on as he would follow,

But yet come not

Lys. Hang off,

you are a tame man, go.

thou cat, thou burr; vile thing, let

loofe; or I will shake thee from me, like a ferpent.

HER. Why are you grown fo rude? What change is this? Sweet love!

Lys. Thy love? out, tawny Tartar, out;

Out, loathed medicine: hated poison, hence.
HER. Do you not jest?

HEL. Yes, footh, and fo do you.

Lys. Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee. DEM. I would, I had your bond; for, I perceive, A weak bond holds you; I'll not truft your word.

Lys. What, should I hurt her, ftrike her, kill her dead? Although I hate her, I'll not harm her fo.

HER. What, can you do me greater harm, than hate? Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my love? Am not I Hermia? are not you Lyfander?

I am as fair now, as I was ere-while.

Since night, you lov'd me; yet, fince night, you left me; Why then you left me-(O the gods forbid it!)

In earnest, fhall I say?

Lys. Ay, by my life;

And never did defire to fee thee more.

Therefore be out of hope, of question, doubt;
Be certain, nothing truer; 'tis no jest;

That I do hate thee, and love Helena,

HER. O me, you juggler; oh, you canker-bloffom, You thief of love; what, have you come by night,. And ftol'n my love's heart from him?

HEL. Fine, i'faith!

Have you no modesty, no maiden shame,
No touch of bashfulness? what, will you tear
Impatient answers from my gentle tongue?
Fie, fie, you counterfeit; you puppet, you.

HER. Puppet? why, fo: ay, that way goes the game.
Now, I perceive, that she hath made compare
Between our statures; the hath urg'd her height;
And with her perfonage, her tall perfonage,
Her height, forfooth, she hath prevail'd with him.
And are you grown so high in his esteem,
Because I am so dwarfish and fo low?
How low am I, thou painted maypole? speak,
How low am I? I am not yet fo low,

But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.

HEL. I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen, Let her not hurt me: I was never curst;

I have no gift at all in shrewishness;

I am a right maid, for my cowardice :

Let her not strike me. You, perhaps, may think,
Because she's something lower than myself,

That I can match her.

HER. Lower! hark, again.

HEL. Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me

I evermore did love you, Hermia,

Did ever keep your counsels, never wrong'd you;
Save that, in love unto Demetrius,

I told him of your stealth unto this wood :

He follow'd you, for love I follow'd him,

VOL. I.

K