1599 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Page: 19

A hall in Leonato's house.

Enter [Don] John and Borachio.

John. It is so. The Count Claudio shall marry the daughter of
Leonato.
Bora. Yea, my lord; but I can cross it.
John. Any bar, any cross, any impediment will be med'cinable 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?
Bora. Not honestly, my lord, but so covertly that no dishonesty
shall appear in me.
John. Show me briefly how.
Bora. I think I told your lordship, a year since, how much I am
in
the favour of Margaret, the waiting gentlewoman to Hero.
John. I remember.
Bora. I can, at any unseasonable instant of the night, appoint
her
to look out at her lady's chamber window.
John. What life is in that to be the death of this marriage?
Bora. 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.
John. What proof shall I make of that?
Bora. Proof enough to misuse the Prince, to vex Claudio, to
undo
Hero, and kill Leonato. Look you for any other issue?
John. Only to despite them I will endeavour anything.
Bora. 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 cozen'd with the semblance
of
a maid--that you have discover'd 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