No More Learning

Shall quips and sentences and these paper bullets of
the brain awe a man from the career of his humour? No, the world
must be peopled. When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not
think I should live till I were married.

Enter Beatrice.

Here comes Beatrice. By this day, she's a fair lady! I do spy
some marks of love in her.
Beat. Against my will I am sent to bid You come in to dinner.
Bene. Fair Beatrice, I thank you for your pains.
Beat. I took no more pains for those thanks than you take pains to
thank me. If it had been painful, I would not have come.
Bene.
You take pleasure then in the message?
Beat. Yea, just so much as you may take upon a knives point, and
choke a daw withal. You have no stomach, signior. Fare you well.
Exit.
Bene. Ha! 'Against my will I am sent to bid you come in to dinner. '
There's a double meaning in that. 'I took no more pains for those
thanks than you took pains to thank me. ' That's as much as to
say, 'Any pains that I take for you is as easy as thanks. ' If I
do not take pity of her, I am a villain; if I do not love her, I
am a Jew. I will go get her picture. Exit.




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