Benedick now said, “Leonato, let the friar advise you; and though you know how well I love the prince and Claudio, yet on my honour I will not reveal this secret to them.”

Leonato, thus persuaded, yielded; and he said sorrowfully, “I am so grieved, that the smallest twine may lead me.”  The kind friar then led Leonato and Hero away to comfort and console them, and Beatrice and Benedick remained alone; and this was the meeting from which their friends, who contrived the merry plot against them, expected so much diversion; those friends who were now overwhelmed with affliction, and from whose minds all thoughts of merriment seemed for ever banished.

Benedick was the first who spoke, and he said, “Lady Beatrice, have you wept all this while?” “Yea, and I will weep a while longer,” said Beatrice.  “Surely,” said Benedick, “I do believe your fair cousin is wronged.”  “Ah!” said Beatrice, “how much might that man deserve of me who would right her!” Benedick then said, “Is there any way to show such friendship?  I do love nothing in the world so well as you; is not that strange?” “It were as possible,” said Beatrice, “for me to say I loved nothing in the world so well as you; but believe me not, and yet I lie not.  I confess nothing, nor I deny nothing.  I am sorry for my cousin.”  “By my sword,” said Benedick, “you love me, and I protest I love you.  Come, bid me do any thing for you.”  “Kill Claudio,” said Beatrice.  “Ha! not for the wide world,” said Benedick:  for he loved his friend Claudio, and he believed he had been imposed upon.  “Is not Claudio a villain that has slandered, scorned, and dishonoured my cousin?” said Beatrice:  “O that I were a man!” “Hear me, Beatrice!” said Benedick.  But Beatrice would hear nothing in Claudio’s defence; and she continued to urge on Benedick to revenge her cousin’s wrongs:  and she said, “Talk with a man out of the window; a proper saying!  Sweet Hero! she is wronged; she is slandered; she is undone.  O that I were a man for Claudio’s sake! or that I had any friend, who would be a man for my sake! but valour is melted into courtesies and compliments.  I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving.”  “Tarry, good Beatrice,” said Benedick:  “by this hand, I love you.”  “Use it for my love some other way than swearing by it,” said Beatrice.  “Think you on your soul, that Claudio has wronged Hero?” asked Benedick.  “Yea,” answered Beatrice; “as sure as I have a thought, or a soul.”  “Enough,” said Benedick; “I am engaged; I will challenge him.  I will kiss your hand, and so leave you.  By this hand, Claudio shall render me a dear account!  As you hear from me, so think of me.  Go, comfort your cousin.”