Page 2679 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

Hate me? Wherefor? O me! what news, my love?
Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lysander?
I am as fair now as I was erewhile.
Since night you lov’d me; yet since night you left me. [275]
Why, then you left me-O the gods forbid!-
In earnest, shall I say?

LY SANDER

Ay, by my life!
And never did desire to see thee more.
Therefore, be out of hope, of question, of doubt;
Be certain, nothing truer; ’tis no jest [280]
That I do hate thee, and love Helena.

HERMIA

O me! (To Helena.) You juggler! You canker-blossom!
You thief of love! What, have you come by night
And stol’n my love’s heart from him?

HELENA

Fine, i’faith!
Have you no modesty, no maiden shame, [285]
No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear
Impatient answers from my gentle tongue?
Fie, fie, you counterfeit! You puppet you!

HERMIA

‘Puppet’! Why, so? Ay, that way goes the game!
Now I perceive that she hath made compare [290]
Between our statures; she hath urg’d her height;
And with her personage, her tall personage,
Her height, forsooth, she hath prevail’d with him.
And are you grown so high in his esteem
Because I am so dwarfish and so low? [295]
How low am I, thou painted maypole? Speak:
How low am I? I am not yet so low
But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.

HELENA

I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen,