Page 2696 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

LY SANDER

And he did bid us follow to the temple.

DEMET RIUS

Why then, we are awake: let’s follow him,
And by the way let us recount our dreams.

Exeunt.

BOT T OM

(waking)
When my cue comes, call me and I will [200] answer. My next is ‘Most fair
Pyramus’. Heigh-ho! Peter Quince? Flute, the bellows-mender? Snout, the
tinker? Starveling? God’s my life! Stolen hence, and left me asleep! I have
had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say
what dream it was. [205] Man is but an ass if he go about to expound this
dream. Methought I was-there is no man can tell what. Methought I
was-and methought I had-but man is but a patched fool if he will offer to
say what methought I had. The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man
hath not [210] seen, man’s hand is not able to taste, his tongue to
conceive, nor his heart to report, what my dream was. I will get Peter
Quince to write a ballad of this dream; it shall be called ‘Bottom’s Dream’,
because it hath no bottom; and I will sing it in the latter end of a play,
before the [215] Duke. Peradventure, to make it the more gracious, I shall
sing it at her death.

Exit.

Scene II IT

Enter Quince, Flute, Snout, and Starveling.

QUINCE

Have you sent to Bottom’s house? Is he come home yet?

ST ARVELING

He cannot be heard of. Out of doubt he is transported.

FLUT E

If he come not, then the play is marred: it goes not [5] forward, doth it?

QUINCE