Much Ado about Nothing

Description

LEONATO.I learn in this letter that Don Pedro of Arragon comes this night to Messina.MESSENGER.He is very near by this: he was not three leagues off when I left him.LEONATO.How many gentlemen have you lost in this action?MESSENGER.But few of any sort, and none of name.LEONATO.A victory is twice itself when the achiever brings home full numbers. I find here that DonPedro hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine called Claudio.MESSENGER.Much deserved on his part, and equally remembered by Don Pedro. He hath borne himselfbeyond the promise of his age, doing in the figure of a lamb the feats of a lion: he hathindeed better bettered expectation than you must expect of me to tell you how.LEONATO.He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of it.MESSENGER.I have already delivered him letters, and there appears much joy in him; even so much thatjoy could not show itself modest enough without a badge of bitterness.LEONATO.Did he break out into tears?MESSENGER.In great measure.LEONATO.A kind overflow of kindness. There are no faces truer than those that are so washed; howmuch better is it to weep at joy than to joy at weeping BEATRICE.I pray you, is Signior Mountanto returned from the wars or no?MESSENGER.I know none of that name, lady: there was none such in the army of any sort.LEONATO.What is he that you ask for, niece?