Claudio. "There, Leonato, take her back."These brutal words were followed by others which flew from Claudio, Don Pedro and Don John. The church seemed no longer sacred. Hero took her own part as long as she could, then she swooned. All her persecutors left the church, except her father, who was befooled by the accusations against her, and cried, "Hence from her! Let her die!"

But Friar Francis saw Hero blameless with his clear eyes that probed the soul. "She is innocent," he said; "a thousand signs have told me so." Hero revived under his kind gaze. Her father, flurried and angry, knew not what to think, and the Friar said, "They have left her as one dead with shame. Let us pretend that she is dead until the truth is declared, and slander turns to remorse."

"The Friar advises well," said Benedick. Then Hero was led away into a retreat, and Beatrice and Benedick remained alone in the church. Benedick knew she had been weeping bitterly and long. "Surely I do believe your fair cousin is wronged," he said. She still wept. "Is it not strange," asked Benedick, gently, "that I love nothing in the world as well as you?"

"It were as possible for me to say I loved nothing as well as you," said Beatrice, "but I do not say it. I am sorry for my cousin." "Tell me what to do for her," said Benedick. "Kill Claudio." "Ha! not for the wide world," said Benedick. "Your refusal kills me," said Beatrice. "Farewell."

"Enough! I will challenge him," cried Benedick. During this scene Borachio and Conrade were in prison. There they were examined by a constable called Dogberry. The watchman gave evidence to the effect that Borachio had said that he had received a thousand ducats for conspiring against Hero. 

Leonato was not present at this examination, but he was nevertheless now thoroughly convinced Of Hero's innocence. He played the part of bereaved father very well, and when Don Pedro and Claudio called on him in a friendly way, he said to the Italian, "You have slandered my child to death, and I challenge you to combat." 

"I cannot fight an old man," said Claudio. "You could kill a girl," sneered Leonato, and Claudio crimsoned. Hot words grew from hot words, and both Don Pedro and Claudio were feeling scorched when Leonato left the room and Benedick entered. "The old man," said Claudio, "was like to have snapped my nose off." "You are a villain!" said Benedick, shortly. "Fight me when and with what weapon you please, or I call you a coward."

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