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I beg the law, the law, upon his head.

They would have stol’n away, they would, Demetrius,

Thereby to have defeated you and me:

You of your wife, and me of my consent,

Of my consent that she should be your wife.

Dem.

My lord, fair Helen told me of their stealth,

Of this their purpose hither to this wood,

And I in fury hither followed them,

Fair Helena in fancy following me.

But, my good lord, I wot not by what power

(But by some power it is), my love to Hermia

(Melted as the snow) seems to me now

As the remembrance of an idle gaud,

Which in my childhood I did dote upon;

And all the faith, the virtue of my heart,

The object and the pleasure of mine eye,

Is only Helena. To her, my lord,

Was I betrothed ere I [saw] Hermia;

But like a sickness did I loathe this food;

But, as in health, come to my natural taste,

Now I do wish it, love it, long for it,

And will for evermore be true to it.

The.

Fair lovers, you are fortunately met;

Of this discourse we more will hear anon.

Egeus, I will overbear your will;