Four teens at a party. Valentine likes Virginia. Benedick likes Beatrice, and she likes him too, but neither is ready to admit it and spoil their friendship. Maybe.

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(Fontana Di Orione.)

(Enter Benedick and Valentine, with Beatrice and Virginia.)

(Music from the dance can still be heard in the nearby piazza. The quartet is drunk with happiness, and flush from the dance.)

VALENTINE: Friend Benedick, have you no mem'ry of

The time when we last danc'd with girls so full

Of spirit, bless'd with grace and style, and dare

I say it, shined so lovely in the full

Moonlight?

BEATRICE: 'Shining' say you now, do you?

Perhaps you'd like to tell a lass exactly

What you mean by that?

VIRGINIA:                  Perhaps that Diane's

Beams alight upon our countenance,

Reflecting back to her the glory of her

Vict'ry over Orion's heart and soul?

BENEDICK: In truth, my dear, I think he means you sweat.

VIRGINIA: (Laughing:) How dare!

BENEDICK:                           You needn't act offended, Ginny.

For perspiration is an element

Divine; indeed, the humor most sublime.

BEATRICE: A sign of life! Its basic use to cool

The torrid skin, to keep the throat unmarred,

And when a man and maid are close and dear,

This transudation works its myst'ries best.

Or so they say.

VALENTINE: I see.

VIRGINIA:            O my.

BENEDICK:                        Awkward.

BEATRICE: Besides, it doesn't take Orion's sight

To notice that in our so young quartet

Virginia here, she sweats the most.

VIRGINIA:                                    You beast!

(Virginia chases Beatrice away.)

VALENTINE: O have you, friend? O tell me, have you ever?

BENEDICK: No.

VALENTINE:     You haven't?

BENEDICK:                           What're you on about?

VALENTINE: Virginia!

BENEDICK:                 O. You like her then?

VALENTINE:                                               I do!

My only dream is to enchant her heart.

BENEDICK: Then you're in luck. For well I hear the maid

She does not merely fall in love, than say

Give in, give o'er, give up, give way, go down

Go under, then submit, succumb, at last

Capitulate entirely. Virginia

Bows fore love as slaves do fore their lord,

First praised to be last beaten. And they say

She likes that, too.

(Valentine stares.)

BENEDICK:        Did I say something wrong?

(Reenter Beatrice with Virginia, with Virginia's arm twisted behind her back.)

BEATRICE: Say it!

VIRGINIA:          No!

BEATRICE: (Wrenching:)  Say it!

VIRGINIA:                                 O! I sweat! I sweat!

(Beatrice releases Virginia.)

VIRGINIA: And now I see what kind of friend you are,

To shame me in the public square, all for

Your sport. Pray no one ever does the same

To you or one you love.

BEATRICE:                  'Tis but a joke.

VIRGINIA: But none would call it funny.

VALENTINE:                                            No.

BENEDICK:                                                     I would.

(Virginia turns to Valentine.)

VIRGINIA: Kind sir, the hour is late and I am spent.

Would you escort me home, as one I trust?

VALENTINE: Good Lady, nothing would more happily end

This evening's revels than to see you safely

Home.

           My friends.

(Valentine and Virginia see themselves somberly out.)

BENEDICK:        Good night.

BEATRICE:                            See you in church.

(Beatrice and Benedick laugh tremendously once their friends have gone, a big long laugh which Benedick continues after Beatrice has stopped and stands, looking at him expectantly.)

BENEDICK: O dear.

BEATRICE:             What shall we do.

BENEDICK:                                         O us, you mean.

BEATRICE: Two friends...beneath the moon...far from the crowd.

Beside the Fountain of Orion.

BENEDICK:                          Indeed.

A fitting opportunity for chess.

(Music drifts in. Benedick bows, they dance. At each turn one, then the other, attempts to speak, but is at a loss for what to say.)

BENEDICK: My heart—

BEATRICE:                   I know.

BENEDICK:                              My tongue—

BEATRICE:                                                   I know.

BENEDICK:                                                              My hand.

(He takes her hand, the dance concludes, and they stand, trembling, facing each other. Beatrice takes her hand away.)

BEATRICE: We've taken this as far as it may go.

For I do fear that with each passing day

More of my heart moves into yours, and so

'Fore you or I or both commit some act,

To compromise our better judgement, cloudy,

Movéd by the lateness of the hour,

Or dev'lish inspiration of the moon,

The rough touch of your gentle hand,

Or sweetness of your breath...o my.

In order to preserve the comradeship

Of wit, of words, of confidence and cheer,

I do propose this compact 'twixt us both;

To-morrow will we once more be just friends.

BENEDICK: Indeed, I understand, we will. I swear.

BEATRICE: And so.

To-morrow, will we once again be friends.

BENEDICK: As proper as good proper friends should be.

BEATRICE: Big sigh...

TO-MORROW—

BENEDICK:        O! To-morrow!

BEATRICE:                                 Yes. To-morrow.

(Beatrice and Benedick kiss.)

BENEDICK: And to-night?

BEATRICE:                        No words.

(Beatrice leads Benedick off by the hand.)