And the repentant Claudio implored forgiveness of the old man Leonato
for the injury he had done his child; and promised, that whatever
penance Leonato would lay upon him for his fault in believing the
false accusation against his betrothed wife, for her dear sake he
would endure it.

The penance Leonato enjoined him was, to marry the next morning a
cousin of Hero's who, he said, was now his heir, and in person very
like Hero. Claudio, regarding the solemn promise he had made to
Leonato, said, he would marry this unknown lady, even though she were
an Ethiop: but his heart was very sorrowful, and he passed that night
in tears, and in remorseful grief, at the tomb which Leonato had
erected for Hero.

When the morning came, the prince accompanied Claudio to the church,
where the good friar, and Leonato and his niece, were already
assembled, to celebrate a second nuptial: and Leonato presented to
Claudio his promised bride; and she wore a mask, that Claudio might
not discover her face. And Claudio said to the lady in the mask,
"Give me your hand, before this holy friar; I am your husband, if you
will marry me." "And when I lived, I was your other wife," said this
unknown lady; and, taking off her mask, she proved to be no niece (as
was pretended), but Leonato's very daughter, the lady Hero herself. We
may be sure that this proved a most agreeable surprise to Claudio, who
thought her dead, so that he could scarcely for joy believe his eyes:
and the prince, who was equally amazed at what he saw, exclaimed
"Is not this Hero, Hero that was dead?" Leonato replied, "She died,
my lord, but while her slander lived." The friar promised them an
explanation of this seeming miracle, after the ceremony was ended; and
was proceeding to marry them, when he was interrupted by Benedick, who