While the prince and Claudio were yet talking of the challenge of
Benedick, a magistrate brought Borachio as a prisoner before the
prince. Borachio had been overheard talking with one of his
companions of the mischief he had been employed by Don John to do.

Borachio made a full confession to the prince in Claudio's hearing,
that it was Margaret dressed in her lady's clothes that he had talked
with from the window, whom they had mistaken for the lady Hero
herself; and no doubt continued on the minds of Claudio and the
prince of the innocence of Hero. If a suspicion had remained it must
have been removed by the flight of Don John, who, funding his
villanies were detected, fled from Messina to avoid the just anger of
his brother.

The heart of Claudio was sorely grieved when he found he had falsely
accused Hero, who, he thought, died upon hearing his cruel words;
and the memory of his beloved Hero's image came over him, in the
rare semblance that he loved it first; and the prince asking him if what
he heard did not run like iron through his soul, he answered, that he
felt as if he had taken poison while Borachio was speaking.

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 made to Leonato,