OBERON         This falls out better than I could devise.

But hast thou yet latched the Athenian’s eyes

With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do?

PUCK  I took him sleeping (that is finished too)

And the Athenian woman by his side,

That when he waked, of force she must be eyed.

Enter DEMETRIUS and HERMIA.

OBERON         Stand close. This is the same Athenian.

PUCK  This is the woman, but not this the man.    (3.2.35-4)

Oberon’s thrilled: this falls out better than I could devise. Brilliant! Puck preens… Oh yes, that other thing, but hast thou yet latched the Athenian’s eyes with the love-juice, as I did bid thee do? You didn’t forget, did you, the man who was being so nasty to the nice young women, you smeared his eyes too, didn’t you? Just as I asked? Yeah yeah, says Puck, I took him sleeping (that is finished too), really straightforward, all done, and the Athenian woman by his side, that when he waked, of force she must be eyed. She was RIGHT there, he’d definitely have seen her the moment he opened his eyes. So, a good night’s work, eh boss!?

Demetrius and Hermia. Ah. Stand close, says Oberon, this is the same Athenian. That’s the guy. Puck is—confused? nonchalant, at least for the moment? standing very still, wondering if something’s gone wrong, but HOW?! This is the woman, yeah, absolutely—oh, um—but not this the man? Hmmmm. Hmmmmm. What’s happened here then?