The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works

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The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 565

by William Shakespeare


  155

  There’s not a grain of it the face to sweeten

  Of the whole dungy earth.

  LEONTES What! lack I credit?

  A LORD I had rather you did lack than I, my lord,

  Upon this ground: and more it would content me

  To have her honour true than your suspicion,

  160

  Be blam’d for’t how you might.

  LEONTES Why, what need we

  Commune with you of this, but rather follow

  Our forceful instigation? Our prerogative

  Calls not your counsels, but our natural goodness

  Imparts this; which if you, or stupefied,

  165

  Or seeming so, in skill, cannot or will not

  Relish a truth, like us, inform yourselves

  We need no more of your advice: the matter,

  The loss, the gain, the ord’ring on’t, is all

  Properly ours.

  ANTIGONUS And I wish, my liege,

  170

  You had only in your silent judgement tried it,

  Without more overture.

  LEONTES How could that be?

  Either thou art most ignorant by age,

  Or thou wert born a fool. Camillo’s flight,

  Added to their familiarity,

  175

  (Which was as gross as ever touch’d conjecture,

  That lack’d sight only, nought for approbation

  But only seeing, all other circumstances

  Made up to th’ deed) doth push on this proceeding.

  Yet, for a greater confirmation

  180

  (For in an act of this importance, ’twere

  Most piteous to be wild), I have dispatch’d in post

  To sacred Delphos, to Apollo’s temple,

  Cleomenes and Dion, whom you know

  Of stuff’d sufficiency: now from the Oracle

  185

  They will bring all; whose spiritual counsel had,

  Shall stop or spur me. Have I done well?

  A LORD Well done, my lord.

  LEONTES Though I am satisfied, and need no more

  Than what I know, yet shall the Oracle

  190

  Give rest to th’ minds of others; such as he

  Whose ignorant credulity will not

  Come up to th’ truth. So have we thought it good

  From our free person she should be confined,

  Lest that the treachery of the two fled hence

  195

  Be left her to perform. Come, follow us;

  We are to speak in public; for this business

  Will raise us all.

  ANTIGONUS [aside] To laughter, as I take it,

  If the good truth were known. Exeunt.

  2.2 Enter PAULINA, a Gentleman and attendants.

  PAULINA The keeper of the prison, call to him;

  Let him have knowledge who I am. Good lady,

  No court in Europe is too good for thee;

  What dost thou then in prison?

  Enter Gaoler.

  Now good sir,

  You know me, do you not?

  GAOLER For a worthy lady

  5

  And one who much I honour.

  PAULINA Pray you then,

  Conduct me to the queen.

  GAOLER I may not, madam:

  To the contrary I have express commandment.

  PAULINA Here’s ado,

  To lock up honesty and honour from

  10

  Th’access of gentle visitors! Is’t lawful, pray you,

  To see her women? any of them? Emilia?

  GAOLER So please you, madam,

  To put apart these your attendants, I

  Shall bring Emilia forth.

  PAULINA I pray now, call her.

  15

  Withdraw yourselves.

  Exeunt Gentleman and attendants.

  GAOLER And, madam,

  I must be present at your conference.

  PAULINA Well: be’t so: prithee. Exit Gaoler.

  Here’s such ado to make no stain a stain

  As passes colouring.

  Enter Gaoler, with EMILIA.

  Dear gentlewoman,

  20

  How fares our gracious lady?

  EMILIA As well as one so great and so forlorn

  May hold together: on her frights and griefs

  (Which never tender lady hath borne greater)

  She is, something before her time, deliver’d.

  25

  PAULINA A boy?

  EMILIA A daughter; and a goodly babe,

  Lusty, and like to live: the queen receives

  Much comfort in’t; says, ‘My poor prisoner,

  I am innocent as you.’

  PAULINA I dare be sworn:

  These dangerous, unsafe lunes i’th’ king, beshrew them!

  30

  He must be told on’t, and he shall: the office

  Becomes a woman best. I’ll take’t upon me:

  If I prove honey-mouth’d, let my tongue blister,

  And never to my red-look’d anger be

  The trumpet any more. Pray you, Emilia,

  35

  Commend my best obedience to the queen:

  If she dares trust me with her little babe,

  I’ll show’t the king, and undertake to be

  Her advocate to th’ loud’st. We do not know

  How he may soften at the sight o’th’ child:

  40

  The silence often of pure innocence

  Persuades, when speaking fails.

  EMILIA Most worthy madam,

  Your honour and your goodness is so evident,

  That your free undertaking cannot miss

  A thriving issue: there is no lady living

  45

  So meet for this great errand. Please your ladyship

  To visit the next room, I’ll presently

  Acquaint the queen of your most noble offer,

  Who but to-day hammer’d of this design,

  But durst not tempt a minister of honour,

  50

  Lest she should be denied.

  PAULINA Tell her, Emilia,

  I’ll use that tongue I have: if wit flow from’t

  As boldness from my bosom, let’t not be doubted

  I shall do good.

  EMILIA Now be you blest for it!

  I’ll to the queen: please you, come something nearer.

  55

  GAOLER

  Madam, if ’t please the queen to send the babe,

  I know not what I shall incur to pass it,

  Having no warrant.

  PAULINA You need not fear it, sir:

  This child was prisoner to the womb, and is

  By law and process of great nature, thence

  60

  Free’d and enfranchis’d; not a party to

  The anger of the king, nor guilty of

  (If any be) the trespass of the queen.

  GAOLER I do believe it.

  PAULINA Do not you fear: upon mine honour, I

  65

  Will stand betwixt you and danger. Exeunt.

  2.3 LEONTES discovered.

  LEONTES

  Nor night, nor day, no rest: it is but weakness

  To bear the matter thus: mere weakness. If

  The cause were not in being, – part o’th’ cause,

  She th’adultress: for the harlot king

  Is quite beyond mine arm, out of the blank

  5

  And level of my brain: plot-proof: but she

  I can hook to me: say that she were gone,

  Given to the fire, a moiety of my rest

  Might come to me again.

  Enter Servant.

  Who’s there?

  SERVANT My Lord!

  LEONTES How does the boy?

  SERVANT He took good rest to-night;

  10

  ’Tis hop’d his sickness is discharg’d.r />
  LEONTES To see his nobleness,

  Conceiving the dishonour of his mother!

  He straight declin’d, droop’d, took it deeply,

  Fasten’d and fix’d the shame on’t in himself,

  15

  Threw off his spirit, his appetite, his sleep,

  And downright languish’d. Leave me solely: go,

  See how he fares. Exit Servant.

  Fie, fie! no thought of him:

  The very thought of my revenges that way

  Recoil upon me: in himself too mighty,

  20

  And in his parties, his alliance; let him be

  Until a time may serve. For present vengeance,

  Take it on her. Camillo and Polixenes

  Laugh at me; make their pastime at my sorrow:

  They should not laugh if I could reach them, nor

  25

  Shall she, within my power.

  Enter PAULINA, carrying a baby, with ANTIGONUS, Lords and servants, who try to prevent her.

  A LORD You must not enter.

  PAULINA Nay rather, good my lords, be second to me:

  Fear you his tyrannous passion more, alas,

  Than the queen’s life? a gracious innocent soul,

  More free than he is jealous.

  ANTIGONUS That’s enough.

  30

  SERVANT

  Madam, he hath not slept to-night, commanded

  None should come at him.

  PAULINA Not so hot, good sir;

  I come to bring him sleep. ’Tis such as you,

  That creep like shadows by him, and do sigh

  At each his needless heavings; such as you

  35

  Nourish the cause of his awaking. I

  Do come with words as medicinal as true,

  Honest, as either, to purge him of that humour

  That presses him from sleep.

  LEONTES What noise there, ho?

  PAULINA No noise, my lord; but needful conference

  40

  About some gossips for your highness.

  LEONTES How!

  Away with that audacious lady! Antigonus,

  I charg’d thee that she should not come about me.

  I knew she would.

  ANTIGONUS I told her so, my lord,

  On your displeasure’s peril and on mine,

  45

  She should not visit you.

  LEONTES What! canst not rule her?

  PAULINA From all dishonesty he can: in this –

  Unless he take the course that you have done,

  Commit me for committing honour – trust it,

  He shall not rule me.

  ANTIGONUS La you now, you hear:

  50

  When she will take the rein I let her run;

  But she’ll not stumble.

  PAULINA Good my liege, I come, –

  And, I beseech you hear me, who professes

  Myself your loyal servant, your physician,

  Your most obedient counsellor, yet that dares

  55

  Less appear so, in comforting your evils,

  Than such as most seem yours; – I say, I come

  From your good queen.

  LEONTES Good queen!

  PAULINA

  Good queen, my lord, good queen: I say good queen,

  And would by combat make her good, so were I

  60

  A man, the worst about you.

  LEONTES Force her hence.

  PAULINA Let him that makes but trifles of his eyes

  First hand me: on mine own accord I’ll off;

  But first, I’ll do my errand. The good queen

  (For she is good) hath brought you forth a daughter;

  65

  Here ’tis: [laying down the child]

  commends it to your blessing.

  LEONTES Out!

  A mankind witch! Hence with her, out o’ door:

  A most intelligencing bawd!

  PAULINA Not so:

  I am as ignorant in that, as you

  In so entitling me: and no less honest

  70

  Than you are mad; which is enough, I’ll warrant,

  As this world goes, to pass for honest.

  LEONTES Traitors!

  Will you not push her out? Give her the bastard,

  Thou dotard! thou art woman-tir’d, unroosted

  By thy dame Partlet here. Take up the bastard,

  75

  Take’t up, I say; give’t to thy crone.

  PAULINA For ever

  Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou

 

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