Didst note it? Cam. He would not stay at your petitions; made His business more material.
Didst perceive it? They're here with me already; whispering, rounding,
Sicilia is a so-forth: 'Tis far gone,
When I shall gust it last.
That he did stay?
At the good queen's entreaty.
Leon. At the queen's, be't: good, should be per
To have nor eyes, nor ears, nor thought,) then say,
My wife's a hobbyhorse; deserves a name
As rank as any flax-wench, that puts to
Before her troth-plight: say it, and justify it.
Cam. I would not be a stander-by, to hear
How came't, Camillo, My sovereign mistress clouded so, without
My present vengeance taken: 'Shrew my heart,
You never spoke what did become you less
Than this; which to reiterate, were sin
As deep as that, though true.
Leon.
Is whispering nothing?
Is leaning cheek to cheek? is meeting noses?
Kissing with inside lip? stopping the career
Of laughter with a sigh? (a note infallible
Of breaking honesty :) horsing foot on foot?
Skulking in corners ? wishing clocks more swift?
Hours, minutes? noon, midnight? and all eyes
blind
But so it is, it is not. Was this taken
By any understanding pate but thine?
For thy conceit is soaking, will draw in
More than the common blocks: - Not noted, is't,
But of the finer natures? by some severals,
Of head piece extraordinary? lower messes,
Perchance are to this business purblind: say.
Cam. Business, my lord? I think, most under-
stand
Bohemia stays here longer.
With the pin and web, but theirs, theirs only,
That would unseen be wicked? is this nothing?
Why, then the world, and all that's in't, is nothing;
Stays here longer. The covering sky is nothing; Bohemia nothing;
My wife is nothing; nor nothing have these nothings,
Leon. Ay, but why?
Cam. To satisfy your highness, and the entreaties If this be nothing.
Of our most gracious mistress.
The entreaties of your mistress? satisfy?
Let that suffice. I have trusted thee, Camillo,
With all the nearest things to my heart, as well
My chamber-councils: wherein, priest-like, thou
Hast cleans'd my bosom; I from thee departed
Thy penitent reform'd: but we have been
Deceiv'd in thy integrity, deceiv'd
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My gracious lord,
I may be negligent, foolish, and fearful;
In every one of these no man is free,
But that his negligence, his folly, fear,
Amongst the infinite doings of the world,
Sometime puts forth: In your affairs, my lord,
If ever I were wilful-negligent,
It was my folly; if industriously
I play'd the fool, it was my negligence,
Not weighing well the end; if ever fearful
To do a thing, where I the issue doubted,
Whereof the execution did cry out
Against the non-performance, 'twas a fear
Which oft affects the wisest: these, my lord,
Are such allow'd'infirmities, that honesty
Is never free of. But, 'beseech your grace,
Be plainer with me: let me know my trespass
By its own visage: if I then deny it,
'Tis none of mine.
Leon.
Have not you seen, Camillo,
(But that's past doubt: you have; or your eye-glass
Is thicker than a cuckold's horn ;) or heard,
(For, to a vision so apparent, rumour
Cannot be mute,) or thought, (for cogitation
Resides not in that man, that does not think it,)
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About his neck, Bohemia: Who - if I
Had servants true about me: that bare eyes
To see alike mine honour as their profits,
Their own particular thrifts, —they would do that
Which should undo more doing: Ay, and thou,
His cupbearer, whom I from meaner form
Have bench'd and rear'd to worship; who may'st see
Plainly, as heaven sees earth, and earth sees heaven,
How I am galled, - might'st bespice a cup,
To give mine enemy a lasting wink;
Which draught to me were cordial.
I must believe you, sir; I do; and will fetch off Bohemia for't: Provided, that when he's remov'd, your highness Will take again your queen, as yours at first; Even for your son's sake; and, thereby, for sealing The injury of tongues, in courts and kingdoms Known and allied to yours.
Leon. Thou dost advise me, Even so as I mine own course have set down: I'll give no blemish to her honour, none. Cam. My lord,
Go then; and with a countenance as clear
As friendship wears at feasts, keep with Bohemia,
And with your queen: I am his cupbearer;
If from me he have wholesome beverage,
Account me not your servant.
Cam. O miserable lady! - But, for me, What case stand I in? I must be the poisoner Of good Polixenes: and my ground to do't Is the obedience to a master; one, Who, in rebellion with himself, will have All that are his, so too. -To do this deed, Promotion follows: If I could find example Of thousands, that had struck anointed kings, And flourish'd after, I'd not do't: but since Nor brass, nor stone, nor parchment, bears not one, Let villainy itself forswear't. I must
Forsake the court to do't, or no, is certain
To me a break-neck. Happy star, reign now!
Here comes Bohemia.
Pol. What is the news i' the court?
Cam.
None rare, my lord.
Pol. The king hath on him such a countenance,
As he had lost some province, and a region,
Lov'd as he loves himself: even now I met him
With customary compliment; when he,
Wafting his eyes to the contrary, and falling
A lip of much contempt, speeds from me; and
So leaves me, to consider what is breeding,
That changes thus his manners.
Cam. I dare not know, my lord.
Pol. How dare not? do not.
Is not this suit of mine, that thou declare
What incidency thou dost guess of harm
Is creeping toward me; how far off, how near;
Which way to be prevented, if to be;
If not, how best to bear it.
Sir, I'll tell you; Since I am charg'd in honour, and by him That I think honourable: Therefore, mark my
Which must be even as swiftly follow'd, as
I mean to utter it; or both yourself and me
Cry, lost, and so good-night.
Pol.
On, good Camillo.
Cam. I am appointed him to murder you.
Pol. By whom, Camillo?
As he had seen't or been an instrument
To vice you to't, that you have touch'd his queen Forbiddenly.
O, then my best blood turn
To an infected jelly; and my name
Be yok'd with his, that did betray the best!
Turn then my freshest reputation to
A savour, that may strike the dullest nostril
Where I arrive; and my approach be shunn'd,
Nay, hated too, worse than the great'st infection
That e'er was heard, or read !
Cam.
Swear his thought over
By each particular star in heaven, and
By all their influences, you may as well
Forbid the sea for to obey the moon,
As or, by oath, remove, or counsel, shake
The fabrick of his folly; whose foundation
Is pil'd upon his faith, and will continue
The standing of his body.
Pol. How should this grow ? Cam. I know not: but, I am sure, 'tis safer to Avoid what's grown, than question how 'tis born. If therefore you dare trust my honesty, That lies enclosed in this trunk, which you Shall bear along impawn'd,-away to-night. Your followers I will whisper to the business: And will, by twos, and threes, at several posterns, Clear them o' the city: For myself, I'll put My fortunes to your service, which are here By this discovery lost. Be not uncertain; For, by the honour of my parents, I Have utter'd truth: which if you seek to prove, I dare not stand by; nor shall you be safer Than one condemn'd by the king's own mouth, thereon
I saw his heart in his face. Give me thy hand;
1 Lord. Behind the tuft of pines I met them;
In my just censure! in my true opinion!
Alack, for lesser knowledge! - How accurs'd,
In being so blest! There may be in the cup
A spider steep'd, and one may drink ; depart,
And yet partake no venom; for his knowledge
Is not infected: but if one present
The abhorr'd ingredient to his eye,
make known
How he hath drank, he cracks his gorge, his sides,
With violent hefts: - - I have drank, and seen the
spider.
Camillo was his help in this, his pander:
:-
There is a plot against my life, my crown;
All's true that is mistrusted :- that false villain,
Whom I employ'd, was pre-employ'd by him:
He has discover'd my design, and I
Remain a pinch'd thing; yea, a very trick
For them to play at will: How came the pos-
The queen, your mother, rounds apace: we shall Present our services to a fine new prince,
One of these days; and then you'd wanton with us, If we would have you.
1 Lady. She is spread of late Into a goodly bulk: Good time encounter her! Her. What wisdom stirs amongst you? Come,
By his great authority; Which often hath no less prevail'd than so, On your command.
Her.
Leon. Bear the boy hence, he shall not come
Away with him: - and let her sport herself With that she's big with; for 'tis Polixenes Has made thee swell thus.
But I'd say, he had not, And, I'll be sworn, you would believe my saying, Howe'er you lean to the nayward.
Leon. You, my lords, Look on her, mark her well; be but about To say, she is a goodly lady, and
The justice of your hearts will thereto add, 'Tis pty, she's not honest, honourable:
Praise her but for this her without-door form, (Which, on my faith, deserves high-speech,) and
The shrug, the hum, or ha; these petty brands,
That calumny doth use: - - O, I am out,
That mercy does; for calumny will sear
Virtue itself: these shrugs, these hums, and ha's,
When you
have said, she's goodly, come between,
Ere you can say she's honest: But be it known,
From him that has most cause to grieve it should be, | I'the eyes of heaven, and to you; I mean,
She's an adultress.
In this which you accuse her.
Ant.
The most replenish'd villain in the world,
He were as much more villain: you, my lord,
Do but mistake.
Leon.
You have mistook, my lady,
Polixenes for Leontes: O thou thing,
Which I'll not call a creature of thy place,
Lest barbarism, making me the precedent,
Should a like language use to all degrees,
And mannerly distinguishment leave out
Betwixt the prince and beggar ! — I have said,
She's an adultress; I have said, with whom :
More, she's a traitor; and Camillo is
A federary with her; and one that knows
What she should shame to know herself,
But with her most vile principal, that she's
A bed-swerver, even as bad as those
That vulgars give bold titles; ay, and privy
To this their late escape.
No, by my life, Privy to none of this: How will this grieve you, When you shall come to clearer knowledge, that You thus have publish'd me? Gentle my lord, You scarce can right me throughly then, to say You did mistake.
No, no; if I mistake
In those foundations which I build upon,
The center is not big enough to bear
A school-boy's top. Away with her to prison :
He, who shall speak for her, is afar off guilty,
But that he speaks.
Her.
There's some ill planet reigns:
I must be patient, till the heavens look
With an aspect more favourable. — . Good
I am not prone to weeping, as our sex
Commonly are; the want of which vain dew,
Perchance, shall dry your pities: but I have
That honourable grief lodg'd here, which burns
Worse than tears drown: 'Beseech you all, my
lords,
With thoughts so qualified as your charities
Shall best instruct you, measure me; - and so
The king's will be perform'd!
She's otherwise, I'll keep my stables where
Leon. 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 stupified, Or seeming so in skill,) cannot, or will not, Relish as truth, like us; inform yourselves, We need no more of your advice: the matter, The loss, the gain, the ordering on't, is all Properly ours.
And I wish, my liege, You had only in your silent judgment tried it, Without more overture.
How could that be?
Either thou art most ignorant by age,
Or thou wert born a fool. Camillo's flight,
Added to their familiarity,
(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 the deed,) doth push on this proceeding.
Yet, for a greater confirmation,
(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
They will bring all; whose spiritual counsel had,
Shall stop, or spur me. Have I done well?
1 Lord. Well done, my lord.
Leon. Though am satisfied, and need no mote
Than what I know, yet shall the oracle
Give rest to the minds of others; such as he,
Whose ignorant credulity will not
Come up to the truth: So have we thought it good,
From our free person she should be confin'd;
Lest that the treachery of the two, fled hence,
Be left her to perform. Come, follow us;
We are to speak in publick; for this business
Will raise us all.
Ant. [Aside.] To laughter, as I take it,
If the good truth were known.
[Exeunt. The outer Room of a
I must be present at your conference.
Paul. Well, be it so, pry'thee. [Exil Keeper.
Here's such ado to make no stain a stain,
As passes colouring.
Re-enter Keeper, with EMILIA.
Dear gentlewoman, how fares our gracious lady?
Emil. 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.
Paul. A boy?
Emil.
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.
Paul.
These dangerous unsafe lunes o'the king! beshrew
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,
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' loudest: We do not know
How he may soften at the sight o'the child;
I know not what I shall incur, to pass it,
Having no warrant.
Paul. You need not fear it, sir :
The child was prisoner to the womb; and is,
By law and process of great nature, thence
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.
Keep. I do believe it.
Paul.
Do not you fear: upon
Mine honour, I will stand 'twixt you and danger.
[Exeunt.
The same. A Room in the
Palace.
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