ACT II. SCENE I. The same. Enter HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, and Ladies. Her. Take the boy to you: he so troubles me, 'Tis past enduring. 1 Lady. Come, my gracious lord, Shall I be your playfellow? Mam. No, I'll none of yon. 1 Lady. Why, my sweet lord? Mam. You'll kiss me hard; and speak to me as if I were a baby still.-I love you better. 2 Lady. And why so, my lord? Mam. Not for because Your brows are blacker; yet black brows they say, Become some women best; so that there be not Too much hair there, but in a semicircle, Or half-moon made with a pen. 2 Lady. Who taught you this? Mam. I learn'd it out of women's faces.-Pray now What colour are your eyebrows? 1 Lady. Blue, my lord. Mam. Nay, that's a mock: I have seen a lady's nose That has been blue, but not her eyebrows. 2 Lady. Hark ye: 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, sir, now I am for you again: Pray you, sit by us, And tell's a tale. Mam. Merry, or sad, shall 't be ? Her. As merry as you will. A sad tale's best for winter: I have one of sprites and goblins. Her. Let's have that, sir. Come on, sit down:-Come on, and do your best To fright me with your sprites: you're powerful at it. Mam. There was a man, Her. Nay, come, sit down; then on. Mam. Dwelt by a church-yard;-I will tell it softly; Yon crickets shall not hear it. Her. And give 't me in mine ear. Come on then, Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, Lords, and Others. Leon. Was he met there? his train? Camillo with him? 1 Lord. Behind the tuft of pines I met them; never Saw I men scour so on their way: I ey'd them The abhorr'd ingredient to his eye; make known How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his sides, With violent hefts:-I have drunk, and seen the spider. Camillo was his help in this, his pander :- Remain a pinch'd thing; yea, a very trick terns So easily open? 1 Lord. By his great authority; Which often hath no less prevail'd than so, On your command. Leon. I know 't too well. Give me the boy; I am glad you did not nurse him: Though he does bear some signs of me, yet you Have too much blood in him. Her. What is this? sport? Leon. Bear the boy hence, he shall not come about her; Away with him-and let her sport herself But I'd say, he had not, Her. 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 pity, she's not honest, honourable: Praise her but for this her without-door form, (Which, on my faith, deserves high speech) and straight The shrug, the hum, or ha; these petty brands, Virtue itself; these shrugs, these hums, and has, 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, She's an adultress. Her. Should a villain say so, The most replenish'd villain in the world, He were as much more villain: you, my lord, Do but mistake. Leon. A federary with her; and one that knows That vulgars give bold'st titles; ay, and privy To this their late escape. Her. 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. Leon. A school-boy's top.-Away with her to prison: Her. There's some ill planet reigns: I must be patient, till the heavens look With an aspect more favourable.-Good my lords, 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! Leon. Shall I be heard? [To the Guards. Her. Who is 't that goes with me?-'Beseech your highness, My women may be with me; for, you see, mistress Has deserv'd prison, then abound in tears, I trust, I shall.—My women, come; you have leave. Leon. Go, do our bidding; hence. [Exeunt Queen and Ladies. 1 Lord. 'Beseech your highness, call the queen again. [justice Ant. Be certain what you do, sir; lest your Prove violence; in the which three great ones suffer, Yourself, your queen, your son. 1 Lord. For her, my lord,I dare my life lay down, and will do 't, sir, Please you to accept it, that the queen is spotless I' the eyes of heaven, and to you; I mean, In this which you accuse her. Ant. If it prove She's otherwise, I'll keep my stables where I lodge my wife; I'll go in couples with her; Then when I feel, and see her, no further trust her; For every inch of woman in the world, Ay, every dram of woman's flesh, is false, 1 Lord. Hold your peaces. Good my lord.Ant. It is for you we speak, not for ourselves: You are abus'd, and by some putter-on, That will be damn'd for 't; 'would, I knew the villain, I would land-damn him: Be she honour-flaw'd,I have three daughters; the eldest is eleven; The second, and the third, nine, and some five; If this prove true, they'll pay for't: by mine honour, I'll geld them all; fourteen they shall not see, To bring false generations; they are coheirs; And I had rather glib myself, than they Should not produce fair issue. Leon. Cease; no more. You smell this business with a sense as cold As is a dead man's nose: I see 't, and feel't, As you feel doing thus; and see withal The instruments that feel. Ant. If it be so, We need no grave to bury honesty ; Leon. What! lack I credit? 1 Lord. I had rather you did lack, than I, my [me lord, Upon this ground: and more it would content To have her honour true, than your suspicion; Be blam'd for 't how you might. |