William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (515 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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These dangerous, unsafe lunes i‘th’ King, beshrew
them!
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-mouthed, let my tongue blister,
And never to my red-looked 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’ loud‘st. We do not know
How he may soften at the sight o’th’ child.
The silence often of pure innocence
Persuades when speaking fails.
them!
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-mouthed, let my tongue blister,
And never to my red-looked 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’ loud‘st. We do not know
How he may soften at the sight o’th’ child.
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
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 today hammered of this design
But durst not tempt a minister of honour
Lest she should be denied.
That your free undertaking cannot miss
A thriving issue. There is no lady living
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 today hammered of this design
But durst not tempt a minister of honour
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.
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.
JAILER
Madam, if’t please the Queen to send the babe
I know not what I shall incur to pass it,
Having no warrant.
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
Freed and enfranchised, not a party to
The anger of the King, nor guilty of—
If any be—the trespass of the Queen.
By law and process of great nature thence
Freed and enfranchised, not a party to
The anger of the King, nor guilty of—
If any be—the trespass of the Queen.
JAILER I do believe it.
PAULINA
Do not you fear. Upon mine honour,
I will stand twixt you and danger.
I will stand twixt you and danger.
Exeunt
2.3Enter Leontes
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
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. Who’s there?
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
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. Who’s there?
Enter a Servant
SERVANT
My lord.
LEONTES
How does the boy?
SERVANT
He took good rest tonight.
’Tis hoped his sickness is discharged.
LEONTES To see his nobleness!
Conceiving the dishonour of his mother
He straight declined, drooped, took it deeply,
Fastened and fixed the shame on’t in himself;
Threw off his spirit, his appetite, his sleep,
And downright languished. Leave me solely. Go,
See how he fares.
He straight declined, drooped, took it deeply,
Fastened and fixed the shame on’t in himself;
Threw off his spirit, his appetite, his sleep,
And downright languished. 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,
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
Shall she, within my power.
The very thought of my revenges that way
Recoil upon me. In himself too mighty,
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
Shall she, within my power.
Enter Paulina, carrying a babe, with Antigonus,
Lords, and the Servant, trying to restrain 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.
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.
SERVANT
Madam, he hath not slept tonight, commanded
None should come at him.
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
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.
That creep like shadows by him, and do sigh
At each his needless heavings, such as you
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
About some gossips for your highness.
About some gossips for your highness.
LEONTES
How?
Away with that audacious lady! Antigonus,
I charged thee that she should not come about me.
I knew she would.
I charged 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,
She should not visit you.
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.
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.
When she will take the rein I let her run,
But she’ll not stumble.
But she’ll not stumble.
PAULINA (
to Leontes
) Good my liege, I come—
to Leontes
) 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
Less appear so in comforting your evils
Than such as most seem yours—I say, I come
From your good queen.
Myself your loyal servant, your physician,
Your most obedient counsellor; yet that dares
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
A man, the worst about you.
And would by combat make her good, so were I
A man, the worst about you.
LEONTES (
to Lords
)
to Lords
)
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—
Here ’tis—commends it to your blessing.
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—
Here ’tis—commends it to your blessing.
She lays down the babe
LEONTES Out!
A mankind witch! Hence with her, out o’door—
A most intelligencing bawd.
A most intelligencing bawd.
PAULINA
Not so.
I am as ignorant in that as you
In so entitling me, and no less honest
Than you are mad, which is enough, I’ll warrant,
As this world goes, to pass for honest.
In so entitling me, and no less honest
Than you are mad, which is enough, I’ll warrant,
As this world goes, to pass for honest.
LEONTES (
to Lords
)
to Lords
)
Traitors,
Will you not push her out?
(
To Antigonus
)
(
To Antigonus
)
Give her the bastard.
Thou dotard, thou art woman-tired, unroosted
By thy Dame Partlet here. Take up the bastard,
Take’t up, I say. Give’t to thy crone.
By thy Dame Partlet here. Take up the bastard,
Take’t up, I say. Give’t to thy crone.
PAULINA (
to Antigonus
)
to Antigonus
)
For ever
Unvenerable be thy hands if thou
Tak’st up the princess by that forced baseness
Which he has put upon’t.
Tak’st up the princess by that forced baseness
Which he has put upon’t.
LEONTES
He dreads his wife.
PAULINA
So I would you did. Then ’twere past all doubt
You’d call your children yours.
You’d call your children yours.
LEONTES
A nest of traitors.
ANTIGONUS
I am none, by this good light.
PAULINA
Nor I, nor any
But one that’s here, and that’s himself, for he
The sacred honour of himself, his queen’s,
His hopeful son’s, his babe‘s, betrays to slander,
Whose sting is sharper than the sword’s; and will
not—
For as the case now stands, it is a curse
He cannot be compelled to’t—once remove
The root of his opinion, which is rotten
As ever oak or stone was sound.
The sacred honour of himself, his queen’s,
His hopeful son’s, his babe‘s, betrays to slander,
Whose sting is sharper than the sword’s; and will
not—
For as the case now stands, it is a curse
He cannot be compelled to’t—once remove
The root of his opinion, which is rotten
As ever oak or stone was sound.
LEONTES (
to Lords
)
to Lords
)
A callat
Of boundless tongue, who late hath beat her husband,
And now baits me! This brat is none of mine.
It is the issue of Polixenes.
Hence with it, and together with the dam
Commit them to the fire.
And now baits me! This brat is none of mine.
It is the issue of Polixenes.
Hence with it, and together with the dam
Commit them to the fire.
PAULINA
It is yours,
And might we lay th‘old proverb to your charge,
So like you ’tis the worse. Behold, my lords,
Although the print be little, the whole matter
And copy of the father: eye, nose, lip,
The trick of’s frown, his forehead, nay, the valley,
The pretty dimples of his chin and cheek, his smiles,
The very mould and frame of hand, nail, finger.
And thou good goddess Nature, which hast made it
So like to him that got it, if thou hast
The ordering of the mind too, ‘mongst all colours
No yellow in’t, lest she suspect, as he does,
Her children not her husband’s.
So like you ’tis the worse. Behold, my lords,
Although the print be little, the whole matter
And copy of the father: eye, nose, lip,
The trick of’s frown, his forehead, nay, the valley,
The pretty dimples of his chin and cheek, his smiles,
The very mould and frame of hand, nail, finger.
And thou good goddess Nature, which hast made it
So like to him that got it, if thou hast
The ordering of the mind too, ‘mongst all colours
No yellow in’t, lest she suspect, as he does,
Her children not her husband’s.
LEONTES (
to Antigonus
)
to Antigonus
)
A gross hag!—
And lozel, thou art worthy to be hanged,
That wilt not stay her tongue.
That wilt not stay her tongue.
ANTIGONUS
Hang all the husbands
That cannot do that feat, you’ll leave yourself
Hardly one subject.
Hardly one subject.
LEONTES
Once more, take her hence.
PAULINA
A most unworthy and unnatural lord
Can do no more.
Can do no more.
LEONTES
I’ll ha’ thee burnt.
PAULINA
I care not.
It is an heretic that makes the fire,
Not she which burns in’t. I’ll not call you tyrant;
But this most cruel usage of your queen—
Not able to produce more accusation
Than your own weak-hinged fancy—something
savours
Of tyranny, and will ignoble make you,
Yea, scandalous to the world.
Not she which burns in’t. I’ll not call you tyrant;
But this most cruel usage of your queen—
Not able to produce more accusation
Than your own weak-hinged fancy—something
savours
Of tyranny, and will ignoble make you,
Yea, scandalous to the world.
LEONTES (
to Antigonus
)
to Antigonus
)
On your allegiance,
Out of the chamber with her! Were I a tyrant,
Where were her life? She durst not call me so
If she did know me one. Away with her!
Where were her life? She durst not call me so
If she did know me one. Away with her!
PAULINA
I pray you do not push me, I’ll be gone.
Look to your babe, my lord; ‘tis yours. Jove send her
A better guiding spirit. What needs these hands?
You that are thus so tender o’er his follies
Will never do him good, not one of you.
So, so. Farewell, we are gone. Exit
Look to your babe, my lord; ‘tis yours. Jove send her
A better guiding spirit. What needs these hands?
You that are thus so tender o’er his follies
Will never do him good, not one of you.
So, so. Farewell, we are gone. Exit
LEONTES (
to Antigonus
)
to Antigonus
)
Thou, traitor, hast set on thy wife to this.
My child? Away with‘t! Even thou, that hast
A heart so tender o’er it, take it hence
And see it instantly consumed with fire.
Even thou, and none but thou. Take it up straight.
Within this hour bring me word ‘tis done,
And by good testimony, or I’ll seize thy life,
With what thou else call’st thine. If thou refuse
And wilt encounter with my wrath, say so.
The bastard brains with these my proper hands
Shall I dash out. Go, take it to the fire;
For thou set’st on thy wife.
My child? Away with‘t! Even thou, that hast
A heart so tender o’er it, take it hence
And see it instantly consumed with fire.
Even thou, and none but thou. Take it up straight.
Within this hour bring me word ‘tis done,
And by good testimony, or I’ll seize thy life,
With what thou else call’st thine. If thou refuse
And wilt encounter with my wrath, say so.
The bastard brains with these my proper hands
Shall I dash out. Go, take it to the fire;
For thou set’st on thy wife.
ANTIGONUS
I did not, sir.
These lords, my noble fellows, if they please
Can clear me in’t.
Can clear me in’t.
LORDS
We can. My royal liege,
He is not guilty of her coming hither.
LEONTES You’re liars all.
A LORD
Beseech your highness, give us better credit.
We have always truly served you, and beseech
So to esteem of us. And on our knees we beg,
As recompense of our dear services
Past and to come, that you do change this purpose
Which, being so horrible, so bloody, must
Lead on to some foul issue. We all kneel.
We have always truly served you, and beseech
So to esteem of us. And on our knees we beg,
As recompense of our dear services
Past and to come, that you do change this purpose
Which, being so horrible, so bloody, must
Lead on to some foul issue. We all kneel.
LEONTES
I am a feather for each wind that blows.
Shall I live on, to see this bastard kneel
And call me father? Better burn it now
Than curse it then. But be it. Let it live.
It shall not neither.
(
To Antigonus
) You, sir, come you hither,
You that have been so tenderly officious
With Lady Margery your midwife there,
To save this bastard’s life—for ’tis a bastard,
So sure as this beard’s grey. What will you adventure
To save this brat’s life?
Shall I live on, to see this bastard kneel
And call me father? Better burn it now
Than curse it then. But be it. Let it live.
It shall not neither.
(
To Antigonus
) You, sir, come you hither,
You that have been so tenderly officious
With Lady Margery your midwife there,
To save this bastard’s life—for ’tis a bastard,
So sure as this beard’s grey. What will you adventure
To save this brat’s life?
ANTIGONUS Anything, my lord,
That my ability may undergo,
And nobleness impose. At least thus much,
I’ll pawn the little blood which I have left
To save the innocent; anything possible.
And nobleness impose. At least thus much,
I’ll pawn the little blood which I have left
To save the innocent; anything possible.
LEONTES
It shall be possible. Swear by this sword
Thou wilt perform my bidding.
Thou wilt perform my bidding.
ANTIGONUS
I will, my lord.
LEONTES
Mark, and perform it. Seest thou? For the fail
Of any point in’t shall not only be
Death to thyself but to thy lewd-tongued wife,
Whom for this time we pardon. We enjoin thee,
As thou art liegeman to us, that thou carry
This female bastard hence, and that thou bear it
To some remote and desert place, quite out
Of our dominions; and that there thou leave it,
Without more mercy, to it own protection
And favour of the climate. As by strange fortune
It came to us, I do in justice charge thee,
On thy soul’s peril and thy body’s torture,
That thou commend it strangely to some place
Where chance may nurse or end it. Take it up.
Of any point in’t shall not only be
Death to thyself but to thy lewd-tongued wife,
Whom for this time we pardon. We enjoin thee,
As thou art liegeman to us, that thou carry
This female bastard hence, and that thou bear it
To some remote and desert place, quite out
Of our dominions; and that there thou leave it,
Without more mercy, to it own protection
And favour of the climate. As by strange fortune
It came to us, I do in justice charge thee,
On thy soul’s peril and thy body’s torture,
That thou commend it strangely to some place
Where chance may nurse or end it. Take it up.
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