Puslapio vaizdai
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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 13 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 14 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: but I do see't, and feel't,
As you feel doing thus; and see withal

The instruments that feel 15,

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We need no grave to bury honesty ;

There's not a grain of it, the face to sweeten

Of the whole dungy earth.

Leon.

What! lack I credit?

1 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;
Be blam'd for't how you might.

Leon.

Why, what need we

13 I would land-damn him.' Johnson interprets this: 'I will damn or condemn him to quit the land.' It may have meant to encompass him by land, ensnare him: and then it should be printed land-damm: we have words of the same formation, as land-lockt, &c. Hanmer's interpretation from lant or land urine wants support. Mr. Nares thinks that it suits best with the gross complexion of the whole speech.

14 Glib or lib, i. e. castrate.

15 I see and feel my disgrace, as you, Antigonus, now feel my doing this to you, and as you now see the instruments that feel, i.e. my fingers. Leontes must here be supposed to touch or lay hold of Antigonus.

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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 16 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.

Ant.

And I wish, my liege,

You had only in your silent judgment tried it,
Without more overture.

Leon.

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 17, 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 despatch'd in post,
To sacred Delphos, to Apollo's temple,
Cleomenes and Dion, whom you know
Of stuff'd sufficiency 18: 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 I am satisfied, and need no more
Than what I know, yet shall the oracle
Give rest to the minds of others; such as he,
Whose ignorant credulity will not

16 The old copy reads a truth. Rowe made the correction. 17 i. e. proof.

18 i. e, of abilities more than sufficient.

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.

SCENE II.

The same.

The outer Room of a Prison.

Enter PAULINA and Attendants.

Paul. The keeper of the prison,-call to him;

[Exit an Attendant. Let him have knowledge who I am,-Good lady! No court in Europe is too good for thee,

What dost thou then in prison?-Now, good sir,

Re-enter Attendant, with the Keeper.

You know

Keeper.

me, do you not?

And one whom much I honour,

Paul.

Conduct me to the queen.

For a worthy lady,

Pray you, then,

Keep. I may not, madam; to the contrary

I have

Paul.

express commandment.

Here's ado,

To lock up honesty and honour from

The access of gentle visitors ! Is it lawful,
Pray you, to see her women? any of them?
Emilia?

Keep. So please you, madam, to put
Apart these your attendants, I shall bring
Emilia forth.

Withdraw yourselves.

Paul.

I pray now, call her.

[Exeunt Attend.

And, madam,

[Exit Keeper.

Кеер.

I must be present at your conference.
Paul. Well, be it so, pr'ythee.
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
Much comfort in't: says, My poor prisoner,

I am innocent as you.

Paul.

receives

I dare be sworn:

These dangerous unsafe lunes 1 o'the 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-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

1 Lunes. This word has not been found in any other English writer; but it is used in old French for frenzy, lunacy, folly. A similar expression occurs in The Revenger's Tragedy, 1608: 'I know it was but some peevish moon in him.' In As You Like It, we have the expression, a moonish youth.

How he may soften at the sight o' the child;
The silence often of pure innocence

Persuades, when speaking fails.

Emil.

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 to-day, hammer'd of this design;
But durst not tempt a minister of honour,
Lest she should be denied.

Paul.

Tell her, Emilia, I'll use that tongue I have: if wit flow from it, As boldness from my bosom, let it not be doubted I shall do good.

Emil.

Now be you blest for it! I'll to the queen: Please you, come something nearer. Keep. Madam, if't please the queen to send the babe,

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
Freed 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.

VOL. IV.

E

[Exeunt.

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