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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,
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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,
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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,
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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,
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(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
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(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
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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
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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
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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.
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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,
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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!
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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,
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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:
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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
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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,
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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.
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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
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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;
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’Tis hop’d his sickness is discharg’d.
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,
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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,
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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:
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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
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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
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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;
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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
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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,
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Take’t up, I say; give’t to thy crone.
PAULINA For ever
Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou
The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 565