SCENE V. The same. A room in CYMBELINE'S palace.
Enter CYMBELINE, Queen, Cloten, Lucius, and Lords.
Cym. Thus far; and so, farewell.
Luc.
Thanks, royal sin.
My emperor hath wrote; I must from hence;
And am right sorry that I must report ye

My master's enemy.

Cym.

Our subjects, sir,

Will not endure his yoke; and for ourselt
To show less sovereignty than they, must needs
Appear unkinglike.

Luc.

So, sir, I desire of you

A conduct overland to Milford-Haven.—
Madam, all joy befall your grace and yours!

Cym. My lords, you are appointed for that office;
The due of honor in no point omit.-

So, farewell, noble Lucius.

Luc.
Your hand, my lord.
Clo. Receive it friendly; but from this time forth
I wear it as your enemy.

Luc.

Sir, the event

Is yet to name the winner: fare you well.

Cym. Leave not the worthy Lucius, good my loras Till he have cross'd the Severn.- Happiness!

[Exeunt Lucius and Lor $ Queen. He goes hence frowning: but it honors us That we have given him cause.

Clo.

'Tis all the better.

Your valiant Britons have their wishes in it.

Cym. Lucius hath wrote already to the emperor
How it goes here. It fits us therefore ripely
Our chariots and our horsemen be in readiness:
The powers that he already hath in Gallia

Will soon be drawn to head, from whence he moves
His war for Britain.

Queen.
'Tis not sleepy business;
But must be look'd to speedily and strongly.
Cym. Our expectation that it would be thus
Hath made us forward. But, my gentle queen,
Where is our daughter? She hath not appear'd
Before the Roman, nor to us hath tender'd

The duty of the day: she looks us like

A thing more made of malice than of duty:
We've noted it. Call her before us; for

We've been too slight in sufferance. [Exit an Attendant.
Queen.
Royal sir,

Since th' exile of Posthúmus, most retir'd

Hath her life been; the cure whereof, my lord,
'Tis time must do. Beseech your majesty,
Forbear sharp speeches to her: she's a lady
So tender of rebukes, that words are strokes,
And strokes death to her.

Her chambers are all lock'd; and there's no answer
That will be given to the loud'st noise we make.
Queen. My lord, when last I went to visit her,
She pray'd me to excuse her keeping close;
Whereto constrain'd by her infirmity,

She should that duty leave unpaid to you,
Which daily she was bound to proffer this

She wish'd me to make known; but our great court
Made me to blame in memory.

Her doors lock'd?

Cym.
Not seen of late? Grant, heavens, that which I fear
Prove false !

Queen. Son, I say, follow the king.

Clo. That man of hers, Pisanio, her old servant, I have not seen these two days.

Queen.

Go, look after.

[Exit.

[Exit Cloten.

Pisanio, thou that stand'st so for Posthúmus!
He hath a drug of mine; I pray his absence
Proceed by swallowing that; for he believes
It is a thing most precious. But for her,

Where is she gone? Haply, despair hath seiz'd her;
Or, wing'd with fervor of her love, she's flown

To her desir'd Posthúmus: gone she is

To death or to dishonor; and my end

Can make good use of either: she being down,
I have the placing of the British crown.

Re-enter CLoten.

How now, my son!

'Tis certain she is fled.

Clo.

Go in and cheer the king: he rages; none
Dare come about him.

Queen. [aside] All the better: may
This night forestall him of the coming day!

[Exit,

Clo. I love and hate her: for she's fair and royal,
And that she hath all courtly parts more exquisite
Than lady, ladies, woman; from every one
The best she hath, and she, of all compounded,
Outsells them all, I love her therefore: but,
Disdaining me, and throwing favors on

The low Posthúmus, slanders to her judgment,
That what's else rare is chok'd; and in that point
I will conclude to hate her, nay, indeed,

To be reveng'd upon her. For, when fools
Shall

Enter PISANIO.

Who is here? What, are you packing, sirrah? Come hither: ah, you precious pander! Villain, Where is thy lady? In a word; or else Thou'rt straightway with the fiends.

Pis.

O, good my lord !

Clo. Where is thy lady? or, by JupiterI will not ask again. Close villain, I

Will have this secret from thy heart, or rip
Thy heart to find it. Is she with Posthúmus?
From whose so many weights of baseness cannot
A dram of worth be drawn.

Pis.

Alas, my lord,

How can she be with him? When was she miss'd?
He is in Rome.

Clo.

Where is she, sir? Come nearer;

No further halting: satisfy me home

What is become of her.

Pis. O, my all-worthy lord!

Clo.

All-worthy villain!

worthy lord;"

Discover where thy mistress is at once,
At the next word,-no more of "
Speak, or thy silence on the instant is
Thy condemnation and thy death.
Pis.
This paper is the history of my knowledge

Touching her flight.
Clo.

Then, sir,

[Presenting a letter.

Let's see't.— I will pursue her

Even to Augustus' throne.
Pis. [aside]

Or this, or perish.

She's far enough; and what he learns by this
May prove his travel, not her danger.

Clo.

Hum!

Pis. [aside] I'll write to my lord she's dead.

gen,

Safe mayst thou wander, safe return agen!
Clo. Sirrah, is this letter true?

Pis. Sir, as I think.

O Imo

Clo. It is Posthumus' hand; I know't.-Sirrah, if thou wouldst not be a villain, but do me true service, undergo those employments wherein I should have cause to use thee with a serious industry,— that is, what villafny soe'er I bid thee do, to perform it directly and truly,— I would think thee an honest man: thou shouldst neither want my means for thy relief, nor my voice for thy preferment. Pis. Well, my good lord.

Clo. Wilt thou serve me? - for since patiently and constantly thou hast stuck to the bare fortune of that beggar Posthumus, thou canst not, in the course of gratitude, but be a diligent follower of mine,- wilt thou serve me? Pis. Sir, I will.

Clo. Give me thy hand; here's my purse. Hast any of thy late master's garments in thy possession?

Pis. I have, my lord, at my lodging, the same suit he wore when he took leave of my lady and mistress.

Clo. The first service thou dost me, fetch that suit hith

er let it be thy first service; go.

Pis. I shall, my lord.

[Exit. forgot to ask him

Clo. Meet thee at Milford-Haven! one thing; I'll remember't anon:- even there, thou vil. lain Posthumus, will I kill thee. I would these garments

were come. She said upon a time the bitterness of it I now belch from my heart that she held the very garment of Posthumus in more respect than my noble and natural person, together with the adornment of my qualities. With that suit upon my back, will I ravish her: first kill him, and in her eyes; there shall she see my valor, which will then be a torment to her contempt. He on the ground, my speech of insultment ended on his dead body, and when my lust hath dined,-which, as I say, to vex her I will execute in the clothes that she so praised, to the court I'll knock her back, foot her home again. She hath despised me rejoicingly, and I'll be merry in my revenge.

Re-enter PISANIO, with the clothes.

Be those the garments?

Pis. Ay, my noble lord.

Clo. How long is't since she went to Milford-Haven ? Pis. She can scarce be there yet.

Clo. Bring this apparel to my chamber; that is the second thing that I have commanded thee: the third is, that thou wilt be a voluntary mute to my design. Be but duteous and true, preferment shall tender itself to thee.—— My revenge is now at Milford: would I had wings to follow it! Come, and be true. [Exit.

Pis. Thou bidd'st me to my loss: for, true to thee
Were to prove false, which I will never be,
To him that is most true.- To Milford go,
And find not her whom thou pursu'st.- Flow, flow,
You heavenly blessings on her! This fool's speed
Be cross'd with slowness; labor be his meed !

[Exit. SCENE VI. The same. Wales; before the cave of BEL

ARIUS.

Enter IMOGEN, in boy's clothes.

Imo. I see a man's life is a tedious one:
I've tir'd myself; and for two nights together
Have made the ground my bed. I should be sick,
But that my resolution helps me.—
e.- Milford,

When from the mountain-top Pisanio show'd thee,
Thou wast within a ken: O Jove! I think