Go hence in debt: And therefore, like a cipher,
Yet standing in rich place, I multiply,
With one we-thank-we, many thousands more
That go before it.
Leon.
Stay your thanks awhile;
And pay them when you part.

Pol.
Sir, that's to-morrow.
I am question'd by my fears, of what may chance,
Or breed upon our absence: That may blow
No sneaping winds at home, to make us say,
This is put forth too truly! Besides, I have stay'd
To tire your royalty.

Leon.
Than you can put us to't.

Pol.

Leon. One seven-night longer.
Pol.

Very sooth, to-morrow. Leon. We'll part the time between's then: and in that

I'll no gain-saying.

Pol.

We are tougher, brother,

No longer stay.

Press me not, 'beseech you, so; There is no tongue that moves, none, none i'the world,

So soon as yours, could win me: so it should now,
Were there necessity in your request, although
"Twere needful I denied it. My affairs
Do even drag me homeward; which to hinder,
Were, in your love, a whip to me; my stay,
To you a charge and trouble: to save both,
Farewell, our brother.

Leon. Tongue-tied, our queen? speak you. Her. I had thought, sir, to have held my peace, until

You had drawn oaths from him, not to stay. You,

sir,

Charge him too coldly: Tell him, you are sure,
All in Bohemia's well: this satisfaction
The by-gone day proclaim'd; say this to him,

* Nipping.

Leon.

Well said, Hermione.

Her. To tell, he longs to see his son, were strong: But let him say so then, and let him go; But let him swear so, and he shall not stay, We'll thwack him hence with distaffs.— Yet of your royal presence [To Polixenes] I'll ad

He's beat from his best ward.

venture

The borrow of a week. When at Bohemia
You take my lord, I'll give him my commission,
To let him there a month, behind the gest*
Prefix'd for his parting: yet, good deed †, Leontes,
I love thee not a jar ‡ o'the clock behind
What lady she her lord.-You'll stay?

No, madam.

Pol.

Her. Nay, but you will?
Pol..

I may not, verily.

Her. Verily!

You put me off with limber § vows: But I, Though you would seek to unsphere the stars with oaths,

Should yet say, Sir, no going. Verily,
You shall not go; a lady's verily is

As potent as a lord's. Will you go yet?
Force me to keep you as a prisoner,
Not like a guest; so you shall pay your fees,
When you depart, and save your thanks. How say
you?

My prisoner? or my guest? by your dread verily, One of them you shall be.

Pol.

Your guest then, madam: To be your prisoner, should import offending; Which is for me less easy to commit,

Than you to punish.

Her.

Not your gaoler then, But your kind hostess. Come, I'll question you, Of my lord's tricks, and yours, when you were boys;

* Gests were the names of the stages where the king appointed to lie, during a royal progress.

+ Indeed.

Tick.

§ Flimsy.

You were pretty lordlings then.

Pol.

We were, fair queen, Two lads, that thought there was no more behind, But such a day to-morrow as to-day, And to be boy eternal.

Her. Was not my lord the verier wag o'the two? Pol. We were as twinn'd lambs, that did frisk i'the sun,

And bleat the one at the other: what we chang'd,
Was innocence for innocence; we knew not
The doctrine of ill-doing, no, nor dream'd
That any did: Had we pursued that life,
And our weak spirits ne'er been higher rear'd
With stronger blood, we should have answer'd
heaven

Boldly, Not guilty; the imposition clear'd,
Hereditary ours t.

Her.
You have tripp'd since.

Pol.

O my most sacred lady, Temptations have since then been born to us: for In those unfledg'd days was my wife a girl; Your precious self had then not cross'd the eyes Of my young play-fellow.

Her.

By this we gather,

Grace to boot! Of this make no conclusion; lest you say, Your queen and I are devils: Yet, go on; The offences we have you do, we'll answer; If you first sinn'd with us, and that with us You did continue fault, and that you slipp'd not With any but with us.

Leon.

Is he won yet?

Her. He'll stay, my lord.
Leon.
Hermione, my dearest, thou never spok'st

To better purpose.

Never?

Her.

Leon.

* A diminutive of lords.

At my request, he would not.

Never, but once.
Setting aside original sin.

Her. What? have I twice said well? when was't

before?

I pr'ythee, tell me : Cram us with praise, and make

us

As fat as tame things: One good deed, dying tongueless,

Slaughters a thousand, waiting upon that.
Our praises are our wages: You may ride us,
With one soft kiss, a thousand furlongs, ere
With spur we heat an acre. But to the gaol ;-
My last good was, to entreat his stay;
What was my first? it has an elder sister,
Or I mistake you: O, would her name were Grace !
But once before I spoke to the
When?
Nay, let me hav't; I long.

purpose.

Leon.

Why, that was when Three crabbed months had sour'd themselves to death,

Ere I could make thee open thy white hand,
And clap thyself my love; then didst thou utter,
I am yours for ever.

Her.

It is Grace, indeed.

Why, lo you now, I have spoke to the purpose twice:
The one for ever earn'd a royal husband;
The other, for some while a friend.

[Aside.

;

[Giving her hand to Polixenes. Leon. Too hot, too hot: To mingle friendship far, is mingling bloods. I have tremor cordis * on me: my heart dances But not for joy,-not joy.-This entertainment May a free face put on; derive a liberty From heartiness, from bounty, fertile bosom, And well become the agent: it may, I grant: But to be paddling palms, and pinching fingers, As now they are; and making practis'd smiles, As in a looking-glass ;-and then to sigh, as 'twere The mort o'the deer+; O, that is entertainment

* Trembling of the heart.

+ The tune played at the death of the deer.

My bosom likes not, nor my brows.-Mamillius, Art thou my boy?

Mam.

Ay, my good lord.

Leon.

I'fecks?

Why that's my bawcock*. What, hast smutch'd thy nose?

They say, it's a copy out of mine. Come, captain,
We must be neat; not neat, but cleanly, captain:
And yet the steer, the heifer, and the calf,
Are all call'd, neat.-Still virginalling +
[Observing Polixenes and Hermione.
Upon his palm?-How now, you wanton calf?
Art thou my calf?

Mam.

Yes, if you will, my lord. Leon. Thou want'st a rough pash, and the shoots that I have 1,

To be full like me :-yet, they say, we are
Almost as like as eggs; women say so,
That will say any thing: But were they false
As o'er-died blacks, as wind, as waters; false
As dice are to be wish'd, by one that fixes
No bourn § twixt his and mine; yet were it true
To say this boy were like me.-Come, sir page,
Look on me with your welkin || "eye: Sweet villain!
Most dear'st! my collop!-Can thy dam?-may't be?
Affection! thy intention stabs the center:
Thou dost make possible, things not so held,
Communicat'st with dreams;-(How can this be?)—
With what's unreal thou coactive art,

And fellow'st nothing :-Then, 'tis very credent ¶,
Thou may'st co-join with something; and thou dost;
(And that beyond commission; and I find it),
And that to the infection of my brains,

And hardening of my brows.

Pol.

What means Sicilia ? Her. He something seems unsettled.

*Hearty fellow.

ti. e. Playing with her fingers as if on a spinnet.

Thou wantest a rough head, and the budding horns that I have.

§ Boundary.

Blue.

¶ Credible.