ACT THE SECOND.

SCENE I.

The same.

Enter HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, and Ladies.

Her. Take the boy to you: he so troubles me,. Tis past enduring.

1 Lady.

Come, my gracious lord,

No, I'll none of you.

Shall I be your play-fellow?

Mam.

1 Lady. Why, my sweet lord?

Mam. You'll kiss me hard; and speak to me as if

I were a baby still. I love

you better. 2 Lady. And why so, my good lord?

Not for because

Mam. Your brows are blacker; yet black brows, they say, Become some women best; so that there be not

Too much hair there, but in a semi-circle,

Or half-moon made with a pen.

2 Lady.

Who taught you this?

Mam. I learn'd it out of women's faces.- Pray

now

What colour are your eye-brows?

1 Lady.

Blue, my

lord.

Mam." Nay, that's a mock: I have seen a lady's

nose

That has been blue, but not her eye-brows.

Hark ye:

2 Lady. The queen, your mother, rounds apace: we shall Present our services to a fine new prince,

One of these days; and then you'd wanton with us, If we would have you.

1 Lady.

She is spread of late Into a goodly bulk: Good time encounter her! Her. What wisdom stirs amongst you? Come, sir,

now

I am for you again: Pray you, sit by us,
And tell's a tale.

Mam. Merry, or sad, shall't be?
Her. As merry as you

Mam.

will.

A sad tale's best for winter:

Come on, sit down :

Let's have that, sir.

Come on, and do your best

To fright me with your sprites: you're powerful

at it.

Mam. There was a man,

Her.

Nay, come, sit down; then on.

Mam. Dwelt by a church-yard; - I will tell it

softly;

Yon crickets shall not hear it.

Her.

And give❜t me in mine ear.

Come on then,

Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, Lords, and others.

Leon. Was he met there? his train? Camillo with him?

1 Lord. Behind the tuft of pines I met them;

never

Saw I men scour so on their way: I ey'd them
Even to their ships.

How bless'd am I

Leon.
In my just censure? in my true opinion?
Alack, for lesser knowledge! How accurs'd,
In being so blest! There may be in the cup
A spider steep'd, and one may drink; depart,
And yet partake no venom; for his knowledge
Is not infected: but if one present

The abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known

Judgment.

How he hath drank, he cracks his gorge, his sides, With violent hefts 6: I have drank, and seen the

spider.

Camillo was his help in this, his pander: —
There is a plot against my life, my crown;
All's true that is mistrusted: that false villain,
Whom I employ'd, was pre-employ'd by him:
He has discover'd my design, and I

Remain a pinch'd thing'; yea, a very trick

For them to play at will: How came the posterns So easily open?

1 Lord.

By his great authority; Which often hath no less prevail'd than so,

On your command.

Leon.

I know't too well.

Give me the boy; I am glad, you did not nurse him : Though he does bear some signs of me, yet you Have too much blood in him.

Her.

What is this? sport? Leon. Bear the boy hence, he shall not come about

her:

Away with him:

and let her sport herself With that she's big with; for 'tis Polixenes Has made thee swell thus.

But I'd say, he had not,

Her. And, I'll be sworn, you would believe my saying, Howe'er you lean to the nayward.

Leon. You, my lords, Look on her, mark her well; be but about

To say, she is a goodly lady, and

The justice of your hearts will thereto add, 'Tis pity she's not honest, honourable:

Praise her but for this her without-door form,
(Which, on my faith, deserves high speech,) and
straight

The shrug, the hum, or ha; these petty brands,
That calumny doth use:

6 Heavings.

O, I am out,

7 A thing pinch'd out of clouts, a puppet.

That mercy does; for calumny will sear
Virtue itself:- these shrugs, these hums, and ha's,
When you have said, she's goodly, come between,
Ere you can say she's honest: But be it known,
From him that has most cause to grieve it should be,
She's an adultress.

Her.

Should a villain say so,

The most replenish'd villain in the world,
He were as much more villain: you, my lord,
Do but mistake.

Leon.
You have mistook, my lady,
Polixenes for Leontes: O thou thing,
Which I'll not call a creature of thy place,
Lest barbarism, making me the precedent,
Should a like language use to all degrees,
And mannerly distinguishment leave out
Betwixt the prince and beggar!— I have said,
She's an adultress; I have said with whom :
More, she's a traitor; and Camillo is

A federary with her; and one that knows
What she should shame to know herself:
She's privy

To this their late escape.

Her. No, by my life, Privy to none of this: How will this grieve you, When you shall come to clearer knowledge, that You thus have publish'd me? Gentle my lord, You scarce can right me throughly then, to say You did mistake.

Leon.

No, no; if I mistake

In those foundations which I build upon,
The center is not big enough to bear

A school-boy's top. Away with her to prison: He, who shall speak for her, is afar off guilty', But that he speaks.'

Her.

There's some ill planet reigns:

Brand as infamous. 1 Remotely guilty.

9 Confederate.
In merely speaking.

lords,

I must be patient, till the heavens look
With an aspéct more favourable.- Good my
I am not prone to weeping, as our sex
Commonly are; the want of which vain dew,
Perchance, shall dry your pities: but I have
That honourable grief lodg'd here, which burns
Worse than tears drown: 'Beseech you all, my lords,
With thoughts so qualified as your charities
Shall best instruct you, measure me ;-
and so
The king's will be perform'd!

Leon.

Shall I be heard?

[To the Guards.

Her. Who is't, that goes with me? 'Beseech your highness,

My women may be with me; for, you see,

My plight requires it. Do not weep, good fools; There is no cause: when you shall know your mistress

Has deserv'd prison, then abound in tears,
As I come out; this action, I now go on,
Is for better
my
Adieu, my
grace.
lord:
I never wish'd to see you sorry; now,
I trust, I shall.

leave.

My women, come; you have

Leon. Go, do our bidding; hence,

[Exeunt Queen and Ladies,

1 Lord. 'Beseech your highness, call the queen

again.

Ant. Be certain what you do, sir; lest your

justice

Prove violence; in the which three great ones suffer, Yourself, your queen, your son.

1 Lord.

For her, my lord,

I dare my life lay down, and will do't, sir,

Please you to accept it, that the queen is spotless I'the eyes of heaven, and to you; I mean,

In this which you accuse her.

Ant.

If it prove

She's otherwise, I'll keep my stables where