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A room in LEONTES' palace.
[Enter HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, and Ladies]
HERMIONE
,
, ,
, ,
Take the | boy to | you: he | so troub/les me,
,
,
'Tis past | endur|ing.
FIRST LADY
, , ,
Come |(my gra|cious lord)
T T T
, , oo
Shall I be | your play|fellow?|
MAMILLIUS
,
, T
No, I'll | none of | you.
FIRST LADY
T T
,
Why (my | sweet lord)?
MAMILLIUS
You'll kiss me hard, and speak to me, as if I were a baby still. I love you
better.
SECOND LADY
T T T
,
And why so |(my lord)?
MAMILLIUS
, ,
Not for | because
,
x T T
T ,
Your brows | are blacker |(yet black brows | they
say
, ,
, 2 ,
,
Become | some wom|en best,| so that there | be
not
,
T T T
2 x ,
Too much | hair there, but | in a semi|circle,
,
, , 2
,
Or a / half-moon,| made with a | pen).
SECOND LADY
,
Who | taught this?
MAMILLIUS
x
, , ,
,
I learned it | out of | women's | faces:| Pray
now*,
,
, ,
,
What col|or are | your eye|brows?
FIRST LADY
,
Blue /(my lord*).
MAMILLIUS
T T
. T 2 , ,
,
Nay, that's a mock:| I have seen | a lad|y's nose
,
, , ,
___
That has | been blue,| but not | her eye|brows.
FIRST LADY
,
Hark ye, \\
,
, ,
___ ,
The queen |(your moth|er) rounds | apace:| we
shall
,
, , 2
, ,
Present | our serv|ices | to a fine|^new* prince
T . T
T , ,
x
One of these days,| and then | you'd want|on with
us,
,
,
If we | would have | you.
SECOND LADY
, ,
,
She | is spread | of late
, 2 ,
, ,
, 2
Into a | goodly | bulk (good | time en|counter
her).
HERMIONE
,
, , ,
,
What wis|dom stirs | amongst | you? Come | sir,
now
,
, , ,
, x
I am | for you | again:| pray you | sit by us,
x
,
And tell us | a tale.
MAMILLIUS
, ,
2 ,
Merry | or sad | shall it be?
HERMIONE
,
, ,
As mer|ry as | you will. \\
MAMILLIUS
. T T
T ,
A sad tale's best | for wint|er: \\
,
, ,
, oo
I have | one of | sprites, and | goblins.|
HERMIONE
,
T T T
Let's have | that (good sir). \\
,
, , ,
,
Come on,| sit down,| come on,| and do | your
best,
,
, 2 ,
x ,
To fright | me with your | sprites; you're |
powerful | at it.
MAMILLIUS
, 2
T
There was a | man.
HERMIONE
T T ,
,
Nay, come | sit down:| then on.
MAMILLIUS
, 2
, , ,
,
Dwelt by a | churchyard: / I will | tell it |
softly,
,
, x
Yond crick|ets shall | not hear it. \\
HERMIONE
, ,
, ,
,
Come on / then, and | give it | me in | mine^ear.
[Enter LEONTES, with ANTIGONUS, Lords and others]
LEONTES
T . T T
, , 2
,
Was he met there?| His train?| Camillo | with
him?
FIRST LORD
,
, ,
, x
Behind | the tuft | of pines | I met | them,
never
T T T
, , ,
, ->
Saw I men | scour so | on their | way: I || eyed
them
x
,
Even to | their ships.
LEONTES
, ,
How blessed | am I
2 ,
, ,
, ,
In my just | censure?| In my | true o|pinion?
,
, ,
, ,
Alack,| for les|ser know|ledge, how | accursed,
x
, ,
, ,
In being | so blessed?| There may | be in | the
cup
,
, , ,
,
A spid|er steeped,| and one | may drink;| depart,
,
, x
, ,
And yet | partake | no venom:| (for his |
knowledge
,
, ,
, ,
Is not | infec|ted) but | if one | present
2 ,
, 2 ,
, ,
The abhorred | ingred|ient to | his eye,|
make^known
, ,
, ,
,
How he | hath drunk,| he cracks | his gorge,| his
sides
x
, 2 , ,
x
With vio|lent hefts:| I have drunk,| and seen |
the spider.
, 2 ,
, , ,
Camillo | was his | help in | this, his | pander:
,
, ,
, ,
There is | a plot | against | my life,| my crown;
, ,
, ,
x
All's true / that is | mistrust|ed: that / false
villain,
,
, , ,
,
Whom I | employed,| was pre-|employed | by him:
,
, ,
, ,
He has | discov|ered my | design,| and I
, .
T T T
, ,
Remain | a pinched thing; yea,| a ver|y trick
,
, ,
, , 2->
For them | to play | at will:| How came | the
post||erns^
, 2 ,
3
So eas|ily op|en?
FIRST LORD
3 , ,
,
By* his great | author|ity,
,
, ,
, ,
Which^oft|en hath | no less | prevailed,| than
so,
,
,
On your | command.
LEONTES
, , __
I know | it too | well.
, 2
, 2 ,
, ,
Give me the | boy, I am | glad you | did
not^|nurse him:
, ,
, . T T T
Though he | does bear | some signs | of me, yet
you
,
, ,
Have too | much blood | in him.
HERMIONE
,
,
What is | this? Sport?
LEONTES
T . T
T ,
, x
Bear the boy hence,| he shall | not come | about
her,
,
, ,
, ,
Away | with him,| and let | her sport | herself
,
, ,
2 , ,
With that | she's big | with, for | 'tis
Polix|enes
,
,
Has made | thee swell | thus.
HERMIONE
, ,
2 ,
But | I'd say | he had not;
,
, , 2
, ,
And I'll | be sworn | you would be|lieve my |
saying,
,
, 2 ,
Howere | you lean | to the nay|ward.
LEONTES
, ,
You |(my lords)
,
, ,
, ,
Look on | her, mark | her well:| be but | about
,
, , ,
,
To say | she is | a good|ly la|dy, and
,
, ,
, ,
The just|ice of | your hearts | will there|to add
, ,
, , 2 x
'Tis pi|ty she's | not hon|est: hon|orable;
,
, ,
2 T T T
Praise her | but for | this her with|out-door
form,
, ,
. T T T
,
(Which^on | my faith | deserves high speech)| and
straight
,
, , T Tx T
The shrug,| the hum,| or ha,| (these petty brands
, ,
, , ,
That cal|umny | doth^use;| Oh, I | am out,
,
, ,
, ,
That mer|cy does,| for cal|umny | will sear
,
, ,
, ,
Virtue | itself)| these^shrugs,| these^hums,| and
ha's,
,
, , ,
,
When you | have said | she's good|ly, come |
between,
, 2
, ,
, ,
Ere you can | say she's | honest:| but be | it
known
,
2 , , ,
,
(From him | that has most | cause to | grieve it
| should be)
, 2
, 2
She's an a|dulteress.
HERMIONE
, Tx
T T
Should a | villain say so,
,
, ,
, ,
(The most | replen|ished vil|lain in | the world)
,
. T T T
, ,
He were | as much more vil|lain: you |(my lord)
,
,
Do but | mistake.
LEONTES
, 2 ,
,
You have mis|took (my | lady)
, ,
2 , ,
,
Polix|enes | for Leon|tes: O | thou thing,
,
, , ,
,
(Which^I'll | not call | a creat|ure of | thy
place,
, x ,
, , 2
Lest^bar|barism |(making | me the | precedent)
T . T
T ,
, ,
Should a like lang|uage use | to all | degrees,
,
, ,
, ,
And man|nerly | disting|uishment | leave^out,
,
, ,
, ,
Betwixt | the prince | and beg|gar): I | have
said
,
, 2 ,
, ,
She's an | adult|eress, I | have said | with
whom:
T T
. T ,
, ,
More, she's a trait|or, and | Camil|lo is
, ,
, ,
,
A fede|rary | with her,| and one | that knows
,
, ,
, oo
What she | should shame | to know | herself,|
,
, T T . T
,
But with | her most | vile principal:| that she's
, ,
, ,
,
A bed-|swerver,| even | as bad | as those
,
, T Tx
T , ->
That vul|gars give | boldst titles; aye,| and
priv||y
,
, ,
To this | their late | escape.
HERMIONE
, ,
No (by*| my life)
, ,
, , 2
,
Privy | to none | of this:| How will this |
grieve you,
,
, ,
, ,
When you | shall come | to clear|er know|ledge,
that
,
, ,
, ,
You thus | have pub|lished me?| Gentle | my lord,
,
, ,
, ,
You scarce | can right | me through|ly, then,| to
say
, ,
You did | mistake.
LEONTES
__ , ,
No:| if I | mistake
,
, , ,
,
In those | founda|tions which | I build | upon,
,
, , ,
,
The cent|er is / not big | enough | to bear
. T T
T , ,
x
A school-boy's top.| Away | with her,| to prison:
x ,
, 2 ,
,
He who shall | speak for | her, is a|far off |
guilty,
,
,
But that | he speaks.
HERMIONE
, T Tx
T
There's some | ill planet reigns:
,
, ,
, ,
I must | be pat|ient, till | the heav|ens look
, , ,
3 3 ,
,
With an / aspect | more* fav|orable. Good | my
lords,
,
, ,
, ,
I am / not prone | to weep|ing (as | our sex
,
, , . T
T T
Common|ly are)| the want | of which vain dew
,
, ,
, ,
Perchance | shall dry | your pit|ies: but / I
have
,
, , ,
,
That hon|orable // grief lodged here,| which
burns
,
T T . T
, ,
Worse than | tears drown: beseech | you all |(my
lords)
,
, , 2
, ,
With thoughts | so qual|ified,| as your
char|ities
, ,
, ,
,
Shall best | instruct | you, meas|ure me;| and so
,
, ,
The king's | will be | performed.
LEONTES
, ,
Shall I | be heard?
HERMIONE
x
, , ,
, 2->
Who is it | that goes | with me?| Beseech | your
high||ness
,
, ,
, ,
My wom|en may | be with | me, for | you see
,
x , T
T T
My plight | requires it.| Do* not | weep (good
fools)
2
, ,
, ,
,
There is no | cause. When | you shall | know your
| mistress
, , ,
, ,
Has de/served pris|on, then | abound | in tears,
,
, ,
2 , ,
As I | come^out;| this act|ion I now | go on,
,
, ,
, ,
Is for | my bet|ter grace.| Adieu |(my lord)
,
, ,
, ,
I nev|er wished | to see | you sor|ry, now
,
, ,
, 2 ,
I trust | I shall:| My wom|en come,| you have
leave.
LEONTES
__ ,
, ___ oo
Go,| do our | bidding:| hence.|
[Exit HERMIONE, guarded; with Ladies]
FIRST LORD
,
, ,
, ,
Beseech | your high|ness call | the queen |
again.
ANTIGONUS
,
, ,
, ,
->
Be cert|ain what | you do |(sir) lest | your
just||ice
, x
2 ,
, x
Prove | violence,| in the which | three* great |
ones^suffer,
,
, ,
Yourself,| your queen,| your son.
FIRST LORD
, ,
For her |(my lord)
,
. T T T
, x
I dare | my life lay down,| and will | do it
(sir)
,
2 x ,
, ,
Please you*| to accept it,| that the | queen is |
spotless
2 ,
, , ,
,
In the eyes | of heav|en, and | to you |(I mean
,
, ,
In this,| which you | accuse | her).
ANTIGONUS
, ,
If | it prove
,
, ,
, ,
She's oth|erwise,| I'll keep | my stab|les where
,
, , ,
x
I lodge | my wife,| I'll go | in coup|les with
her:
,
, x
, x
Than when | I feel,| and see her,| no farth|er
trust her:
,
, ,
, ,
For eve|ry inch | of wom|an in | the world,
T Tx
T , ,
,
Aye, every dram | of wom|an's flesh | is false,
,
If she | be.
LEONTES
, ,
Hold | your peac|es.
FIRST LORD
, ,
Good | my lord.
ANTIGONUS
,
, ,
, ,
It is | for you | we speak,| not for | ourselves:
,
, ,
, ,
You are | abused,| and by | some put|ter-on,
,
, 2 ,
, x
That will | be damned | for it: would | I knew |
the villain,
, ,
, ,
,
I would / land-damn | him. Be | she
hon|or-flawed,
,
, ,
, 2 x
I have | three daught/ers: the | eldest | is
eleven;
,
, ,
T . T T
The sec|ond, and | the third,| nine: and some
five:
. T T
T , 2 ,
x
If this prove true,| they'll* pay | for it. By |
mine honor,
,
, ,
, ,
I'll geld |'em all:| fourteen | they shall | not
see
. T T
T ,
2 , ,
To bring false gen|era|tions: they are /
co-heirs,
,
, ,
, ,
And I | had rath|er glib | myself,| than they
, ,
,
Should not | produce | fair^is|sue.
LEONTES
, ,
Cease;| no more.
,
, ,
, ,
You smell | this bus|iness with | a sense | as
cold
, .
T T T ,
x x
As is | a dead man's nose:| but I | do see it,|
and feel it,
. T T T
, ,
,
As you feel do|ing thus:| and see | withal
,
, ,
The inst|ruments | that feel.
ANTIGONUS
, ,
If it | be so,
,
, ,
, ,
We need | no grave | to bur|y hon|esty,
, ,
, ,
x
There's^not | a grain | of it,| the face | to
sweeten
2 ,
, T
Of the whole | dungy | earth.
LEONTES
T T
x
What? lack | I credit?
FIRST LORD
2 , ,
, ,
,
I had rath|er you | did lack | than I |(my lord)
,
, x
, ,
Upon | this^ground:| and more it | would con|tent
me
,
x , ,
,
To have | her honor | true, than | your
sus|picion
,
2 , ,
Be blamed | for it how | you might.
LEONTES
, ,
Why* what | need we
,
, ,
, , 2->
Commune | with you | of this?| But rath|er
fol||low
,
, , ,
, ,
Our force|ful in|stiga|tion? Our | prerog|ative
T T
T ,
, , 2
,
Calls not your | counsels,| but our | natural |
goodness (hex with prev)
,
, , ,
,
Imparts | this: which,| if you,| or stup|efied,
,
, , ,
, ->
Or seem|ing so,| in skill,| cannot,| or will ||
not
, 2
, ,
, ,
Rel|ish a truth,| like us:| inform | yourselves,
,
T T . T
, x
We need | no more of your | advice:| the matter,
,
, , 2
x
The loss,| the gain,| the ord|ering on it,
<- , ,
,
Is all || proper|ly ours.
ANTIGONUS
T T T ,
And I wish |(my liege)
,
, 2 ,
, x
You had | only | in your sil|ent judg|ment tried
it,
,
, ,
Without | more^ov|erture.
LEONTES
, ,
How could | that be?
, ,
, , ,
Either | thou art | most ig/norant | by age,
,
, , ,
,
Or thou | wert born | a fool:| Camil|lo's flight
,
, , ,
,
Added | to their | fami|liar|ity
,
, x
, ,
(Which^was | as gross,| as ever | touched
con|jecture,
. T T T
, ,
, 2->
That lacked sight on|ly, nought | for
ap|proba||tion
,
, , ,
, ,
But on|ly see|ing, all | other | circum|stances
, ,
, ,
, ,
Made up / to the | deed) doth | push on | this
pro|ceeding. (hex with prev)
,
, , ,
,
Yet, for | a great|er con|firma|tion
,
, ,
, ,
(For in | an act | of this | import|ance, 'twere
, ,
2 , 2
, ,
Most pit/eous to be | wild) I have | dispatched |
in post,
,
, , ,
x
To sac|red Delph|os, to | Apol|lo's temple,
, ,
, ,
,
Cleom|enes | and Di|on, whom | you know
,
, , ,
2 , 2
Of stuffed | suffic|iency:| now, from the |
oracle
, , , 2
, ,
They will / bring all,| whose^spir|itual couns|el
had
, ,
, T T T
Shall stop,| or spur | me. Have | I done well?
FIRST LORD
,
,
Well done |(my lord). \\
LEONTES
, ,
, ,
,
Though I | am sat|isfied,| and need | no more
,
, , ,
,
Than what | I know,| yet shall | the or|acle
,
2 ,
, , ,
Give^rest | to the minds | of oth|ers; such | as
he
,
, , ,
,
Whose ig|norant | credu|lity,| will not
,
2 , ,
, ,
Come^up | to the truth.| So have | we thought |
it good
, ,
, , ,
From our / free pers|on, she | should be |
confined,
,
, 2 ,
, ,
Lest that | the treach|ery of the // two, fled
hence,
,
, , , ,
Be left | her to | perform.| Come fol/low us,
, 2
, ,
, ,
We are to | speak in | public:| for this |
business
,
,
Will raise | us all.
ANTIGONUS
, ,
x
To laugh|ter, as | I take it,
T . T
T ,
If the good truth,| were known. \\
[Exeunt]