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A room in LEONTES' palace.
[Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, Lords, and Servants]
LEONTES
,
, ,
x ,
Nor night,| nor day,| no rest:| it is but |
weakness
,
, ,
, ,
To bear | the mat|ter thus:| mere weak/ness, if
,
, x
, ,
The cause | were not | in being:| part of | the
cause,
,
, , ,
,
She, the | adult|ress: for | the har|lot king
,
, ,
, ,
Is quite | beyond | mine arm,| out of | the blank
x
, T
T T
,
And level | of my | brain: plot-proof:| but she,
,
T . T T
, ,
I can | hook to me: say | that she | were gone,
x
, , ,
,
Given to | the fire,| a moie|ty of | my rest
T T .
T , ,
Might come to me | again.| Who's^there?
FIRST SERVANT
,
My lord?
LEONTES
,
,
How does | the boy? \\
FIRST SERVANT
. T T
T , ,
He took good rest | tonight;| 'Tis hoped
<- , ,
,
His sick||ness is | discharged.
LEONTES
, , ,
To see | his nob|leness,
,
2 , , ,
,
Conceiv|ing the dis|honor | of his | mother.
,
, , ,
,
He straight | declin|ed, drooped,| took it |
deeply,
,
, ,
x ,
Fastened,| and fixed | the shame | on it in |
himself:
,
x ,
, ,
Threw^off | his spirit,| his ap|petite,| his
sleep,
. T T
T , ,
,
And downright lang|uished. Leave | me sole|ly:
go,
, 2
T T T
, ,
See how he | fares: Fie, fie,| no thought | of
him,
,
, ,
, ,
The thought | of my | reveng|es that | way
<- ,
, , ,
,
Re||coil u|pon me:| in him/self too | mighty,
, 2
, 2 ,
, ,
And in his | parties,| his alli|ance; let | him
be,
x
, ,
, ,
Until a | time may | serve. For | present |
vengeance
,
, , ,
2 , 2
Take it | on her:| Camil|lo, and Pol|ixenes
, 2
, T
T . T ,
Laugh at me:| make their | pastime at my |
sorrow:
,
, , ,
,
They should | not laugh,| if I | could reach |
them, nor
,
, x
Shall she,| within | my power.
[Enter PAULINA, with a child]
FIRST LORD
2 , ,
You must not | enter.
PAULINA
,
, ,
, 2 ,
Nay* rath|er (good | my lords)| be sec|ond to me:
,
, 2 ,
, ,
Fear you | his tyr|annous pas|sion more |(alas)
,
, ,
, 2 ,
Than the / queen's life?| A grac|ious in|nocent
soul,
,
, ,
More* free,| than he | is jeal|ous.
ANTIGONUS
, ,
That's | enough.
SECOND SERVANT
, 2
, ,
, ,
Madam;| he hath not | slept to|night, com|manded
,
,
None should | come at | him.
PAULINA
, ,
,
Not | so hot |(good sir)
, ,
, , ,
I come | to bring | him sleep.| 'Tis such | as
you
,
, , ,
,
That creep | like shad|ows by | him, and | do
sigh
,
, ,
, ,
At each | his need|less heav|ings: such | as you
,
, ,
, ,
Nourish | the cause | of his | awak|ing. I
,
, , , 2
,
Do come | with words,| as me|dicinal,| as true;
, 2
, ,
2 , ,
(Honest as | either)| to purge | him of that |
humor,
,
, ,
That pres|ses him | from sleep.
LEONTES
, ,
What^noise | there*, ho?
PAULINA
T T .
T ,
, ,
No noise (my lord)| but need|ful conf|erence,
,
, , ,
About | some gos|sips for | your high|ness.
LEONTES
,
How?
,
2 , ,
,
Away | with that au|dacious | lady,| Antigonus,
????
,
, ,
, ,
I charged | thee that | she should | not
come^a|bout me,
,
,
I knew | she would.
ANTIGONUS
, ,
,
I told | her so |(my lord)
,
, ,
, ,
On your | displeas|ure's per|il, and | on mine,
,
x
She should | not visit | you.
LEONTES
,
, ,
What?| Canst^not | rule her?
PAULINA
,
, , ,
,
From all | dishon|esty | he can:| in this,
,
, ,
, ,
(Unless | he take | the course | that you | have
done)
,
, ,
, x
Commit | me, for | commit|ting hon|or, trust it,
2 , T
T
He shall not | rule me.
ANTIGONUS
T ,
,
La | you now,| you hear,
,
, , ,
,
When she | will take | the rein,| I let | her
run,
. T T
T
But she'll not stum|ble.
PAULINA
, ,
,
Good | my liege,| I come:
,
, ,
, ,
And I | beseech | you hear | me, who | profess
,
x ,
, ,
Myself | your loyal | servant,| your phy|sician,
,
, 2 , 2
, ,
Your most | obed|ient couns|ellor: yet | that
dares
T . T T
, , x
Less appear so,| in com|forting | your evils,
,
. T T T
, ,
Than such | as most seem yours.| I say,| I come
,
,
From your | good queen. \\
LEONTES
,
Good queen?
PAULINA
, ,
, oo
Good
queen |(my lord)| Good queen,|
,
,
I say | good queen, \\
,
, ,
, , 2->
And would | by com|bat, make | her good | so,
were || I
,
, ,
A man,| the worst | about | you.
LEONTES
, ,
Force | her hence.
PAULINA
,
, ,
, ,
Let him | that makes | but trif|les of | his eyes
T T
T 2 ,
, ,
First hand me:| on mine own | accord,| I'll off,
,
, ,
, ,
But first,| I'll do | my er|rand. The / good
queen
2 , ,
, , ,
(For she is | good) hath | brought you | forth a
| daughter,
,
, , ,
Here 'tis:| commends | it to | your bless|ing.
LEONTES
,
Out:
. T T T
, ,
,
A mankind witch?| Hence with | her, out | of
door:
,
, ,
,
A most | intel|ligen|cing bawd.
PAULINA
,
Not^so:
,
, , ,
,
I am | as ig|norant | in that,| as you
,
, , .
T T T ->
In so | entit|ling me:| and no less hon||est
,
, , 2 ,
,
Than you | are mad:| which is en|ough, I'll |
warrant
. T T
T ,
x
(As this world goes)| to pass | for honest.
LEONTES
,
Traitors:
,
, ,
, 2 ,
Will you | not push | her out?| Give her the |
bastard,
, ,
2 , ,
,
Thou dot/ard, thou art | woman-|tired: un|roosted
2 ,
, ,
, ,
By thy dame | Partlet | here. Take^|up the |
bastard,
,
, ,
x ___
Take it | up, I | say: give it / to thy | crone.
PAULINA
, 2
Forev|er
, 2 ,
, ,
Unvene|rable be | thy hands,|
if thou
T T .
T , , ,
Takest up the prin|cess, by | that forced |
baseness
,
, x
Which he | has put | upon it.
LEONTES
, ,
He dreads | his wife.
PAULINA
2 ,
, ,
T T T
So I would | you did:| then 'twere | past all
doubt
,
, ,
You'd call | your child|ren, yours.
LEONTES
,
, 3->
A nest | of trait||ors.
ANTIGONUS
3 , .
T T T
I am none,| by this good light.
PAULINA
, , 2->
Nor I,| nor an||y
,
, ,
, ,
But one | that's here:| and that's | himself:|
for he,
,
, ,
, ,
The sac|red hon|or of | himself,| his queen's,
,
, , ,
x
His hope|ful son's,| his babe's,| betrays | to
slander,
,
, 2
, ,
,
Whose^sting | is sharp|er than the / sword's; and
| will not
, 2
T T T
, ,
(For as the | case now stands,| it is | a curse
,
, ,
2 , ,
He can|not be | compelled | to it) once | remove
,
, , ,
x
The root | of his | opin|ion, which | is rotten,
, , ,
,
As ev|er oak,| or stone | was sound.
LEONTES
, 2->
A cal||lat
,
, ,
x ,
Of bound|less tongue,| who late | hath beat her |
husband,
. T T
T ,
, ,
And now baits me:| This brat | is none | of mine;
, ,
, , ,
It is | the is|sue of | Polix|enes.
, ,
, ,
,
Hence with / it, and | togeth|er with | the dam,
,
, ,
Commit | them to | the fi|re!
PAULINA
, ,
It | is yours:
,
, ,
, 2
,
And might | we lay | the old | proverb | to your
charge,
,
, , ,
,
So like | you, 'tis | the worse.| Behold |(my
lords)
,
, x
, ,
Although | the print | be little,| the whole |
matter
, ,
2 , T
T T
And cop/y of the | father:| (eye, nose, lip,
,
2 , x
, ,
The trick | of his frown,| his forehead*,| nay,
the | valley,
x
, 2 ,
, ,
The pretty | dimples | of his chin,| and cheek;|
his smiles,
,
, ,
. T T Tx
The ve|ry mold,| and frame | of hand, nail,
finger.)
,
, , ,
x
And thou | good god|dess Nat|ure, which / hast
made it
,
, ,
, ,
So like | to him | that got | it, if | thou hast
, 2
2 , ,
, ,
The ord|ering of the / mind too,| 'mongst^all |
colors
, , 2 ,
, x
No yel/low in it,| lest she | suspect,| as he
does,
,
, ,
Her child|ren, not | her hus|band's.
LEONTES
, ,
A / gross hag:
, ,
, ,
,
And loz|el, thou | art worth|y to | be hanged,
,
, ,
That wilt | not stay | her tongue.
ANTIGONUS
, 2 ,
Hang all* the | husbands
,
, , ,
,
That can|not do | that feat,| you'll^leave |
yourself
, T
T T
Hardly | one subject.
LEONTES
T T T
,
Once more take | her hence. (tri with prev)
PAULINA
,
, , ,
2 ,
A most | unworth|y and | unnat|ural lord
,
,
Can do | no more.
LEONTES
,
, oo
I'll have | thee burnt.|
PAULINA
T T T
I care not: \\
, ,
, , ,
It is | a her|etic | that makes | the fire,
,
, 2
, ,
x
Not she | which burns | in it. I'll / not call |
you tyrant:
,
, , ,
,
But this / most cru|el us|age of | your queen
,
2 , ,
, ,
(Not^ab|le to pro/duce more | accu|sation
2
, T T
T ,
, 2->
Than your own | weak-hinged fan|cy) some|thing
sav||ors
,
, , 2 ,
,
Of tyr|anny,| and will ig|noble | make you,
, ,
2 2 ,
Yea, scan/dalous to the | world.
LEONTES
, ,
On / your al|legiance,
, 2
, ,
, 2 ,
Out of the | chamber | with her!| Were I a |
tyrant,
, ,
, ,
,
Where* were | her life?| She durst | not call |
me so,
, ,
, ,
,
If she | did know | me one.| Away | with her.
PAULINA
,
, ,
, ,
I pray | you, do | not push | me, I'll | be gone.
, 2
, , T
T T 2->
Look to your | babe (my | lord) 'tis | yours:
Jove send || her
,
, x ,
,
A bet|ter guid|ing spirit.| What needs |
these^hands?
, 2
, , ,
,
You that are | thus so | tender | ore his |
follies,
,
, ,
, ,
Will nev|er do | him good,| not one | of you.
T T T
, , oo
So, so: fare|well, we | are gone.|
[Exit]
LEONTES
, ,
, , ,
Thou (trait|or) hast | set^on | thy wife | to
this.
,
, , 2 ,
,
My child?| Away | with it?| Even thou,| that hast
,
, , ,
,
A heart | so tend|er ore | it, take | it hence,
,
, ,
, ,
And see | it ins|tantly | consumed | with fire.
2 ,
, ,
T . T T
Even thou,| and none | but thou.| Take it up
straight:
,
T T T
, ,
Within | this hour bring | me word |'tis done,
,
, x 2
, ,
(And by | good^test|imony)| or I'll seize | thy
life,
,
, ,
, ,
With what | thou else | callst^thine:| If thou |
refuse,
,
, , , ,
And wilt | encount|er with | my wrath,| say so*;
,
, ,
, ,
The bast|ard brains | with these | my prop|er
hands
,
, , ,
,
Shall I | dash^out.| Go, take / it to | the fire,
,
, ,
For thou | setst^on | thy wife.
ANTIGONUS
, ,
I did / not, sir:
, ,
, ,
,
These lords,| my nob|le fel|lows, if | they
please,
,
x
Can clear | me in it.
LORDS
, ,
,
We can:| my roy|al liege,
2 ,
, ,
, ,
He is not | guilty | of her | coming | hither.
LEONTES
, ,
You're li|ars all. \\
FIRST LORD
,
, x
, ,
Beseech | your high|ness, give us | better |
credit:
2 ,
, ,
, ,
We have al|ways tru|ly served | you, and |
beseech
, 2 ,
2 ,
, ,
So to es|teem of us:| and on | our knees | we
beg,
,
, ,
, ,
(As rec|ompense | of our / dear serv|ices
, 2
, ,
, ,
Past, and to | come) that | you do | change this
| purpose,
, , ,
2 ,
,
Which be/ing so | horrible,| so blood|y, must
,
, , ,
,
Lead^on | to some / foul is|sue. We / all kneel.
LEONTES
,
, ,
, ,
I am | a feath|er for / each wind | that blows:
,
, ,
, ,
Shall I | live^on,| to see | this bast|ard kneel,
,
, ,
, ,
And call | me fath|er? bet|ter burn | it now,
,
, , ,
,
Than curse | it then.| But be | it: let | it
live.
,
, ,
, x
It shall | not^neith|er. You | sir, come | you
hither:
, 2
, ,
, ,
You that have | been so | tender|ly of|ficious
, ,
, , ,
With La|dy Mar|gery,| your mid|wife^there,
,
, ,
, , o
To save | this bast|ard's life;| for 'tis | a
bast|ard,
, . T
T T , ,
,
So sure | as this beard's grey.| What will / you
ad|venture, (hex with prev)
,
, ,
To save | this brat's | life?
ANTIGONUS
,
,
An/ything |(my lord)
,
, , ,
,
That my | abil|ity | may und|ergo,
,
, , .
T T T
And nob|leness | impose:| at least thus much;
,
, , ,
,
I'll pawn | the lit|tle blood | which I | have
left,
,
, , , 2
, 2
To save | the in|nocent:| anything | possible.
LEONTES
,
, , ,
,
It shall | be pos|sible:/ Swear by | this sword
,
, ,
2
Thou wilt | perform | my bid|ding.
ANTIGONUS
, ,
I will |(my lord).
LEONTES
,
, ,
, ,
Mark, and | perform | it: seest | thou; for | the
fail
,
, 2 ,
, ,
Of an|y point | in it, shall | not on|ly be
,
, , 2 T
T T
Death to | thyself,| but to thy | lewd-tongued
wife,
T .
T T x
, ,
(Whom for this time | we pardon)| We en|join
thee,
,
, x ,
,
As thou | art liege|man to us,| that thou | carry
,
, , ,
x
This fe|male bast|ard hence,| and that | thou
bear it
,
, 2 , T
T T
To some | remote | and desert | place, quite out
,
, , ,
x
Of our | domin|ions; and that // there thou leave
it,
,
, , 2 ,
,
(Without | more mer/cy) to its | own pro|tection,
x
2 , ,
, ,
And favor | of the clim|ate: as | by strange |
fortune
,
2 , ,
, ,
It came | to us, I | do in | justice | charge
thee,
2
, , ,
, ,
On thy soul's | peril,| and thy | body's |
torture,
,
, ,
, ,
That thou | commend | it strange|ly to / some
place,
, ,
, ,
,
Where chance | may nurse,| or end | it: Take | it
up.
ANTIGONUS
,
, , ,
,
I swear | to do | this: though | a pres|ent death
,
, , Tx
T T
Had been | more merc|iful.| Come^on (poor babe)
x
x , ,
, 2->
Some power|ful spirit | instruct | the kites |
and rav||ens
,
, ,
, ,
To be | thy nurs|es. Wolves | and bears,| they
say,
,
, ,
, ,
(Casting | their sav|ageness | aside)| have done
,
, x ,
, 2
Like^of|fices | of pity.| Sir, be | prosperous
,
, , ,
, 2->
In more | than this / deed does | require:| And
bless||ing
,
, , ,
,
Against | this cru|elty,| fight on | thy side,
, ,
,
(Poor* thing,| condemned | to loss).
[Exit with the child]
LEONTES
,
,
No, I'll | not^rear
, ,
Anoth|er's is|sue.
[Enter a Servant]
SERVANT
, ,
,
Please | your high|ness, posts
,
, 2 , ,
,
From those | you sent | to the or|acle,| are come
, ,
, , ,
An hour | since: Cle|omen|es and | Dion,
x 2
, ,
, ,
Being well ar|rived from | Delphos,| are both |
landed,
,
2 ,
Hasting | to the court.
FIRST LORD
, , ,
So please | you (sir)| their speed
,
, ,
Hath been | beyond | account.
LEONTES
Tx T T
Twenty-three days
,
, , ,
,
They have | been abs|ent: 'tis / good speed:|
foretells
,
, , ,
,
The great | Apol|lo sud|denly | will have
,
, ,
, ,
The truth | of this | appear:| Prepare | you
lords,
,
, ,
, ,
Summon | a ses|sion, that | we may | arraign
,
, , ,
2 ,
Our most | disloy|al lad|y: for | as she hath
,
, ,
, ,
Been pub|licly | accused,| so shall | she have
,
, , ,
,
A just | and op|en tri|al. While | she lives,
,
, , 2 ,
,
My heart | will be | a burd|en to me.| Leave me,
,
, ,
And think | upon | my bid|ding. \\
[Exeunt]