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The Winter's Tale

Act V, Scene 1

A room in LEONTES' palace.
 
[Enter LEONTES, CLEOMENES, DION, PAULINA, and Servants]
 
CLEOMENES
       ,                ,       ,           ,          ,
      Sir, you | have done | enough,| and have | performed
      .   T     T   T        ,     ,                 ,
      A saint-like sor|row: no | fault could | you make,
             ,          ,         ,      .  T    T    T
      Which you | have not | redeemed;| indeed paid down
            ,     ,            ,      ,           2      ,
      More pen|itence | than done | trespass*:| at the last
       ,             x             ,        ,           x
      Do as | the heavens | have done;| forget | your evil,
             ,         ,          ,
      With them,| forgive | yourself.
 
LEONTES
                                         ,    2    ,
                                      Whilst I re|member
       ,               ,       ,    ,           ,
      Her, and | her virt|ues, I | cannot | forget
           ,         ,          ,     T   T     T        2->
      My blem|ishes in | them, and | so still think || of
            ,        ,        ,      ,              ,
      The wrong | I did | myself:| which was | so much,
             ,        ,          ,         ,        ,
      That heir|less it | hath made | my king|dom, and
           ,             ,          ,               ,   ,
      Destroyed | the sweetst | compan|ion, that / ere man
        ,          T    T   .    T
      Bred his | hopes out of, true.
 
PAULINA
                                     T    T    .   T
                                    Too true (my lord):
          ,        ,         ,       ,          ,
      If one | by one,| you wed|ded all | the world,
       ,             ,          ,           ,          ,
      Or from | the all | that are,| took some|thing good,
           ,       ,        ,       ,           ,
      To make | a per|fect wom|an, she | you killed,
             ,      ,      ,
      Would be | unpar|alleled.
 
LEONTES
                                    ,            ,
                                I think | so. Killed?
       ,         ,         ,        ,            ,
      She I | killed? I | did so:| but thou | strikst me
        ,          ,       ,        ,         x
      Sorely,| to say | I did:| it is | as bitter
        ,           ,         ,         ,       T     T   T
      Upon | thy tongue,| as in | my thought.| Now, good now,
       ,              ,
      Say / so but | seldom.
 
CLEOMENES
                             ,        ,           ,
                            Not at | all, good | lady: (hex with prev)
            ,             x         ,         ,             ,
      You might | have spoken | a thous|and things,| that would
             ,          ,          ,    ,           ,
      Have done | the time | more ben|efit,| and graced
             ,        ,
      Your kind|ness bet|ter.
 
PAULINA
                              ,         ,         ,
                             You | are one | of those
              ,         ,       ,
      Would have | him wed | again.
 
DION
                                    ,    2         ,
                                   If you would | not so,
           ,     ,          ,      ,     2     ,
      You pi|ty not | the state,| nor the re|membrance
                 ,    ,          ,        ,        x
      Of his / most sove|reign name:| consid|er little,
            ,         ,         ,          ,         x
      What dang|ers, by | his high|ness' fail | of issue,
            ,      ,          ,        ,        ,
      May drop | upon | his king|dom, and | devour
          ,        ,       ,     ,                ,    ->
      Incert|ain look|ers on.| What were | more* ho||ly,
        ,      2    ,          ,        ,          ,
      Than | to rejoice | the form|er queen | is well?
            ,   2    ,         ,      ,        ,
      What hol|ier than,| for roy|alty's | repair,
            ,       ,         ,         ,        ,
      For pres|ent com|fort, and | for fut|ure good,
           ,          ,        ,    ,       ,
      To bless | the bed | of maj|esty | again
          2    ,      ,         x
      With a sweet | fellow | to it?
 
PAULINA
                                                  ,      ,
                                     There | is none | worthy,
           ,        ,             ,        ,           ,
      (Respec|ting her | that's gone)| besides | the gods
        ,               ,            ,       ,     ,
      Will have | fulfilled | their sec|ret pur|poses:
           ,     ,            ,      ,       ,
      For has | not the | divine | Apol|lo said?
        2    ,         ,      ,        ,   ,
      Is it not | the ten|or of | his or|acle,
             ,       ,       ,           ,         ,
      That King | Leon|tes shall | not have | an heir,
                   ,    ,          ,       ,                ,
      Till his / lost child | be found?| Which, that | it shall,
          ,         ,       2    ,     ,        ,
      Is all | as mons|trous to our | human | reason,
          ,      ,    ,         ,           ,
      As my | Antig|onus | to break | his grave,
            ,       ,     .  T   T    T        ,
      And come | again | to me: who, on | my life,
       ,   ,          2       ,         ,           ,
      Did per/ish with the | infant.| 'Tis your | counsel,
           ,       ,     2        ,        ,      ,
      My lord | should to the | heavens | be con|trary,
          ,        ,             ,            ,          x
      Oppose | against | their wills.| Care* not | for issue,
            ,            ,         ,      ,    2   ,
      The crown | will find | an heir.| Great Ale|xander
            ,      2      ,     2    ,    ,       ,
      Left^his | to the worth|iest: so | his suc|cessor
            ,        ,         ,
      Was like | to be | the best.
 
LEONTES
                                    ,       ,
                                  Good Pau|lina,
            ,         ,    ,     2    ,   ,
      Who hast | the mem|ory | of Hermi|one
          ,        ,      ,         ,    ,
      I know | in hon|or: O,| that ev|er I
              ,      ,   2        ,         T    Tx   T
      Had squared | me to thy | counsel:| then, even now,
          ,             ,      x           T      T    T
      I might | have looked | upon my | queen's full eyes,
             x       ,          ,          ,
      Have taken | treasure | from her | lips.
 
PAULINA
                                                      ,
                                              And | left them
             ,          ,           ,
      More^rich,| for what | they yield||ed.
 
LEONTES
                                                      ,      ,
                                            Thou / speakst truth:
            ,           ,       ,              ,          ,
      No* more | such^wives,| therefore,| no^wife:| one^worse,
           ,        ,            ,          ,         x
      And bet|ter used,| would make | her saint|ed spirit
         ,         ,           ,          ,          ,
      Again | possess | her corpse,| and on | this stage,
               ,      ,        ,     .  T     T    T
      (Where* we | offend|ers now | appear) soul-vexed,
              ,    ,        ,
      And be/gin, Why | to me?
 
PAULINA
                                    ,           x
                               Had she | such^power,
         2      ,      ,
      She had just | cause.
 
LEONTES
                                   ,           ,        ,
                            She | had, and | would in|cense me
          ,       ,       ,
      To murd|er her | I mar|ried.
 
PAULINA
                                   ,           ,
                                   I | should so:
           ,         ,             ,          ,          ,
      Were I | the ghost | that walked,| I'd bid | you mark
           ,          ,               ,    ,      ,    2
      Her eye,| and tell | me for / what dull | part in it
            ,            ,           ,            x           ,
      You chose | her: then | I'd shriek,| that even | your ears
               ,         ,     ,     2        ,           ,
      Should rift | to hear | me, and the | words that | followed,
              ,      ,        ,
      Should be,| Remem|ber mine.
 
LEONTES
                                  ___     ___
                                 Stars,| stars,
       .   T    T    T      T    T      T        2     ,
      And all eyes else,| dead coals: Fear | thou no wife;
             ,         ,        ,
      I'll have | no wife,| Pauli|na.
 
PAULINA
                                        ,          ,
                                      Will | you swear
        x         ,           ,    T   T    T
      Never to | marry,| but by | my free leave?
 
LEONTES
       ,          ,      ,         ,            x
      Never |(Pauli|na) so | be blessed | my spirit.
 
PAULINA
             ,         ,       ,   ,                  ,
      Then good | my lords,| bear wit/ness to | his oath.
 
CLEOMENES
            ,          ,      ,
      You tempt | him ov|er-much.
 
PAULINA
                                   x        ,
                                 Unless an|other,
           ,        ,   ,       ,        ,       2->
      As like | Hermi|one,| as is | her pic||ture,
          ,          ,
      Affront | his eye.
 
CLEOMENES
                              ,      ,          ,
                        Good mad|am, I | have done.
 
PAULINA
       ,    2       ,          ,       ,         ,
      Yet if my | lord will | marry:| if you | will, sir;
          ,   2   ,          ,      ,    2       ,
      No rem|edy but | you will:| give me the | office
            ,        2    ,           ,          ,        ,
      To choose | you a queen:| she shall | not be | so young
          ,           ,       ,          ,          ,
      As was | your form|er, but | she shall | be such
             ,            ,        T      T     .    T            ,
      As (walked | your first | queen's ghost) it should | take* joy ??
          ,         ,          ,
      To see | her in | your arms.
 
LEONTES
                                        ,        ,     2->
                                   My true | Paulin||a,
           ,          ,        ,           ,
      We shall | not mar|ry, till | thou bidst | us.
 
PAULINA
                                                       ,
                                                     That
             ,                 ,      ,         ,          ,
      Shall be | when your / first queen's | again | in breath:
       ,             ,
      Never | till then.  \\
 
[Enter a Servant]
 
SERVANT
       ,                ,         ,      ,          ,
      One that | gives^out | himself | Prince Flor|izel,
       ,          ,    ,        2      ,         ,
      Son of | Polix|enes,| with his prin|cess (she
             x       2      ,        ,     .  T    T  T
      The fairest | I have yet | beheld)| desires access
        2       ,      ,
      To your high | presence.
 
LEONTES
                                 ,          ,          ,
                               What with | him? he | comes not
        ,             ,         ,          ,         ,
      Like to | his fath|er's great|ness: his | approach
           ,        ,        ,          ,            x
      (So out | of cir|cumstance,| and sud|den) tells us,
            ,       ,    ,         ,            ,
      'Tis not | a vis|ita|tion framed,| but forced
           ,         ,     ,           ,
      By need | and ac|cident.| What^train?
 
SERVANT
                                                 ,
                                            But few,
            ,           ,
      And those | but mean.
 
LEONTES
                                 ,         ,             x
                           His prin|cess (say | you) with him?
 
SERVANT
       ,                ,         ,          ,         ,
      Aye: the | most peer|less piece | of earth,| I think,
            ,     .   T    T      T       3
      That ere | the sun shone bright | on.
 
PAULINA
                                             3    ,   ,
                                            O Hermi|one,
          ,       ,        ,           ,         ,
      As eve|ry pres|ent time | doth boast | itself
         ,       ,         ,         ,          ,
      Above | a bet|ter, gone;| so must | thy grave
            ,     .    T     T   T          ,          ,
      Give^way | to what's seen now.| Sir, you | yourself
             ,          ,         ,           ,       ,
      Have said,| and writ | so; but | your writ|ing now
           ,       ,           ,          ,          ,
      Is cold|er than | that theme:| she had | not been,
       ,         ,           ,           ,           ,
      Nor was | not to | be eq|ualled, thus | your verse
         ,                ,       ,            ,        ,
      Flowed with | her beaut|y once:| 'tis shrewd|ly ebbed,
          ,       2       ,         x
      To say | you have seen | a better.
 
SERVANT
                                          ,        ,
                                         Pardon,| madam:
           ,    ,     2     ,       ,           ,
      The one,| I have al|most for|got (your | pardon)
           ,        ,     ,             ,           ,
      The oth|er, when | she has | obtained | your eye,
             ,            ,      ,     ,             ,
      Will have | your tongue | too. This / is a | creature,
             ,       ,        ,              ,           ,
      Would she | begin | a sect,| might* quench | the zeal
          ,        ,         ,           ,     ,
      Of all | profes|sors else;| make pros|elytes
          ,       2     ,     ,
      Of who | she but bid | follow.
 
PAULINA
                                       ,          ,
                                      How? Not | women?
 
SERVANT
       ,             ,           ,     ,    2     ,
      Women | will love | her, that | she is a | woman
              ,           ,    ,     ,           ,
      More* worth | than an|y man:| men, that | she is
           ,     2    ,     ,
      The rar|est of all | women.
 
LEONTES
                                   ,      , 2
                                  Go Cle|omenes;
            ,       ,        ,          ,          ,
      Yourself |(assis|ted with | your hon|ored friends)
        ,              ,        ,           ,            ,
      Bring them | to our | embrace|ment. Still |'tis strange,
           ,             ,       ,
      He thus | should steal | upon | us.
 
PAULINA
                                           ,           ,
                                          Had | our prince
         x          ,          ,           ,               ,
      (Jewel of | children)| seen this | hour, he | had paired
        ,                ,      ,          T    T  .   T
      Well with | this lord;| there was | not full a month
          ,              ,
      Between | their births.
 
LEONTES
                      ,             ,      T      T     T
                     Prithee | no more;| cease; thou knowst  ??
           ,        ,      ,            ,           ,
      He dies | to me | again,| when talked | of: sure
           ,          ,            x    ,            ,
      When I | shall see | this gentle|man, thy | speeches
             ,         ,       ,       ,           ,
      Will bring | me to | consid|er that,| which may
          ,       ,        ,        ,          ,
      Unfurn|ish me | of reas|on. They | are come.
 
[Enter CLEOMENES and others, with FLORIZEL and PERDITA]
             ,             ,    ,     .  T   T      T
      Your moth|er was / most true | to wedlock, prince,
           ,          ,           ,       ,      ,
      For she | did print | your roy|al fath|er off,
           ,       ,         ,         ,      ,
      Conceiv|ing you.| Were I | but twen|ty-one,
             ,        ,      ,       ,        ,
      Your fath|er's im|age is | so hit | in you,
            ,     ,         ,            ,          ,      2->
      (His ve|ry air)| that I | should call | you broth||er,
         ,    T   T    .    T          ,          ,     2->
      As I | did him, and speak | of some|thing wild||ly
          ,         ,         ,           ,      ,       ->
      By us | performed | before.| Most dear|ly wel||come,
         2         ,    ,         ,         ,     ,
      And your / fair prin|cess (god|dess) oh:| alas,
          ,        ,        ,      T     Tx    .    T
      I lost | a coup|le, that |'twixt heaven and earth
              ,           ,        ,         ,       ,
      Might thus | have stood,| beget|ting wond|er, as
             ,         ,       ,         ,        ,
      You (grac|ious coup|le) do:| and then | I lost
        T    T   T     ,         2   ,   ,
      (All mine own | folly)| the soci|ety,
       ,      ,                ,     ,        ,
      Ami|ty too | of your / brave fath|er, whom
                 ,       ,    ,    2    ,         ,
      (Though* bear|ing mis|ery)| I desire | my life
        T    T   .   T        ,
      Once more to look | on him.
 
FLORIZEL
                                     ,         ,
                                 By his | command
           ,            ,         ,   2   ,          ,
      Have I | here* touched | Sicil|ia, and | from him
        ,         ,    ,                    ,          ,
      Give you | all greet/ings, that | a king |(at friend)
            ,          ,        ,     ,       ,  2
      Can send | his broth|er: and | but in|firmity
               ,     . T    T    T            ,           ,
      (Which waits | upon worn times)| hath some|thing seized
             ,       ,    ,       ,         ,
      His wished | abil|ity,| he had | himself
            ,          ,          ,       T     T    .   T
      The lands | and wat|ers, 'twixt | your throne and his,
        ,             ,      ,           ,         ,
      Measured,| to look | upon | you; whom | he loves
            ,        ,          ,          ,          ,       o
      (He bade | me say | so) more | than all | the scept|ers,
            ,            ,          ,
      And those | that bear  them, liv|ing.
 
LEONTES
                                            ,        ,      o
                                            O | my broth|er,  (hex with prev)
              ,     ,           ,      2       ,            ,
      (Good gent|leman)| the wrongs | I have done | thee, stir
         ,         ,     ,          ,          ,  2
      Afresh | within | me: and | these thy | offices,
            ,       ,         ,      ,       ,
      (So rare|ly kind)| are as | inter|preters
          ,    .  T    T    T          ,          x
      Of my | behind-hand slack|ness. Wel|come hither,
          ,          ,       2      ,           ,        ,
      As is | the spring | to the earth.| And hath | he too
          ,           ,    ,      2      ,       ,     2->
      Exposed | this par|agon | to the fear|ful us||age
            ,          x       2      ,        ,   __
      (At least | ungentle)| of the dread|ful Nep|tune,
           ,     .  T   T    T           ,            ,
      To greet | a man not worth | her pains;| much^less,
         2   ,        ,        ,
      The advent|ure of | her pers|on?
 
FLORIZEL
                                         ,         ,
                                       Good | my lord,
            ,          ,
      She came | from Lib|ya.
 
LEONTES
                                ,      .   T   T     Tx
                              Where | the warlike Smalus,
            ,      ,         ,          ,           ,
      That nob|le hon|ored lord,| is feared,| and loved?
 
FLORIZEL
            ,      ,
      Most roy|al sir,
                              ,           ,            ,      ->
                      From thence:| from him, whose daught||er
            ,           ,            ,        ,            ,
      His tears | proclaimed | his part|ing with | her: thence
           ,             ,     ,       ,         2        ,
      (A pros|perous / south-wind | friendly)| we have crossed,
        x      ,           ,          ,        ,
      To exe|cute the | charge my | father | gave me,
           ,     ,           ,               ,    ,
      For vis|iting | your high|ness: my / best train
          ,           ,       ,   2     ,           ,
      I have | from your | Sicil|ian shores | dismissed;
       ,           ,   2   ,        ,     ,
      Who for | Bohem|ia bend,| to sig|nify
           ,     ,        ,        ,       ,
      Not on|ly my | success | in Lib|ya (sir)
       ,    2    ,       ,          ,           ,
      But my ar|rival,| and my | wife's, in | safety
        T     T    T    ,
      Here, where we | are.
 
LEONTES
                                    ,        __
                            The | blessed | gods
        T    T   . T         ,         ,            ,
      Purge all infec|tion from | our air,| whilst you
          ,         ,     ,      2     ,       ,
      Do cli|mate here:| You have a | holy | father,
          ,          x             ,     ,      ,
      A grace|ful gentle|man, a/gainst whose | person
           ,       ,       ,              ,   ,
      (So sac|red as | it is)| I have / done sin,
            ,           ,        ,       ,       ,
      For which,| the heav|ens (tak|ing ang|ry note)
             ,        ,    2      ,           ,          ,
      Have left | me is|sueless: and | your fath|er's blessed
           ,          ,      ,       ,         ,
      (As he | from heav|en mer|its it)| with you,
        ,            ,          ,          ,          ,
      Worthy | his good|ness. What | might I | have been,
        ,    2     ,          ,         T    .      T    T
      Might I a | son and | daughter | now have* looked on,
             ,        ,         ,
      Such good|ly things | as you?
 
[Enter a Lord]
 
LORD
                                         ,      ,
                                   Most^nob|le sir,
        ,          ,             ,           ,           x
      That which | I shall | report,| will bear | no* credit,
            ,          ,           ,       ,                 ,
      Were not | the proof | so* nigh.| Please you |(great* sir)
         ,   2    ,           ,         ,        ,
      Bohem|ia greets | you from | himself,| by me:
          ,      ,           ,         ,         ,
      Desires | you to | attach | his son,| who has
            ,     ,        ,      ,          ,
      (His dig|nity | and du|ty both | cast^off)
        ,               ,        ,          ,           ,
      Fled from | his fath|er, from | his hopes,| and with
          ,            ,
      A shep|herd's daught|er.
 
LEONTES
                                  ,         ,   2    ,
                               Where's | Bohem|ia? Speak.
 
LORD
        ,              ,          ,    ,          ,
      Here, in | your ci|ty: I / now came | from him.
          ,       ,     ,        ,       ,
      I speak | amaz|edly,| and it | becomes
           ,       ,        ,         ,          ,
      My marv|el, and | my mes|sage. To | your court
              ,         ,     ,      2      ,          ,
      Whiles^he | was hast|ening |(in the chase,| it seems,
       .   T    T    T        ,         ,        ,
      Of this fair coup|le) meets | he on | the way
            ,      ,          ,       ,      ,
      The fath|er of | this seem|ing la|dy, and
            ,        ,        ,            ,          x
      Her broth|er, hav|ing both | their count|ry quitted,
        .    T    T      T
      With^this young prince.
 
FLORIZEL
                              ,   2     ,        ,
                             Camillo | has be|trayed me;
             ,       ,           ,    ,          ,
      Whose hon|or, and | whose hon|esty | till now,
       .  T    T    T
      Endured all weath|ers.
 
LORD
                              ,        ,     2       ,
                             Lay | it so | to his charge:
             ,          ,           ,
      He's with | the king | your fath|er.
 
LEONTES
                                             ,    ,  2
                                           Who?| Camillo?
 
LORD
       ,         ,         ,           ,         ,
      Camil|lo (sir):| I spake | with him:| who now
       .    T     T   T         ,          x      ,
      Has these poor men | in ques|tion. Never | saw I
        ,              ,            ,            ,          ,
      Wretches | so* quake:| they kneel,| they kiss | the earth;
           ,            ,         ,      ,          ,
      Forswear | themselves | as oft|en as | they speak:
         ,   2   ,           ,           ,         ,
      Bohem|ia stops | his ears,| and threat|ens them
            ,         ,          ,
      With div|ers deaths,| in death.
 
PERDITA
                                      ,   2         ,
                                      O my poor*| father:
             x       T    T   . T                ,    ,
      The heaven | sets spies upon | us, will / not have
           ,    T    T . T
      Our con|tract celebra|ted.
 
LEONTES
                                  ,         ,        2->
                                 You | are mar||ried?
 
FLORIZEL
                ,    ,     ,             ,        ,
      We are / not (sir)| nor are | we like | to be:
            ,        ,           ,         ,         ,
      The stars |(I see)| will kiss | the val|leys first:
            ,          ,          ,        ,
      The odds | for high | and low's | alike.
 
LEONTES
                                                    ,
                                               My lord,
           ,           ,       ,       ,
      Is this | the daught|er of | a king?
 
FLORIZEL
                                                ,
                                           She is,
             ,         ,        ,
      When once | she is | my wife.  \\
 
LEONTES
             ,       ,                ,    ,         ,
      That once |(I see)| by your / good fath|er's speed,
        T    T   T    ,       ,      ,       ,
      Will come on | very | slowly.| I am | sorry,
         ,   ,         2         ,        ,         ,
      (Most sor/ry) you have | broken | from his | liking,
        ,      2         ,        ,          ,    ,
      Where you were | tied in | duty,| and as | sorry,
              ,         ,         ,         ,          ,     ->
      Your choice | is not | so rich | in worth,| as beau||ty,
       ,        2        ,       ,
      That | you might well | enjoy | her.
 
FLORIZEL
                                             ,          ,
                                           Dear,| look^up:
               ,        ,    ,        ,   ,
      Though Fort|une, vis|ible | an en|emy,
               ,           ,         ,        x          ,
      Should chase | us, with | my fath|er; power | no* jot
        T   T   .    T           ,         ,           ,
      Hath she to change | our loves.| Beseech | you (sir)
         ,         ,           ,         ,         ,
      Remem|ber, since | you owed | no more | to time
           ,       ,            ,           ,       ,        ->
      Than I | do now:| with thought | of such | affec||tions,
        ,      ,          ,  2           ,        ,
      Step | forth mine^|advocate:| at your | request,
           ,    2       ,       ,           ,           ,
      My fath|er will grant | precious | things, as | trifles.
 
LEONTES
        ,         ,           ,           ,        ,         ->
      Would he | do so,| I'd beg | your prec|ious mis||tress,
        ,           ,        2    ,
      Which | he counts | but a trif|le.
 
PAULINA
                                          ,         ,
                                         Sir |(my liege)
            ,          ,           ,       2     ,        ,
      Your eye | hath too | much^youth | in it: not | a month
                     ,     ,       2      ,      ,          ,
      'Fore your / queen died,| she was more | worth such^|gazes,
             ,          ,        ,
      Than what | you look | on now.
 
LEONTES
                                          ,          ,
                                     I thought | of her,
       ,     2          ,         ,           ,      ,
      Even in these | looks I | made. But | your pe|tition
          ,       ,         ,     ,    2         ,
      Is yet | unans|wered: I | will to your | father:
            ,      ,          ,          ,        ,
      Your hon|or not | orethrown | by your | desires,
       2      ,          ,         ,     x           ,
      I am friend | to them,| and you:| upon which^|errand
         ,          ,            ,         ,       ,
      I now | go toward | him: there|fore fol|low me,
            ,          ,        ,      T    T   .   T
      And mark | what way | I make:| come good my lord.
 
[Exeunt]

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