АСТ I I.

SCENE I.

The same.

Enter HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, and LADIES.

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

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 lord?

Mam. Not for because

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 semicircle,

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 color 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.

2 Lady.

Hark ye:

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.

Into a goodly bulk.

She is spread of late

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 will.
Mam.

A sad tale's best for winter :

Let's have that, good sir.

I have one of sprites and goblins.

Her.

Come on; sit down.-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 eyed them,
Even to their ships.

How bless'd am I

Leon.
In my just censure! 1 in my true opinion!-
Alack, for lesser knowlege !—How accursed,
In being so bless'd! There may be in the cup
A spider steep'd, and one may drink, depart,
And yet partake no venom; for his knowlege
Is not infected: but if one present

The abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known
How he hath drank, he cracks his gorge, his sides,
With violent hefts.2-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; 3

For them to play at will.

So easily open?

yea, a very trick

How came the posterns

1 Lord. By his great authority;

Which often hath no less prevail'd than so,

On your command.

Leon.

I know 't too well.

I Judgment.

2 Heavings.

3 A thing pinched out of clouts, a puppet.

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.

Her.

But I'd say, he had not,

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, honorable.'

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 ;-O, I am out,

That mercy does; for calumny will sear1
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,

Stigmatise or brand as infamous.

She's an adulteress.

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 adulteress; I have said, with whom :
More, she's a traitor; and Camillo is

1

A federary with her; and one that knows
What she should shame to know herself,
But with her most vile principal, that she's
A bed-swerver, even as bad as those

That vulgars give bold'st titles; ay, and privy
To this their late escape.

Her.

Privy to none of this.

No, by my life,

How will this grieve you, When you shall come to clearer knowlege, 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,

1 Confederate.