Keep.

And, madam,

[Exit Keeper.

I must be present at your conference.
Paul. Well, be it so, pr'ythee.
Here's such ado to make no stain a stain,
As passes colouring.

Re-enter Keeper, with EMILIA.

Dear gentlewoman, how fares our gracious lady?
Emil. As well as one so great, and so forlorn,
May hold together: on her frights and griefs,
(Which never tender lady hath borne greater,)
She is, something before her time, deliver'd.
Paul. A boy?
Emil.
A daughter; and a goodly babe,
Lusty, and like to live: the queen receives
Much comfort in 't; says, My poor prisoner,
I am innocent as you.

Paul.

I dare be sworn :

These dangerous unsafe lunes o' the king! beshrew

them!

He must be told on 't, and he shall: the office
Becomes a woman best; I'll take 't upon me:
If I prove honey-mouth'd, let my tongue blister,
And never to my red-look'd anger be

The trumpet any more.-Pray you, Emilia,
Commend my best obedience to the queen;
If she dares trust me with her little babe,
I'll shew 't the king, and undertake to be
Her advocate to th' loudest. We do not know
How he may soften at the sight o' the child;
The silence often of pure innocence
Persuades, when speaking fails.
Emil.

Most worthy madam,
Your honour, and your goodness, is so evident,
That your free undertaking cannot miss

A thriving issue; there is no lady living,

So meet for this great errand. Please your ladyship
To visit the next room, I'll presently

Acquaint the queen of your most noble offer;
Who, but to-day, hammer'd of this design;
But durst not tempt a minister of honour,

Lest he should be denied.

Paul.

Tell her, Emilia,

I'll use that tongue I have: if wit flow from it,
As boldness from my bosom, let it not be doubted
I shall do good.

Emil.

Now be you blest for it!

I'll to the queen. Please you, come something nearer.

Keep. Madam, if 't please the queen to send the babe,
I know not what I shall incur, to pass it,
Having no warrant.

Paul.
You need not fear it, sir;
The child was prisoner to the womb; and is,
By law and process of great nature, thence
Free'd and enfranchised: not a party to
The anger of the king; nor guilty of,
If any be, the trespass of the queen.
Keep. I do believe it.

Paul.
Do not you fear: upon
Mine honour, I will stand 'twixt you and danger.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IIL-The same. A Room in the Palace.

Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, Lords, and other Attendants.

Leon. Nor night nor day, no rest: It is but weakness To bear the matter thus; mere weakness, if

The cause were not in being,-part o' the cause,
She, the adultress; for the harlot king

Is quite beyond mine arm, out of the blank
And level of my brain, plot-proof: but she
I can hook to me: Say, that she were gone,
Given to the fire, a moiety of my rest
Might come to me again.Who's there?
I Atten.
My lord? (Advancing.)

Leon. How does the boy?

1 Atten.

He took good rest to-night;

'Tis hoped, his sickness is discharged. Leon.

His nobleness !

To see

Conceiving the dishonour of his mother,
He straight declined, droop'd, took it deeply;
Fasten'd and fix'd the shame on 't in himself;
Threw off his spirit, his appetite, his sleep,
And downright languish'd.--Leave me solely :-go,
See how he fares. (Exit Attend.]-Fy, fy: no thought
of him ;-

The very thought of my revenges that way
Recoil upon me: in himself too mighty;
And in his parties, his alliance,--Let him be,
Until a time may serve: for present vengeance,
Take it on her. Camillo and Polixenes
Laugh at me; make their pastime at my sorrow:
They should not laugh, if I could reach them; nor
Shall she, within my power.

1 Lord.

Enter PAULINA, with a Child.

You must not enter.

Paul. Nay, rather, good my lords, be second to me: Fear you his tyrannous passion more, alas,

Than the queen's life? a gracious innocent soul,
More free than he is jealous.

Ant.

That's enough.

1 Attend. Madam, he hath not slept to-night; comNone should come at him.

[manded

Paul.
Not so hot, good sir;
I come to bring him sleep. 'Tis such as you,-
That creep like shadows by him, and do sigh
At each his needless heavings, such as you
Nourish the cause of his awaking: I

Do come with words as med'cinal as true,
Honest as either, to purge him of that humour
That presses him from sleep.

Leon.

What noise, there, ho?

Paul. No noise, my lord; but needful conference, About some gossips for your highness.

Leon.

How ?

Away with that audacious lady: Antigonus,

I charged thee, that she should not come about me; I knew, she would.

Ant.

I told her so, my lord,

On your displeasure's peril, and on mine,
She should not visit you.
Leon.

What, canst not rule her?
Paul. From all dishonesty, he can in this,
(Unless he take the course that you have done,
Cominit me, for committing honour,) trust it,
He shall not rule me.

Ant.
Lo you now; you hear!
When she will take the rein, I let her run;
But she 'll not stumble.

Paul.

Good my liege, I come,

And, I beseech you, hear me, who profess
Myself your loyal servant, your physician,
Your most obedient counsellor; yet that dare
Less appear so, in comforting your evils,

Than such as most seem yours:-I say, I come
From your good queen.

Leon.

Good queen!

Paul. Good queen, my lord, good queen: I say,

good queen;

And would by combat make her good, so were I
A man, the worst about you..

Leon.

Force her hence. Paul. Let him, that makes but trifles of his eyes, First hand me on mine own accord, I'll off; But, first, I'll do mine errand.-The good queen, For she is good, hath brought you forth a daughter; Here 'tis; commends it to your blessing.

(Laying down the child.)

Out!

Leon.
A mankind witch! Henee with her, out o' door s
A most intelligencing bawd!

Paul.

I am as ignorant in that, as you

Not so:

In so entitling me: and no less honest

Than you are mad; which is enough, I'll warrant,
As this world goes, to pass for honest.

Leon.

Traitors!

Will you not push her cut? Give her the bastard.Thou, dotard, (io Antigonus.) thou art woman-tired,

unroosted

By thy dame Fartlet here,-take up the bastard;
Take't up, I say; give 't to thy crone.

Paul.

Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou

For ever

Takest up the princess, by that forced baseness
Which he has put upon 't!

He dreads his wife.

Leon. Paul. So, I would, you did; then 'twere past all You'd call your children yours.

Leon.

[doubt,

A nest of traitors!

Ant. I am none, by this good light.
Paul.

Nor 1; nor any,

But one, that's here; and that's himself: for he

The sacred honour of himself, his queen's,

His hopeful son's, his babe's, betrays to slander,

Whose sting is sharper than the sword's; and will not (For, as the case now stands, it is a curse

He cannot be compell'd to 't,) once remove
The root of his opinion, which is rotten,
As ever oak, or stone, was sound.

Leon.

A callat,

Of boundless tongue; who late hath beat her husband, And now baits me!-This brat is none of mine;

It is the issue of Polixenes:

Hence with it; and, together with the dam,
Commit them to the fire.

And, might we lay the old proverb to your charge,
So like you, 'tis the worse. -Behold, my loris,

Although the print be little, the whole matter
And copy of the father; eye, nose, lip,

The trick of his frown, his forehead; nay, the valley,
The pretty dimples of his chin and cheek; his smiles;
The very mould and frame of hand, nail, Enger:
And thou, good goddess Nature, which hast made it
So like to him that got it, if thou hast

The ordering of the mind too, 'mongst all colours
No yellow in't; lest she suspect, as he does,
Her children not her husband's!

Leon.

A gross hag!-

And, lozel, thou art worthy to be hang'd,
That wilt not stay her tongue.

Ant.

Hang all the husbands,

That cannot do that feat, you'll leave yourself
Hardly one subject.

Leon.

Once more, take her hence.

Paul. A most unworthy end unnatural ord Can do no more.

Leon.

Paul.

I'll have thee burn'd.

It is an heretic that makes the fire,

I care not:

Not she which burns in 't. I'll not call thee tyrant; But this most cruel usage of your queen

(Not able to produce more accusation

Than your own weak-hinged fancy) something savours
Of tyranny, and will ignoble make you,
Yea, scandalous to the world.

Leon.
On your allegiance,
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.

Paul. I pray you, do not push me; I'll be gone.
Look to your babe, my lord; 'tis yours: Jove send her
A better guiding spirit!-What need these hands?-
You, that are thus so tender o'er his follies,
Will never do him good, not one of you.

So, so-Farewell; we are gone.

[Exit.

Leon. Thou, traitor, hast set on thy wife to this.

My child? away with 't!-even thou, that hath

A heart so tender o'er it, take it hence,

And see it instantly consumed with fire;

Even thou, and none but thou. Take it up straight:
Within this hour bring me word 'tis done,

(And by good testimony,) or I'll seize thy life,
With what thou else call'st thine: If thou refuse,
And wilt encounter with my wrath, say so;
The bastard brains with these my proper hands