GAOLER. So please you, madam, To put apart these your attendants, Shall bring Emilia forth.

PAULINA. I pray now, call her.

Withdraw yourselves. Exeunt ATTENDANTS GAOLER. And, madam, I must be present at your conference.

PAULINA. Well, be't so, prithee. Exit GAOLER Here's such ado to make no stain a stain As pa.s.ses colouring.

Re-enter GAOLER, with EMILIA

Dear gentlewoman, How fares our gracious lady?

EMILIA. 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.

PAULINA. A boy?

EMILIA. A daughter, and a goodly babe, l.u.s.ty, and like to live. The Queen receives Much comfort in't; says 'My poor prisoner, I am as innocent as you.'

PAULINA. I dare be sworn.

These dangerous unsafe lunes i' th' 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 show't the King, and undertake to be Her advocate to th' loud'st. We do not know How he may soften at the sight o' th' child: The silence often of pure innocence Persuades when speaking fails.

EMILIA. 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 ladys.h.i.+p To visit the next room, I'll presently Acquaint the Queen of your most n.o.ble offer Who but to-day hammer'd of this design, But durst not tempt a minister of honour, Lest she should be denied.

PAULINA. Tell her, Emilia, I'll use that tongue I have; if wit flow from't As boldness from my bosom, let't not be doubted I shall do good.

EMILIA. Now be you blest for it!

I'll to the Queen. Please you come something nearer.

GAOLER. Madam, if't please the Queen to send the babe, I know not what I shall incur to pa.s.s it, Having no warrant.

PAULINA. You need not fear it, sir.

This child was prisoner to the womb, and is By law and process of great Nature thence Freed and enfranchis'd- not a party to The anger of the King, nor guilty of, If any be, the trespa.s.s of the Queen.

GAOLER. I do believe it.

PAULINA. Do not you fear. Upon mine honour, I Will stand betwixt you and danger. Exeunt

SCENE III.

Sicilia. The palace of LEONTES

Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, LORDS, and SERVANTS

LEONTES. 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' th' cause, She, th' 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?

FIRST SERVANT. My lord?

LEONTES. How does the boy?

FIRST SERVANT. He took good rest to-night; 'Tis hop'd his sickness is discharg'd.

LEONTES. To see his n.o.bleness!

Conceiving the dishonour of his mother, He straight declin'd, droop'd, took it deeply, Fasten'd and fix'd the shame on't in himself, Threw off his spirit, his appet.i.te, his sleep, And downright languish'd. Leave me solely. Go, See how he fares. [Exit SERVANT] Fie, fie! 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 pow'r.

Enter PAULINA, with a CHILD

FIRST LORD. You must not enter.

PAULINA. Nay, rather, good my lords, be second to me.

Fear you his tyrannous pa.s.sion more, alas, Than the Queen's life? A gracious innocent soul, More free than he is jealous.

ANTIGONUS. That's enough.

SECOND SERVANT. Madam, he hath not slept to-night; commanded None should come at him.

PAULINA. 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 medicinal as true, Honest as either, to purge him of that humour That presses him from sleep.

LEONTES. What noise there, ho?

PAULINA. No noise, my lord; but needful conference About some gossips for your Highness.

LEONTES. How!

Away with that audacious lady! Antigonus, I charg'd thee that she should not come about me; I knew she would.

ANTIGONUS. I told her so, my lord, On your displeasure's peril, and on mine, She should not visit you.

LEONTES. What, canst not rule her?

PAULINA. From all dishonesty he can: in this, Unless he take the course that you have done- Commit me for committing honour- trust it, He shall not rule me.

ANTIGONUS. La you now, you hear!

When she will take the rein, I let her run; But she'll not stumble.

PAULINA. Good my liege, I come- And I beseech you hear me, who professes Myself your loyal servant, your physician, Your most obedient counsellor; yet that dares Less appear so, in comforting your evils, Than such as most seem yours- I say I come From your good Queen.

LEONTES. Good Queen!

PAULINA. 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.

LEONTES. Force her hence.

PAULINA. Let him that makes but trifles of his eyes First hand me. On mine own accord I'll off; But first I'll do my 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]

LEONTES. Out!

A mankind witch! Hence with her, out o' door!

A most intelligencing bawd!

PAULINA. Not so.

I am as ignorant in that as you In so ent.i.tling me; and no less honest Than you are mad; which is enough, I'll warrant, As this world goes, to pa.s.s for honest.

LEONTES. Traitors!

Will you not push her out? Give her the b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

[To ANTIGONUS] Thou dotard, thou art woman-tir'd, unroosted By thy Dame Partlet here. Take up the b.a.s.t.a.r.d; Take't up, I say; give't to thy crone.

PAULINA. For ever Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou Tak'st up the Princess by that forced baseness Which he has put upon't!

LEONTES. He dreads his wife.

PAULINA. So I would you did; then 'twere past all doubt You'd call your children yours.

LEONTES. A nest of traitors!

ANTIGONUS. I am none, by this good light.

PAULINA. Nor I; 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.

LEONTES. 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.

PAULINA. It is yours.

And, might we lay th' old proverb to your charge, So like you 'tis the worse. Behold, my lords, Although the print be little, the whole matter And copy of the father- eye, nose, lip, The trick of's frown, his forehead; nay, the valley, The pretty dimples of his chin and cheek; his smiles; The very mould and frame of hand, nail, finger.

And thou, good G.o.ddess 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!

LEONTES. A gross hag!

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

ANTIGONUS. Hang all the husbands That cannot do that feat, you'll leave yourself Hardly one subject.

LEONTES. Once more, take her hence.

PAULINA. A most unworthy and unnatural lord Can do no more.

LEONTES. I'll ha' thee burnt.

PAULINA. I care not.

It is an heretic that makes the fire, Not she which burns in't. I'll not call you tyrant But this most cruel usage of your Queen- Not able to produce more accusation Than your own weak-hing'd fancy- something savours Of tyranny, and will ign.o.ble make you, Yea, scandalous to the world.

LEONTES. 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!

PAULINA. 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 needs 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 LEONTES. Thou, traitor, hast set on thy wife to this.

My child! Away with't. Even thou, that hast A heart so tender o'er it, take it hence, And see it instantly consum'd 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 that thou else call'st thine. If thou refuse, And wilt encounter with my wrath, say so; The b.a.s.t.a.r.d brains with these my proper hands Shall I dash out. Go, take it to the fire; For thou set'st on thy wife.

ANTIGONUS. I did not, sir.

These lords, my n.o.ble fellows, if they please, Can clear me in't.