I must be present at your conference.

Paul. Well, be it so, pr'ythee. [Exit Keeper. 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 show'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;

(1) Frenzies.

Who, but to-day, hammer'd of this design;
But durst not tempt a minister of honour,
Lest she 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 enfranchis'd: 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 III.-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?

(1) Mark and aim.

1 Atten.

My lord? [Advancing.

He took good rest to-night;

To see,

Leon. How does the boy? 1 Atten.

'Tis hop'd, his sickness is discharg'd.

Leon.

His nobleness!

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 appetite, his sleep,
And downright languish'd.-Leave me solely:1

-go,

See how he fares. [Exit attend.]-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 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 Atten. Madam, he hath not slept to-night;

'commanded

None should come at him.

Paul.

I come to bring him sleep.
That creep like shadows by

Not so hot, good sir; 'Tis such as you,him, and do sigh

(1) Alone.

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 charg'd thee, that she should not come about re; 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,
Commit me, for committing honour,) trust it,
He shall not rule me.

Ant.

When she will take the
But she'll not stumble.
Paul.

And, I beseech

Less

Lo you now; you hear! rein, I let her run;

Good my liege, I come,—

you, hear me, who profess

Myself your loyal servant, your physician,
Your most obedient counsellor; yet that dare
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 worst2 about you.

Force her hence.

Leon. Paul. Let him that makes but trifles of his eyes, First hand me: on mine own accord, I'll off';

(1) Abetting your ill courses.

(2) Lowest.

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.

Leon.

[Laying down the child.

Out!

A mankind' witch! Hence with her, out o'door: 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 out? Give her the bastard:Thou dotard, [To Antigonus.] thou art womantir'd,2 unroosted

By thy dame Partlet here,-take up the bastard; Take't up, I say; give't to thy crone.3

Paul.

Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou

For ever

Tak'st up the princess, by that forced1 baseness

Which he has put upon't!

Leon.

He dreads his wife.

Paul. So I would you did; then, 'twere past all

doubt,

You'd call your children yours.

Leon.

A nest of traitors!

Nor I; nor any,

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

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

(1) Masculine.

(2) Pecked by a woman; hen-pecked. 73) Worn-out old woman.

(4) Forced is false; uttered with violence to truth.