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 weak

ness

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 Atten.

Leon. How does the boy?

1 Atten.

My lord? [Advancing.

He took good rest to-night;

To see,

His nobleness!

• Mark and aim.

D2

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

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 : 9-go, See how he fares. [Exit Attend.] -Fye, fye! 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.

Not so hot, good sir;

1

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 charg'd thee, that she should not come about me;

I knew, she would.

Ant.

On your displeasure's peril, and on mine,

I told her so, my lord,

What, canst not rule her?

She should not visit you.
Leon.

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.

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;

Abetting your ill courses.

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 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!

I am as ignorant in that, as you
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 woman

tir'd, 4 unroosted

By thy dame Partlet here, -take up the bastard;
Take't up, I say; give't to thy crone.5

Paul.

For ever

Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou
Tak'st up the princess, by that forced baseness

Which he has put upon't!

Leon.

1

He dreads his wife.

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

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, 6

Of boundless tongue; who late hath beat her hus

band,

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.

Paul.

It is yours;

And, might we lay the 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 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, finger:And, thou, good goddess nature, which hast made it