Cym.

Re-enter an Attendant.

Where is she, sir? How

Can her contempt be answered?

Please

Atten. you, sir, Her chambers are all locked; and there's no answer That will be given to the loud'st1 of noise we make. Queen. My lord, when last I went to visit her, She prayed me to excuse her keeping close; Whereto constrained by her infirmity, She should that duty leave unpaid to you, Which daily she was bound to proffer: this

She wished me to make known; but our great court Made me to blame in memory.

Cym.

Her doors locked?

Not seen of late? Grant, Heavens, that which I
Fear, prove false !

Queen.

[Exit.

Son, I say, follow the king. Clo. That man of hers, Pisanio, her old servant, I have not seen these two days.

Queen.

Go, look after.

[Exit CLOTEN.

Pisanio, thou that stand'st so for Posthumus!-
He hath a drug of mine. I pray, his absence
Proceed by swallowing that; for he believes
It is a thing most precious. But for her,

Where is she gone? Haply, despair hath seized her;
Or, winged with fervor of her love, she's flown

To her desired Posthumus. Gone she is

To death or to dishonor; and my end

Can make good use of either. She being down,
I have the placing of the British crown.

Re-enter CLoten.

How now, my son?

Clo.

'Tis certain, she is fled;

Go in, and cheer the king. He rages; none

Dare come about him.

1 The first folio reads lowd.

Queen.

All the better; may

This night forestall him of the coming day!1

[Exit QUEEN. Clo. I love and hate her; for she's fair and royal; And that she hath all courtly parts more exquisite Than lady, ladies, woman; 2 from every one The best she hath, and she, of all compounded, Outsells them all. I love her therefore; but, Disdaining me, and throwing favors on The low Posthumus, slanders so her judgment, That what's else rare, is choked; and, in that point, I will conclude to hate her, nay, indeed,

To be revenged upon her. For, when fools

Enter PISANIO.

Villain,

Shall-Who is here? What! are you packing, sirrah?
Come hither. Ah, you precious pander!
Where is thy lady? In a word; or else
Thou art straightway with the fiends.

Pis.

O, good my lord!

Clo. Where is thy lady? or, by Jupiter,
I will not ask again. Close villain,

I'll have the secret from thy heart, or rip
Thy heart to find it. Is she with Posthumus?

From whose so many weights of baseness cannot
A dram of worth be drawn.

Pis.

Alas, my lord,

How can she be with him? When was she missed?

He is in Rome.

Clo.

Where is she, sir? Come nearer;

No further halting. Satisfy me home,

What is become of her?

Pis. O, my all-worthy lord!

Clo.

All worthy villain !

Discover where thy mistress is, at once,

At the next word,-No more of worthy lord,—

1 i. e. may his grief this night prevent him from ever seeing another

day, by anticipated and premature destruction.

2 Than any lady, than all ladies, than all womankind.

Speak, or thy silence on the instant is
Thy condemnation and thy death.

Then, sir,

Pis. This paper is the history of is the history of my knowledge

Touching her flight.

Clo.

[Presenting a letter. Let's see't. I will pursue her

Even to Augustus' throne.

Pis.

Or this, or perish.1

She's far enough; and what he learns by this, Aside. May prove his travel, not her danger.

Clo.

Humph!
O Imogen,
[Aside.

Pis. I'll write to my lord she's dead. Safe mayst thou wander, safe return again! Clo. Sirrah, is this letter true? Pis. Sir, as I think. Clo. It is Posthumus' hand; I know't.-Sirrah, if thou wouldst not be a villain, but do me true service; undergo those employments, wherein I should have cause to use thee, with a serious industry,—that is, what villany soe'er I bid thee do, to perform it directly and truly, I would think thee an honest man. Thou shouldst neither want my means for thy relief, nor my voice for thy preferment.

Pis. Well, my good lord.

Clo. Wilt thou serve me? For since patiently and constantly thou hast stuck to the bare fortune of that beggar Posthumus, thou canst not in the course of gratitude but be a diligent follower of mine. Wilt thou serve me?

Pis. Sir, I will.

Clo. Give me thy hand; here's my purse. Hast any of thy late master's garments in thy possession? Pis. I have, my lord, at my lodging, the same suit he wore when he took leave of my lady and mistress. Clo. The first service thou dost me, fetch that suit hither; let it be thy first service; go.

Pis. I shall, my lord.

[Exit.

1 By these words, it is probable Pisanio means, "I must either practise this deceit upon Cloten, or perish by his fury." Dr. Johnson thought the words should be given to Cloten.

Clo. Meet thee at Milford-Haven.-I forgot to ask him one thing; I'll remember't anon.-Even there, thou villain, Posthumus, will I kill thee.-I would these garments were come. She said upon a time, (the bitterness of it I now belch from my heart,) that she held the very garment of Posthumus in more respect than my noble and natural person, together with the adornment of my qualities. With that suit upon my back, will I ravish her. First kill him, and in her eyes; there shall she see my valor, which will then be a torment to her contempt. He on the ground, my speech of insultment ended on his dead body,and when my lust hath dined, (which, as I say, to vex her, I will execute in the clothes that she so praised,) to the court I'll knock her back, foot her home again. She hath despised me rejoicingly, and I'll be merry in my revenge.

Re-enter PISANIO, with the clothes.

Be those the garments?

Pis. Ay, my noble lord.

Clo. How long is't since she went to MilfordHaven?

Pis. She can scarce be there yet.

Clo. Bring this apparel to my chamber; that is the second thing that I have commanded thee; the third is, that thou wilt be a voluntary mute to my design. Be but duteous, and true preferment shall tender itself to thee. My revenge is now at Milford; 'would I had wings to follow it!-Come, and be true. [Exit. Pis. Thou bidd'st me to my loss; for, true to thee, Were to prove false, which I will never be, To him that is most true.'-To Milford And find not her whom thou pursu'st. Flow, flow, You heavenly blessings, on her! This fool's speed Be crossed with slowness; labor be his meed! [Exit.

go,

1 Pisanio, notwithstanding his master's letter commanding the murder of Imogen, considers him as true, supposing, as he has already said to her, that Posthumus was abused by some villain, equally an enemy to them both.

SCENE VI. Before the Cave of Belarius.

Enter IMOGEN, in boy's clothes.

Imo. I see a man's life is a tedious one. I have tired myself; and for two nights together Have made the ground my bed. I should be sick, But that my resolution helps me.-Milford, When from the mountain-top Pisanio showed thee, Thou wast within a ken. O Jove! I think Foundations fly the wretched; such, I mean, Where they should be relieved. Two beggars told me, I could not miss my way. Will poor folks lie, That have afflictions on them; knowing 'tis A punishment, or trial? Yes; no wonder, When rich ones scarce tell true. To lapse in fulness Is sorer,' than to lie for need; and falsehood Is worse in kings than beggars.-My dear lord! Thou art one o' the false ones. Now I think on thee, My hunger's gone; but even before, I was At point to sink for food.-But what is this? Here is a path to it. 'Tis some savage hold: I were best not call; I dare not call; yet famine, Ere clean it o'erthrow nature, makes it valiant. Plenty, and peace, breeds cowards; hardness ever Of hardiness is mother.-Ho! who's here? If any thing that's civil,2 speak; if savage, Take, or lend.-Ho!-No answer? then I'll enter. Best draw my sword; and if mine enemy But fear the sword like me, he'll scarcely look on't. Such a foe, good Heavens! [She goes into the cave.

Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS.

Bel. You, Polydore, have proved best woodman,3 and

1 i. e. is a greater or heavier crime.

2 Civil is here civilized, as opposed to savage, wild, rude, or uncultivated. "If any one dwell here."

3 A woodman, in its common acceptation, as here, signifies a hunter.