To say, She is a goodly lady, and The justice of your hearts will thereto add, 'Tis pity, she's not honest, honorable. Praise her but for this her without-door form, (Which, on my faith, deserves high speech,) and straight The shrug, the hum, or ha: these petty brands, That calumny doth use ;-O, I am out; That mercy does; for calumny will sear Virtue itself; these shrugs, these hums, and ha's, When you have said, she's goodly, come between, Ere you can say she's honest. But be it known, From him that has most cause to grieve it should be, She's an adult'ress. Her. Should a villain say so, The most replenish villain in the world, He were as much more villain. You, my lord, Do but mistake. Leon. You have mistook, my lady, Polixenes for Leontes. O thou thing, A federary' with her; and one that knows 2 But with her most vile principal, that she's That vulgars give bold'st titles; ay, and privy Her. 1 Federary, confederate, accomplice. 2 One that knows what she should be ashamed to know herself, even if the knowledge of it was shared but with her paramour. It is the use of but for be-out (only, according to Malone) that obscures the sense. You scarce can right me throughly, then, to say Leon. No, no; if I mistake In those foundations which I build upon, A school-boy's top.1 Away with her to prison. Her. There's some ill planet reigns. I must be patient till the heavens look With an aspect more favorable.-Good my lords, Shall best instruct you, measure me ;—and so Leon. Shall I be heard? [To the Guards. Her. Who is't that goes with me? 'Beseech your highness, My women may be with me; for, you see, My plight requires it. Do not weep, good fools; There is no cause; when you shall know your mistress Has deserved prison, then abound in tears, As I come out. This action, I now go on, Is for my better grace.-Adieu, my lord; I never wished to see you sorry; now, I trust, I shall. I shall. My women, come; you have leave. Leon. Go, do our bidding; hence. [Exeunt Queen and Ladies. 1 Lord. 'Beseech your highness, call the queen again. Ant. Be certain what you do, sir; lest your justice Prove violence; in the which three great ones suffer, Yourself, your queen, your son. 1 i. e. no foundation can be trusted. 2 He who shall speak for her, is remotely guilty in merely speaking. 1 Lord. For her, my lord, I dare my life lay down, and will do't, sir, In this which you accuse her. Ant. If it prove I lodge my wife; I'll go in couples with her; Ay, every dram of woman's flesh, is false, If she be. Leon. Hold your peaces. 1 Lord. Good my lord, Ant. It is for you we speak, not for ourselves. You are abused, and by some putter-on, 2 That will be damned for't; 'would I knew the villain, The second, and the third, nine, and some five; Leon. Cease; no more. You smell this business with a sense as cold As is a dead man's nose; but I do see't and feel't, The instruments that feel.3 Ant. If it be so, We need no grave to bury honesty ; 1 This passage may be explained thus:-"If she prove false, I'll make my stables or kennel of my wife's chamber; I'll go in couples with her like a dog, and never leave her for a moment; trust her no further than I can feel and see her." 2 "I would land-damn him." Johnson interprets this:-"I will damn or condemn him to quit the land." 3 I see and feel my disgrace, as you, Antigonus, now feel my doing this to you, and as you now see the instruments that feel, i. e. my fingers Leontes must here be supposed to touch or lay hold of Antigonus. There's not a grain of it, the face to sweeten Leon. What! lack I credit? 1 Lord. I had rather you did lack, than I, my lord, Upon this ground: and more it would content me To have her honor true, than your suspicion; Be blamed for't how you might. Leon. Why, what need we Commune with you of this? but rather follow Our forceful instigation? Our prerogative Calls not your counsels; but our natural goodness Imparts this; which,—if you (or stupefied, Or seeming so in skill) cannot, or will not, Relish as truth, like us; inform yourselves. We need no more of your advice: the matter, The loss, the gain, the ordering on't, is all Properly ours. Ant. And I wish, my liege, You had only in your silent judgment tried it, Without more overture. Leon. How could that be? Either thou art most ignorant by age, Or thou wert born a fool. Camillo's flight, Added to their familiarity, (Which was as gross as ever touched conjecture, That lacked sight only, nought for approbation,2 But only seeing, all other circumstances Made up to the deed,) doth push on this proceeding. Yet, for a greater confirmation, (For, in an act of this importance, 'twere Most piteous to be wild,) I have despatched in post, Of stuffed sufficiency.3 Now from the oracle 1 Lord. Well done, my lord. 1 The old copy reads a truth. Rowe made the correction 3 i. e. of abilities more than sufficient. Leon. Though I am satisfied, and need no more Come up to the truth. So have we thought it good, Ant. [Aside.] To laughter, as I take it, [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. The outer Room of a Prison. Enter PAULINA and Attendants. Paul. The keeper of the prison,-call to him; [Exit an Attendant. Let him have knowledge who I am.-Good lady! No court in Europe is too good for thee; What dost thou then in prison?-Now, good sir, Conduct me to the queen. For a worthy lady, Pray you, then, Keep. I may not, madam; to the contrary I have express commandment. Paul. Here's ado, To lock up honesty and honor from The access of gentle visitors!————Is it lawful, Keep. So please you, madam, to put |