The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare (book club suggestions txt) 📖

we are gentlemen.

CLOWN. Thou wilt amend thy life?

AUTOLYCUS. Ay, an it like your good worship.

CLOWN. Give me thy hand: I will swear to the prince thou art as honest a true fellow as any is in Bohemia.

SHEPHERD. You may say it, but not swear it.

CLOWN. Not swear it, now I am a gentleman? Let boors and franklins say it, I'll swear it.

SHEPHERD. How if it be false, son?

CLOWN. If it be ne'er so false, a true gentleman may swear it in the behalf of his friend. - And I'll swear to the prince thou art a tall fellow of thy hands and that thou wilt not be drunk; but I know thou art no tall fellow of thy hands and that thou wilt be drunk: but I'll swear it; and I would thou wouldst be a tall fellow of thy hands.

AUTOLYCUS. I will prove so, sir, to my power.

CLOWN. Ay, by any means, prove a tall fellow: if I do not wonder how thou darest venture to be drunk, not being a tall fellow, trust me not. - Hark! the kings and the princes, our kindred, are going to see the queen's picture. Come, follow us: we'll be thy good masters.

[Exeunt.]


SCENE III. The same. A Room in PAULINA's house.

[Enter LEONTES, POLIXENES, FLORIZEL, PERDITA, CAMILLO, PAULINA, Lords and Attendants.]

LEONTES. O grave and good Paulina, the great comfort That I have had of thee!

PAULINA.
What, sovereign sir, I did not well, I meant well. All my services You have paid home: but that you have vouchsaf'd, With your crown'd brother and these your contracted Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to visit, It is a surplus of your grace which never My life may last to answer.

LEONTES.
O Paulina, We honour you with trouble: - but we came To see the statue of our queen: your gallery Have we pass'd through, not without much content In many singularities; but we saw not That which my daughter came to look upon, The statue of her mother.

PAULINA.
As she liv'd peerless, So her dead likeness, I do well believe, Excels whatever yet you look'd upon Or hand of man hath done; therefore I keep it Lonely, apart. But here it is: prepare To see the life as lively mock'd as ever Still sleep mock'd death: behold; and say 'tis well.

[PAULINA undraws a curtain, and discovers HERMIONE, standing as a statue.]

I like your silence, - it the more shows off Your wonder: but yet speak; - first, you, my liege. Comes it not something near?

LEONTES.
Her natural posture! - Chide me, dear stone, that I may say indeed Thou art Hermione; or rather, thou art she In thy not chiding; for she was as tender As infancy and grace. - But yet, Paulina, Hermione was not so much wrinkled; nothing So agèd, as this seems.

POLIXENES.
O, not by much!

PAULINA. So much the more our carver's excellence; Which lets go by some sixteen years, and makes her As she liv'd now.

LEONTES.
As now she might have done, So much to my good comfort, as it is Now piercing to my soul. O, thus she stood, Even with such life of majesty, - warm life, As now it coldly stands, - when first I woo'd her! I am asham'd: does not the stone rebuke me For being more stone than it? - O royal piece, There's magic in thy majesty; which has My evils conjur'd to remembrance; and From thy admiring daughter took the spirits, Standing like stone with thee!

PERDITA.
And give me leave; And do not say 'tis superstition, that I kneel, and then implore her blessing. - Lady, Dear queen, that ended when I but began, Give me that hand of yours to kiss.

PAULINA.
O, patience! The statue is but newly fix'd, the colour's Not dry.

CAMILLO. My lord, your sorrow was too sore laid on, Which sixteen winters cannot blow away, So many summers dry; scarce any joy Did ever so long live; no sorrow But kill'd itself much sooner.

POLIXENES.
Dear my brother, Let him that was the cause of this have power To take off so much grief from you as he Will piece up in himself.

PAULINA.
Indeed, my lord, If I had thought the sight of my poor image Would thus have wrought you, - for the stone is mine, - I'd not have show'd it.

LEONTES.
Do not draw the curtain.

PAULINA. No longer shall you gaze on't; lest your fancy May think anon it moves.

LEONTES.
Let be, let be. - Would I were dead, but that, methinks, already - What was he that did make it? See, my lord, Would you not deem it breath'd, and that those veins Did verily bear blood?

POLIXENES.
Masterly done: The very life seems warm upon her lip.

LEONTES. The fixture of her eye has motion in't, As we are mock'd with art.

PAULINA.
I'll draw the curtain: My lord's almost so far transported that He'll think anon it lives.

LEONTES.
O sweet Paulina, Make me to think so twenty years together! No settled senses of the world can match The pleasure of that madness. Let't alone.

PAULINA. I am sorry, sir, I have thus far stirr'd you: but I could afflict you further.

LEONTES.
Do, Paulina; For this affliction has a taste as sweet As any cordial comfort. - Still, methinks, There is an air comes from her: what fine chisel Could ever yet cut breath? Let no man mock me, For I will kiss her!

PAULINA.
Good my lord, forbear: The ruddiness upon her lip is wet; You'll mar it if you kiss it; stain your own With oily painting. Shall I draw the curtain?

LEONTES. No, not these twenty years.

PERDITA.
So long could I Stand by, a looker on.

PAULINA.
Either forbear, Quit presently the chapel, or resolve you For more amazement. If you can behold it, I'll make the statue move indeed, descend, And take you by the hand, but then you'll think, - Which I protest against, - I am assisted By wicked powers.

LEONTES.
What you can make her do I am content to look on: what to speak, I am content to hear; for 'tis as easy To make her speak as move.

PAULINA.
It is requir'd You do awake your faith. Then all stand still; Or those that think it is unlawful business I am about, let them depart.

LEONTES.
Proceed: No foot shall stir.

PAULINA. Music, awake her: strike. - [Music.] 'Tis time; descend; be stone no more; approach; Strike all that look upon with marvel. Come; I'll fill your grave up: stir; nay, come away; Bequeath to death your numbness, for from him Dear life redeems you. - You perceive she stirs.

[HERMIONE comes down from the pedestal.]

Start not; her actions shall be holy as You hear my spell is lawful: do not shun her Until you see her die again; for then You kill her double. Nay, present your hand: When she was young you woo'd her; now in age Is she become the suitor?

LEONTES. [Embracing her.] O, she's warm! If this be magic, let it be an art Lawful as eating.

POLIXENES.
She embraces him.

CAMILLO. She hangs about his neck: If she pertain to life, let her speak too.

POLIXENES. Ay, and make it manifest where she has liv'd, Or how stol'n from the dead.

PAULINA.
That she is living, Were it but told you, should be hooted at Like an old tale; but it appears she lives, Though yet she speak not. Mark a little while. - Please you to interpose, fair madam: kneel, And pray your mother's blessing. - Turn, good lady; Our Perdita is found.

[Presenting PERDITA, who kneels to HERMIONE.]

HERMIONE.