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

Shall I be heard?

HERMIONE. 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 deserv'd 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 wish'd to see you sorry; now I trust I shall. - My women, come; you have leave.

LEONTES. Go, do our bidding; hence!

[Exeunt QUEEN and Ladies, with Guards.]

FIRST LORD. Beseech your highness, call the queen again.

ANTIGONUS. Be certain what you do, sir, lest your justice Prove violence, in the which three great ones suffer, Yourself, your queen, your son.

FIRST LORD.
For her, my lord, - I dare my life lay down, - and will do't, sir, Please you to accept it, - that the queen is spotless I' the eyes of heaven and to you; I mean In this which you accuse her.

ANTIGONUS.
If it prove She's otherwise, I'll keep my stables where I lodge my wife; I'll go in couples with her; Than when I feel and see her no further trust her; For every inch of woman in the world, Ay, every dram of woman's flesh, is false, If she be.

LEONTES. Hold your peaces.

FIRST LORD.
Good my lord, -

ANTIGONUS. It is for you we speak, not for ourselves: You are abus'd, and by some putter-on That will be damn'd for't: would I knew the villain, I would land-damn him. Be she honour-flaw'd, - I have three daughters; the eldest is eleven; The second and the third, nine and some five; If this prove true, they'll pay for't. By mine honour, I'll geld 'em all: fourteen they shall not see, To bring false generations: they are co-heirs; And I had rather glib myself than they Should not produce fair issue.

LEONTES.
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 As you feel doing thus; and see withal The instruments that feel.

ANTIGONUS.
If it be so, We need no grave to bury honesty; There's not a grain of it the face to sweeten Of the whole dungy earth.

LEONTES.
What! Lack I credit?

FIRST LORD. I had rather you did lack than I, my lord, Upon this ground: and more it would content me To have her honour true than your suspicion; Be blam'd for't how you might.

LEONTES.
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 stupified Or seeming so in skill, - cannot or will not Relish a truth, like us, inform yourselves We need no more of your advice: the matter, The loss, the gain, the ord'ring on't, is all Properly ours.

ANTIGONUS.
And I wish, my liege, You had only in your silent judgment tried it, Without more overture.

LEONTES.
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 touch'd conjecture, That lack'd sight only, nought for approbation, But only seeing, all other circumstances Made up to th' 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 despatch'd in post To sacred Delphos, to Apollo's temple, Cleomenes and Dion, whom you know Of stuff'd sufficiency: now, from the oracle They will bring all, whose spiritual counsel had, Shall stop or spur me. Have I done well?

FIRST LORD. Well done, my lord, -

LEONTES. Though I am satisfied, and need no more Than what I know, yet shall the oracle Give rest to the minds of others such as he Whose ignorant credulity will not Come up to th' truth: so have we thought it good From our free person she should be confin'd; Lest that the treachery of the two fled hence Be left her to perform. Come, follow us; We are to speak in public; for this business Will raise us all.

ANTIGONUS. [Aside.] To laughter, as I take it, If the good truth were known.

[Exeunt.]


SCENE II. The same. The outer Room of a Prison.

[Enter PAULINA and Attendants.]

PAULINA. The keeper of the prison, - call to him; Let him have knowledge who I am.

[Exit an Attendant.]

Good lady! No court in Europe is too good for thee; What dost thou then in prison?

[Re-enter Attendant, with the Keeper.]

Now, good sir, You know me, do you not?

KEEPER.
For a worthy lady, And one who much I honour.

PAULINA.
Pray you, then, Conduct me to the queen.

KEEPER.
I may not, madam; To the contrary I have express commandment.

PAULINA. Here's ado, to lock up honesty and honour from The access of gentle visitors! - Is't lawful, Pray you, to see her women? any of them? Emilia?

KEEPER.
So please you, madam, to put Apart these your attendants, I Shall bring Emilia forth.

PAULINA.
I pray now, call her. Withdraw yourselves.

[Exeunt ATTENDANTS.]

KEEPER.
And, madam, I must be present at your conference.

PAULINA. Well, be't 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?

EMILIA. 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.

PAULINA. A boy?

EMILIA.
A daughter; and a goodly babe, Lusty, and like to live: the queen receives Much comfort in't; says 'My poor prisoner, I am as innocent as you.'

PAULINA.
I dare be sworn; - These dangerous unsafe lunes i' 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' loud'st. We do not know How he may soften at the sight o' the child: The silence often of pure innocence Persuades, when speaking fails.

EMILIA.
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; Who but to-day hammer'd of this design, But durst not tempt a minister of honour, Lest she should be denied.

PAULINA.
Tell her, Emilia, I'll use that tongue I have: if wit flow from it As boldness from my bosom, let't not be doubted I shall do good.

EMILIA.
Now be you bless'd for it! I'll to the queen: please you come something nearer.

KEEPER. Madam, if't please the queen to send the babe, I know not what I shall incur to pass it, Having no warrant.

PAULINA.
You need not fear it, sir: This child was prisoner to the womb, and is, By law and process of great nature thence Freed and enfranchis'd: not a party to The anger of the king, nor guilty of, If any be, the trespass of the queen.

KEEPER. I do believe it.

PAULINA. Do not you fear: upon mine honour, I Will stand betwixt you and danger.

[Exeunt.]


SCENE III. The same. A Room in the Palace.

[Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, Lords, and other Attendants.]

LEONTES. 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