330 Dol. [Within 'A way there, a way for Cæsar!' Cæs. Who was last with them? 350 First Guard. This is an aspic's trail: and these fig-leaves Cæs. 360 Have slime upon them, such as the aspic leaves shall [Exeunt. palace. Enter two Gentlemen. First Gent. Two British Captains. A Frenchman, friend to Philario. Queen, wife to Cymbeline. IMOGEN, daughter to Cymbeline by a former queen. HELEN, a lady attending on Imogen. Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, Tribunes, a Soothsayer, a Dutchman, a Spaniard, Musicians, Officers, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants. Sec. Gent. Apparitions. SCENE: Britain; Rome. What's his name and birth? First Gent. I cannot delve him to the root: his father Was call'd Sicilius, who did join his honour You do not meet a man but But had his titles by Tenantius whom frowns: our blood's No more obey the heavens than our courtiers Still seem as does the king. Sec. Gent. He purposed to his wife's sole son--a widow 30 He served with glory and admired success, Then old and fond of issue, took such sorrow Sec. Gent. This diamond was my mother's: take it, heart; Post. How, how! another? While sense can keep it on. And, sweetest, As I my poor self did exchange for you, 120 [Putting a bracelet upon her arm. Enter CYMBELINE and Lords. If after this command thou fraught the court Post. O disloyal thing, Dissembling courtesy! How fine this tyrant I something fear my father's wrath; but nothing-- But that there is this jewel in the world 90 Post. I am senseless of your wrath; a touch more rare Cym. Past grace? obedience? Imo. Past hope, and in despair; that way, past grace. Cym. That mightst have had the sole son of my queen! Imo. Oblest, that I might not! I chose an eagle, And did avoid a puttock. 140 Cym. Thou took'st a beggar; wouldst have made my throne A seat for baseness. It is your fault that I have loved Posthumus: Cym. I were A neat-herd's daughter, and my Leonatus Сут. Thou foolish thing! 150 Re-enter QUEEN. They were again together: you have done Qucen. Beseech your patience. Peace, бо Queen. I am very glad on't. Imo. Your son's my father's friend; he takes his part. To draw upon an exile! O brave sir! I would they were in Afric both together; Clo. If my shirt were bloody, then to shift it. Have I hurt him? Sec. Lord. [Aside] No, 'faith; not so much as his patience. 9 First Lord. Hurt him! his body's a passable carcass, if he be not hurt: it is a throughfare for steel, if it be not hurt. Sec. Lord. [Aside] His steel was in debt; it went o' the backside the town. Clo. The villain would not stand me. Sec. Lord. [Aside] No; but he fled forward still, toward your face. First Lord. Stand you! You have land enough of your own: but he added to your having; gave you some ground. 20 Sec. Lord. [Aside] As many inches as you have oceans. Puppies! Clo. I would they had not come between us. Sec. Lord. [Aside] So would I, till you had measured how long a fool you were upon the ground. Clo. And that she should love this fellow and refuse me! Sec. Lord. [Aside] If it be a sin to make a true election, she is damned. 30 First Lord. Sir, as I told you always, her beauty and her brain go not together: she's a good sign, but I have seen small reflection of her wit. Sec. Lord. [Aside] She shines not upon fools, lest the reflection should hurt her. Clo. Come, I'll to my chamber. Would there had been some hurt done! Sec. Lord. [Aside] I wish not so; unless it had been the fall of an ass, which is no great hurt. Clo. You'll go with us? First Lord. I'll attend your lordship. 40 [Exeunt. SCENE III. A room in Cymbeline's palace. Enter IMOGEN and PISANIO. Imo. I would thou grew'st unto the shores o' the haven, And question'dst every sail: if he should write, Lady. Enter a Lady. The queen, madam, Desires your highness' company. Imo. Those things I bid you do, get them dispatch'd. Iach. Can we, with manners, ask what was the difference? French. Safely, I think: 'twas a contention in public, which may, without contradiction, suffer the report. It was much like an argument that fell out last night, where each of us fell in praise Madam, I shall. [Exeunt. 40 of our country mistresses; this gentleman at that I will attend the queen. SCENE IV. Rome. Philario's house. Enter PHILARIO, IACHIMO, a Frenchman, a Dutchman, and a Spaniard. Iach. Believe it, sir, I have seen him in Britain: he was then of a crescent note, expected to prove so worthy as since he hath been allowed the name of; but I could then have looked on him without the help of admiration, though the catalogue of his endowments had been tabled by his side and I to peruse him by items. Phi. You speak of him when he was less furnished than now he is with that which makes him both without and within. French. I have seen him in France: we had very many there could behold the sun with as firm eyes as he. Iach. This matter of marrying his king's daughter, wherein he must be weighed rather by her value than his own, words him, I doubt not, a great deal from the matter. French. And then his banishment. Iach. Ay, and the approbation of those that weep this lamentable divorce under her colours are wonderfully to extend him; be it but to fortify her judgement, which else an easy battery might lay flat, for taking a beggar without less quality. But how comes it he is to sojourn with you? How creeps acquaintance? Phi. His father and I were soldiers together; to whom I have been often bound for no less than my life. Here comes the Briton: let him be so entertained amongst you as suits, with gentlemen of your knowing, to a stranger of his quality. 30 Post. Since when I have been debtor to you for courtesies, which I will be ever to pay and yet pay still. 40 French. Sir, you o'er-rate my poor kindness: I was glad I did atone my countryman and you; it had been pity you should have been put together with so mortal a purpose as then each bore, upon importance of so slight and trivial a nature. Post. By your pardon, sir, I was then a young traveller; rather shunned to go even with what I heard than in my every action to be guided by others' experiences: but upon my mended judgement-if I offend not to say it is mended-my quarrel was not altogether slight. 51 French. 'Faith, yes, to be put to the arbitrement of swords, and by such two that would by all likelihood have confounded one the other, or have fallen both. time vouching-and upon warrant of bloody affirmation-his to be more fair, virtuous, wise, chaste, constant-qualified and less attemptable than any the rarest of our ladies in France. Iach. That lady is not now living, or this gentleman's opinion by this worn out. Post. She holds her virtue still and I my mind. Iach. You must not so far prefer her 'fore ours of Italy. 71 Post. Being so far provoked as I was in France, I would abate her nothing, though I profess myself her adorer, not her friend. Iach. As fair and as good—a kind of hand-inhand comparison-had been something too fair and too good for any lady in Britain. If she went before others I have seen, as that diamond of yours outlustres many I have beheld, I could not but believe she excelled many: but I have not seen the most precious diamond that is, nor you the lady. Post. I praised her as I rated her: so do I my stone. mistress is Iach. What do you esteem it at? Post. More than the world enjoys. Iach. Either your unparagoned dead, or she's outprized by a trifle. Post. You are mistaken: the one may be sold, or given, if there were wealth enough for the purchase, or merit for the gift: the other is not a thing for sale, and only the gift of the gods. Iach. Which the gods have given you? Post. Which, by their graces, I will keep. Iach. You may wear her in title yours: but, you know, strange fowl light upon neighbouring ponds. Your ring may be stolen too: so your brace of unprizable estimations; the one is but frail and the other casual; a cunning thief, or a that way accomplished courtier, would hazard the winning both of first and last. Post. Your Italy contains none so accomplished a courtier to convince the honour of my mistress, if, in the holding or loss of that, you term her frail. I do nothing doubt you have store of thieves; notwithstanding, I fear not my ring. Phi. Let us leave here, gentlemen. 109 Post. Sir, with all my heart. This worthy signior, I thank him, makes no stranger of me; we are familiar at first. Iach. With five times so much conversation, I should get ground of your fair mistress, make her go back, even to the yielding, had I admittance and opportunity to friend. Post. No, no. Iach. I dare thereupon pawn the moiety of my estate to your ring; which, in my opinion, o'ervalues it something: but I make my wager rather against your confidence than her reputation: and, to bar your offence herein too, I durst attempt it against any lady in the world." Post. You are a great deal abused in too bold |