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 The king's will be performed! 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 As I come out. This action, I now go on, I never wished to see you sorry; now, I trust, 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 She's otherwise, I'll keep my stables1 where I lodge my wife; I'll go in couples with her; Ay, every dram of woman's flesh, is false, If she be. Good my lord, Ant. It is for you we speak, not for ourselves. You are abused, and by some putter-on, That will be damned for't; 'would I knew the villain, I have three daughters; the eldest is eleven; 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 as1 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, 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, To sacred Delphos, to Apollo's temple, Cleomenes and Dion, whom you know 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 Give rest to the minds of others; such as he, 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, Re-enter Attendant, with the Keeper. You know me, do you not? Keeper. And one whom I much honor. Paul. 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 Apart these your attendants, I shall bring I pray now, call her. Paul. Keep. [Exeunt Attend. And, madam, [Exit Keeper. I must be present at your conference. Paul. Well, be it so, pr'ythee. Here's such ado to make no stain a stain, As passes coloring. Re-enter Keeper, with EMILIA.. Dear gentlewoman, how fares our gracious lady? Emil. I am innocent as you. Paul. I dare be sworn. These dangerous, unsafe lunes1o' the king! beshrew them! He must be told on't, and he shall; the office Persuades, when speaking fails. 1 Lunes. This word has not been found in any other English writer; but it is used in old French for frenzy, lunacy, folly. A similar expression occurs in The Revenger's Tragedy, 1608. VOL. III. 5 |