Her. What wisdom stirs amongst you? Come, sir, now I am for you again: Pray you, sit by us, And tell's a tale. Mam. Merry, or sad, shall't be? Her. As merry as you will. A sad tale's best for winter : 'I have one of sprites and goblins. Her. Let's have that, good sir. Come on, sit down:-Come on, and do your best To fright me with your sprites: you're powerful at it. Mam. There was a man, Her. Nay, come, sit down; then on. Mam. Dwelt by a church-yard; -I will tell it softly; Yon crickets shall not hear it. Her. And give't me in mine ear. Come on then, Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, Lords, and Others. Leon. Was he met there? his train? Camillo with him? 1 Lord. Behind the tuft of pines I met them; never Saw I men scour so on their way: I ey'd them Even to their ships. Leon. How bless'd am I In my just censure 1? in my true opinion?- The abhorr'd ingredient to his eye; make known 1 i. e. judgment. 2 Alack, for lesser knowledge!' that is, O that my knowledge were less! 3 Spiders were steemed poisonous in our author's time. How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his sides, With violent hefts *:-I have drunk, and seen the spider. Camillo was his help in this, his pander :- Remain a pinch'd things; yea, a very trick Give me the boy; I am glad, you did not nurse him: Though he does bear some signs of me, yet you Have too much blood in him. Her. What is this? sport? Leon. Bear the boy hence, he shall not come about her; Away with him:-and let her sport herself Has made thee swell thus. Her. But I'd say, he had not, And, I'll be sworn, you would believe my saying, Howe'er you lean to the nayward. Leon. You, my lords, Look on her, mark her well; be but about The justice of your hearts will thereto add, 4 Hefts, heavings, things which are heaved up. 5 i. e. 'a thing pinched out of clouts, a puppet for them to move and actuate as they please.' This interpretation is countenanced by a passage in The City Match, by Jasper Maine : -Pinch'd napkins, captain, and laid 'Tis pity, she's not honest, honourable : (Which, on my faith, deserves high speech) and straight 6 The shrug, the hum, or ha; these petty brands, She's an adultress. Her. Should a villain say so, The most replenish villain in the world, Do but mistake. Leon. You have mistook, my lady, Polixenes for Leontes: O thou thing, A federary with her; and one that knows 6 i. e. will brand it. Thus in All's Well that Ends Well :'My maiden's name sear'd, otherwise.' 7 Federary. This word, which is probably of the poet's own invention, is used for confederate, accomplice. 8 One that knows what she should be asham'd 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. That vulgars give bold'st titles; ay, and privy To this their late escape. Her. No, by my life, Privy to none of this: How will this grieve you, When you shall come to clearer knowledge, that You thus have publish'd me? Gentle my lord, You scarce can right me throughly then, to say You did mistake. Leon. No, no; if I mistake In those foundations which I build upon, A school-boy's top 9. - Away with her to prison: But that he speaks 10. Her. There's some ill planet reigns : I must be patient, till the heavens look I am not prone to weeping, as our sex The king's will be perform'd! Leon. Shall I be heard? [To the Guards. Her. Who is't that goes with me?-'Beseech your highness, 9 i. e. no foundation can be trusted. Milton has expressed the same thought in more exalted language: 'If this fail, The pillar'd firmament is rottenness, And earth's base built on stubble.' 10 He who shall speak for her is afar off guilty, But that he speaks.' He who shall speak for her is remotely guilty in merely speaking. My women may be with me; for, you see, : 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. 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 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 stables 12 where For every inch of woman in the world, Ay, every dram of woman's flesh, is false, Good my lord. 1 Lord. 11 i. e. what I am now about to do. 12 Much has been said about this passage: one has thought it should be stable-stand; another that it means station. But it 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.' |