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 adultress; for the harlot king
Is quite beyond mine arm, out of the blank
And level of my brain, plot-proof; but she
I can hook to me:—say that she were gone,
Given to the fire, a moiety of my rest
Might come to me again.—Who’s there?
FIRST ATTENDANT
My lord?
LEONTES
How does the boy?
FIRST ATTENDANT
He took good rest tonight;
‘Tis hop’d his sickness is discharg’d.
LEONTES
To see his nobleness!
Conceiving the dishonour of his mother,
He straight declin’d, droop’d, took it deeply,
Fasten’d and fix’d the shame on’t in himself,
Threw off his spirit, his appetite, his sleep,
And downright languish’d.—Leave me solely:—go,
See how he fares.—
[Exit FIRST ATTENDANT.]
Fie, fie! no thought of him;
The very thought of my revenges that way
Recoil upon me: in himself too mighty,
And in his parties, his alliance,—let him be,
Until a time may serve: for present vengeance,
Take it on her. Camillo and Polixenes
Laugh at me; make their pastime at my sorrow:
They should not laugh if I could reach them; nor
Shall she within my power.
[Enter PAULINA, with a Child.]