That wilt not stay her tongue.
ANTIGONUS
Hang all the husbands
That cannot do that feat, you’ll leave yourself
Hardly one subject.
LEONTES
Once more, take her hence.
PAULINA
A most unworthy and unnatural lord
Can do no more.
LEONTES
I’ll have thee burn’d.
PAULINA
I care not.
It is an heretic that makes the fire,
Not she which burns in’t. I’ll not call you tyrant
But this most cruel usage of your queen,—
Not able to produce more accusation
Than your own weak-hing’d fancy,—something savours
Of tyranny, and will ignoble make you,
Yea, scandalous to the world.
LEONTES
On your allegiance,
Out of the chamber with her! Were I a tyrant,
Where were her life? She durst not call me so,
If she did know me one. Away with her!
PAULINA
I pray you, do not push me; I’ll be gone.—
Look to your babe, my lord; ‘tis yours: Jove send her
A better guiding spirit!—What needs these hands?
You that are thus so tender o’er his follies,
Will never do him good, not one of you.
So, so:—farewell; we are gone.
[Exit.]
LEONTES
Thou, traitor, hast set on thy wife to this.
My child?—away with’t.—even thou, that hast
A heart so tender o’er it, take it hence,
And see it instantly consum’d with fire;
Even thou, and none but thou. Take it up straight:
Within this hour bring me word ‘tis done,—
And by good testimony,—or I’ll seize thy life,
With that thou else call’st thine. If thou refuse,
And wilt encounter with my wrath, say so;
The bastard-brains with these my proper hands
Shall I dash out. Go, take it to the fire;
For thou set’st on thy wife.
ANTIGONUS
I did not, sir:
These lords, my noble fellows, if they please,
Can clear me in’t.
LORDS
We can:—my royal liege,
He is not guilty of her coming hither.
LEONTES
You’re liars all.
FIRST LORD
Beseech your highness, give us better credit:
We have always truly serv’d you; and beseech
So to esteem of us: and on our knees we beg,—
As recompense of our dear services,
Past and to come,—that you do change this purpose,
Which, being so horrible, so bloody, must
Lead on to some foul issue: we all kneel.
LEONTES
I am a feather for each wind that blows:—
Shall I live on, to see this bastard kneel
And call me father? better burn it now,
Than curse it then. But, be it; let it live:—
It shall not neither.—[To ANTIGONUS.] You, sir, come you hither:
You that have been so tenderly officious
With Lady Margery, your midwife, there,
To save this bastard’s life,—for ‘tis a bastard,
So sure as this beard’s grey,—what will you adventure
To save this brat’s life?
ANTIGONUS
Anything, my lord,
That my ability may undergo,
And nobleness impose: at least, thus much;
I’ll pawn the little blood which I have left
To save the innocent:—anything possible.
LEONTES
It shall be possible. Swear by this sword
Thou wilt perform my bidding.
ANTIGONUS
I will, my lord.
LEONTES
Mark, and perform it,—seest thou? for the fail
Of any point in’t shall not only be
Death to thyself, but to thy lewd-tongu’d wife,
Whom for this time we pardon. We enjoin thee,
As thou art liegeman to us, that thou carry
This female bastard hence; and that thou bear it
To some remote and desert place, quite out
Of our dominions; and that there thou leave it,
Without more mercy, to it own protection
And favour of the climate. As by strange fortune
It came to us, I do in justice charge thee,
On thy soul’s peril and thy body’s torture,
That thou commend it strangely to some place
Where chance may nurse or end it. Take it up.
ANTIGONUS
I swear to do this, though a present death
Had been more merciful.—Come on, poor babe:
Some powerful spirit instruct the kites and ravens
To be thy nurses! Wolves and bears, they say,
Casting their savageness aside, have done
Like offices of pity.—Sir, be prosperous
In more than this deed does require!—and blessing,
Against this cruelty, fight on thy side,
Poor thing, condemn’d to loss!
[Exit with the child.]
LEONTES
No, I’ll not rear
Another’s issue.
SECOND ATTENDANT
Please your highness, posts
From those you sent to the oracle are come
An hour since: Cleomenes and Dion,
Being well arriv’d from Delphos, are both landed,
Hasting to the court.
FIRST LORD
So please you, sir, their speed
Hath been beyond account.