ACT II. SCENE I. The same. Enter HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, and Ladies. Her. Take the boy to you: he so troubles me, 'Tis past enduring. 1 Lady. Come, my gracious lord. No, I'll none of you. Shall I be your play-fellow? Mam. 1 Lady. Why, my sweet lord? Mam. You'll kiss me hard; and speak to me as if I were a baby still.-I love you better. 2 Lady. And why so, my good lord? Mam. Not for because Your brows are blacker; yet black brows, they say, Become some women best; so that there be not Too much hair there, but in a semi-circle, Or half-moon made with a pen. 2 Lady. Mam. I learn'd it out of women's faces.-Pray now Who taught you this? Blue, my lord. What colour are your eye-brows? 1 Lady. Mam. Nay, that's a mock: I have seen a lady's nose That has been blue, but not her eye-brows. 2 Lady. Hark ye: The queen, your mother, rounds apace: we shall Present our services to a fine new prince, One of these days; and then you'd wanton with us, If we would have you. 1 Lady. She is spread of late Into a goodly bulk: Good time encounter her! Her. What wisdom stirs amongst you? Come, sir, now I am for you again: Pray you, sit by us, 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 How bless'd am I Leon. 2 In my just censure? in my true opinion?] Censure, in the time of our author, was generally used (as in this instance) for judgment, opinion. Alack, for lesser knowledge!] That is, O that my knowledge were less. A spider steep'd, and one may drink; depart, The abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known spider. Camillo was his help in this, his pander :- Remain a pinch'd thing; yea, a very trick For them to play at will:-How came the posterns So easily open? 1 Lord. By his great authority; Which often hath no less prevail'd than so, On your command. Leon. I know't too well. 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 Her. But I'd say, he had not, 4 A spider steep'd,] Spiders were esteemed venomous. hefts:] Hefts are heavings, what is heaved up. 5 He has discover'd my design, and I Remain a pinch'd thing;] The sense, I think, is, He hath now discovered my design, and I am treated as a mere child's baby, a thing pinched out of clouts, a puppet for them to move and actuate as they please. HEATH. 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, Praise her but for this her without-door form, The shrug, the hum, or ha; these petty brands, Virtue itself:-these shrugs, these hums, and ha's, She's an adultress. Her. Should a villain say so, The most replenish'd villain in the world, He were as much more villain: you, my lord, Do but mistake. Leon. You have mistook, my lady, 7 will sear] i. e. will stigmatize or brand as infamous. * A federary-] i. e. confederate. But with her most vile principal, that she's That vulgars give bold titles; ay, and privy Her. Leon. No, no; if I mistake Her. There's some ill planet reigns: I must be patient, till the heavens look With an aspéct more favourable.-Good my lords, Commonly are; the want of which vain dew, lords, With thoughts so qualified as your charities Leon. Shall I be heard? [To the Guards. 9 But with her most vile principal,] One that knows what we should be ashamed of, even if the knowledge of it rested only in her own breast and that of her paramour, without the participation of any confidant.-But, which is here used for only, renders this passage somewhat obscure. 1 He, who shall speak for her, is afar off guilty, But that he speaks.] Far off guilty, signifies, guilty in a remote degree. But that he speaks-means, in merely speaking. |