Thou didst accuse him of incontinency; Thou then look'dst like a villain; now, methinks, And, for I am richer than to hang by the walls, I must be ripp'd:-to pieces with me!—O, Men's vows are women's traitors! All good seeming, By thy revolt, O husband, shall be thought Put on for villainy; not born, where't grows; But worn, a bait for ladies. Pis. Good madam, hear me. Imo. True honest men being heard, like false Æneas, Were, in his time, thought false: and Sinon's weeping Did scandal many a holy tear; took pity From most true wretchedness: So, thou, Posthúmus, Goodly, and gallant, shall be false, and perjur'd, And if I do not by thy hand, thou art No servant of thy master's: Against self-slaughter There is a prohibition so divine, That cravens my weak hand. Come, here's my heart; Something's afore't:-Soft, soft; we'll no defence; The scriptures of the loyal Leonatus, All turn'd to heresy? Away, away, Corrupters of my faith! you shall no more And thou, Posthúmus, thou that did'st set up Pis. O gracious lady, Since I receiv'd command to do this business, I have not slept one wink. Imo. Do't, and to bed then. Pis. I'll wake mine eyeballs blind first. Wherefore then Did'st undertake it? Why hast thou abus'd Pis. Imo. Talk thy tongue weary; speak: I have heard, I am a strumpet; and mine ear, Nor tent to bottom that. But speak. But if I were as wise as honest, then My purpose would prove well. It cannot be, But that my master is abus'd: Some villain, ay, and singular in his art, Imo. Some Roman courtezan. Pis. No, on my life. I'll give but notice you are dead, and send him Some bloody sign of it; for 'tis commanded I should do so: You shall be miss'd at court, And that will well confirm it. Imo. Why, good fellow, What shall I do the while? Where bide? How live? Or in my life what comfort, when I am Dead to my husband? Pis. If you'll back to the court, Imo. No court, no father; nor no more ado That Cloten, whose love-suit hath been to me Pis. If not at court, Where then? Then not in Britain must you bide. Imo. Hath Britain all the sun that shines? Day, night, In a great pool, a swan's nest: Pr'ythee, think Pis. You think of other place. I am most glad The embassador, Lucius the Roman, comes to Milford-Haven To-morrow: Now, if you could wear a mind Imo. Pis. Well then, here's the point: You must forget to be a woman; change Your laboursome and dainty trims, wherein Imo. I see into thy end, and am almost A man already. Pis. Nay, be brief: First, make yourself but like one. Fore-thinking this, I have already fit, |