SCENE VI.

Britain. A room in Cymbeline's palace.

Enter QUEEN, LADIES, and CORNELIUS.

Queen. Whiles yet the dew's on ground, gather those flowers;

Make haste: who has the note of them?

1 Lady.

Queen. Despatch.

I, madam. [Exeunt Ladies.

Now, master doctor, have you brought those drugs?

Cor. Pleaseth your highness, ay: here they are,

madam :

[presenting a small box.

But I beseech your grace, (without offence,

My conscience bids me ask) wherefore you have Commanded of me these most poisonous compounds, Which are the movers of a languishing death;

But, though slow, deadly?

I do wonder, doctor,

Queen.
Thou ask'st me such a question. Have I not been
Thy pupil long? Hast thou not learn'd me how
To make perfumes, distil, preserve; yea, so,
That our great king himself doth woo me oft
For my confections? Having thus far proceeded,
(Unless thou think'st me devilish) is 't not meet
That I did amplify my judgment in

Other conclusions ? 1 I will try the forces
Of these thy compounds on such creatures as

1 Experiments.

We count not worth the hanging, (but none human) To try the vigor of them, and apply

Allayments to their act; and by them gather

Their several virtues and effects.

Cor.

Your highness

Shall from this practice but make hard your heart: Besides, the seeing these effects will be

Both noisome and infectious.

Queen.

O, content thee.

Enter PISANIO.

Here comes a flattering rascal; upon him [aside.
Will I first work: he's for his master,

And enemy to my son.-How now, Pisanio?
Doctor, your service for this time is ended:

Cor. [aside.] I do not like her. She doth think

she has

Strange lingering poisons: I do know her spirit,
And will not trust one of her malice with

A drug of such damn'd nature: those she has

Will stupify and dull the sense awhile;

Which first, perchance, she'll prove on cats and dogs,

Then afterward up higher: but there is

No danger in what show of death it makes,

More than the locking up the spirits a time,
To be more fresh, reviving. She is fool'd
With a most false effect; and I the truer,
So to be false with her.

Queen. Weeps she still, say'st thou? Dost thou think, in time

She will not quench, and let instructions enter
Where folly now possesses? Do thou work.
When thou shalt bring me word, she loves my son,

I'll tell thee, on the instant, thou art then

As great as is thy master; greater; for
His fortunes all lie speechless, and his name
Is at last gasp.
Return he cannot, nor

Continue where he is: to shift his being,1
Is to exchange one misery with another;
And every day, that comes, comes to decay
A day's work in him. What shalt thou expect,
To be depender on a thing that leans,
Who cannot be new built, nor has no friends

[the Queen drops a box: Pisanio takes it up.
So much as but to prop him? Thou takest up
Thou know'st not what; but take it for thy labor:
It is a thing I made, which hath the king
Five times redeem'd from death: I do not know

To change his abode.

What is more cordial :-nay, I pr'ythee, take it;
It is an earnest of a farther good

That I mean to thee. Tell thy mistress how
The case stands with her; do 't, as from thyself.
Think what a chance thou changest on; 1 but think
Thou hast thy mistress still, to boot, my son,
Who shall take notice of thee. I'll move the king
To any shape of thy preferment, such

As thou 'lt desire; and then myself, I chiefly,
That set thee on to this desert, am bound
To load thy merit richly. Call my women:
Think on my words. [Exit Pisanio.]-A sly and
constant knave,

Not to be shaked; the agent for his master;
And the remembrancer of her, to hold

The hand-fast to her lord. I have given him that,
Which, if he take, shall quite unpeople her
Of leigers 2 for her sweet; and which she, after,
Except she bend her humor, shall be assured

Re-enter PISANIO and Ladies.

To taste of too :-so, so; well done, well done :
The violets, cowslips, and the primroses
Bear to my closet.-Fare thee well, Pisanio;
Think on my words. [Exeunt Queen and Ladies.
Pi.
And shall do:

But when to my good lord I prove untrue,

I Think with what a fair prospect of mending your fortunes you now change your present service.

2 Ambassadors.

I'll choke myself: there's all I'll do for you.

[Exit.

SCENE VII.

Another room in the same.

Enter IMOGEN.

Imo. A father cruel, and a step-dame false;

A foolish suitor to a wedded lady,

That hath her husband banish'd :-O, that husband!
My supreme crown of grief! and those repeated
Vexations of it! Had I been thief-stolen,

As my two brothers, happy! but most miserable
Is the desire that's glorious. Blessed be those,
How mean soe'er, that have their honest wills,
Which seasons comfort.1-Who may this be? Fie!

Enter PISANIO and IACHIMO.

Pi. Madam, a noble gentleman of Rome

Comes from my lord with letters.

Ia.

Change you, madam ?

The worthy Leonatus is in safety,

And greets your highness dearly. [presents a letter.

Imo.

You are kindly welcome.

Thanks, good sir:

[aside.

Ia. All of her that is out of door most rich!

If she be furnish'd with a mind so rare,

1 Which gives an additional relish to comfort itself.