Paul. Will you swear Never to marry but by my free leave? Leon. Never, Paulina; so be blessed my spirit! Paul. Then, good my lords, bear witness to his oath. Cleo. You tempt him overmuch. Paul. Unless another I have done. Yet, if my lord will marry,-if you will, sir, As, walked your first queen's ghost, it should take joy Leon. My true Paulina, We shall not marry, till thou bidd'st us. Paul. That Shall be, when your first queen's again in breath; Enter a Gentleman. Gent. One that gives out himself prince Florizel, The fairest I have yet beheld,) desires access What with him? He comes not Leon. Gent. And those but mean. Leon. What train? But few, His princess, say you, with him? Gent. Ay; the most peerless piece of earth, I think, That e'er the sun shone bright on. Paul. O Hermione, As every present time doth boast itself Gent. Of who she but bid follow. Paul. How? not women? Gent. Women will love her, that she is a woman More worth than any man; men, that she is The rarest of all women. Leon. Go, Cleomenes; Yourself, assisted with your honored friends, Bring them to our embracement.-Still 'tis strange Paul. Leon. Re-enter CLEOMENES, with FLORIZEL, PERDITA, and Your mother was most true to wedlock, prince; Amity too, of your brave father; whom, By his command Flo. Can send his brother: and, but infirmity (Which waits upon worn times) hath something seized His wished ability, he had himself The lands and waters 'twixt your throne and his Leon. O, my brother, (Good gentleman!) the wrongs I have done thee, stir Afresh within me; and these thy offices, So rarely kind, are as interpreters Of my behind-hand slackness!-Welcome hither, Flo. She came from Libya. Leon. Good my lord, Where the warlike Smalus, That noble, honored lord, is feared and loved? Flo. Most royal sir, from thence; from him, whose daughter His tears proclaimed his, parting with her; thence (A prosperous south wind friendly) we have crossed, For visiting your highness. My best train But my arrival, and my wife's, in safety, Leon. For which the Heavens, taking angry note, Lord. Enter a Lord. Most noble sir, That which I shall report, will bear no credit, Were not the proof so nigh. Please you, great sir, Fled from his father, from his hopes, and with Leon. Where's Bohemia? speak. Lord. Here in the city; I now came from him. My marvel, and my message. To your court Her brother, having both their country quitted Flo. Whose honor, and whose honesty, till now, Endured all weathers. Lord. Camillo has betrayed me: Lay't so to his charge; Who? Camillo ? He's with the king your father. Leon. Lord. Camillo, sir; I spake with him; who now Has these poor men in question. Never saw I Wretches so quake; they kneel, they kiss the earth; Forswear themselves as often as they speak; Bohemia stops his ears, and threatens them Per. Leon. You are married? Flo. We are not, sir, nor are we like to be; The stars, I see, will kiss the valleys first. The odds for high and low's alike. Leon. Is this the daughter of a king? Flo. When once she is my wife. My lord, She is, Leon. That once, I see, by your good father's speed, Will come on very slowly. I am sorry, Most sorry, you have broken from his liking, Flo. Should chase us with my father, power no jot Leon. Would he do so, I'd beg your precious mistress, Which he counts but a trifle. Paul. Leon. [TO FLORIZEL Is yet unanswered; I will to your father; [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. Before the Palace. Enter AUTOLYCUS and a Gentleman. Aut. 'Beseech you, sir, were you present at this relation? 1 Gent. I was by at the opening of the fardel, heard the old shepherd deliver the manner how he found it; whereupon, after a little amazedness, we were all commanded out of the chamber; only this, methought, I heard the shepherd say, he found the child. Aut. I would most gladly know the issue of it. 1 Gent. I make a broken delivery of the business.- But the changes I perceived in the king, and Camillo, were very notes of admiration: they seemed almost, with staring on one another, to tear the cases of their eyes; there was speech in their dumbness, language in their very gesture; they looked as they had heard of a world ransomed, or one destroyed. A notable passion of wonder appeared in them; but the wisest beholder, that knew no more but seeing, could not say, if the importance were joy, or sorrow; but in the extremity of the one, it must needs be. Enter another Gentleman. Here comes a gentleman, that, happily, knows more. The news, Rogero? |