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; who has the note of them?

Make haste

First Lady.

Queen. Despatch.

[Exeunt Ladies.

I, madam.

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?

Queen.
I wonder, doctor,
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? I will try the forces

Of these thy compounds on such creatures as

We count not worth the hanging-but none human—

To try the vigour 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.

[Aside.

Here comes a flattering rascal; upon him

Will I first work: he's for his master,

And enemy to my son.

Enter PISANIO.

How now, Pisanio!

Doctor, your service for this time is ended;

Take your own way.

Cor. [Aside.] I do suspect you, madam; But you shall do no harm.

Queen.

Hark thee, a word.

[TO PISANIO.

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 'deadly' 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.

Until I send for thee.

Cor.

No further service, doctor,

I humbly take my leave.

[Exit.

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
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 tak'st up
Thou know'st not what; but take it for thy labour:
It is a thing I made, which hath the king

Five times redeem'd from death: I do not know
What is more cordial :-nay, I prithee, take it ;
It is an earnest of a further 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; 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 shak'd: 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 liegers for her sweet ;7 and which she, after,
Except she bend her humour, shall be assur'd.

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.

с

But when to my good lord I prove untrue,
I'll choke myself: there's all I'll do for you.

[Exit.

SCENE VII-Another Room in the Palace.

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: bless'd be those,
How mean soe'er, that have their honest wills,
Which seasons comfort.-Who may this be? Fie!

Enter PISANIO and IACHIMO.

Pis. Madam, a noble gentleman of Rome, Comes from my lord with letters.

Iach.

The worthy Leonatus is in safety,
And greets your highness dearly.

Imo.

You are kindly welcome.

Change you, madam?

[Presents a letter.

Thanks, good sir:

Iach. All of her that is out of door, most rich!

friend!

If she be furnish'd with a mind so rare,
She is alone the Arabian bird; and I
Have lost the wager. Boldness be my
Arm me, audacity, from head to foot!
Or, like the Parthian, I shall flying fight;
Rather, directly fly.

[Aside.

25

Imo. [Reads.] He is one of the noblest note, to whose kindnesses I am most infinitely tied. Reflect upon him accordingly, as you value your trust

So far I read aloud:

But even the very middle of my heart

Is warm'd by the rest, and takes it thankfully.

You are as welcome, worthy sir, as I

Have words to bid you; and shall find it so

In all that I can do.

Iach.

Thanks, fairest lady

What, are men mad?

eyes

LEONATUS.'

Hath nature given them

To see this vaulted arch, and the rich crop
Of sea and land, which can distinguish 'twixt
The fiery orbs above, and the twinn'd stones
Upon the umber'd beach ?8 and can we not
Partition make with spectacles so precious
"Twixt fair and foul?

Imo.

What makes your admiration? Iach. It cannot be i' the eye; for apes and monkeys, 'Twixt two such shes, would chatter this

way and

Contemn with mows the other: nor i' the judgment;
For idiots, in this case of favour, would
Be wisely definite: nor i' the appetite;
Sluttery, to such neat excellence oppos'd,
Should make desire vomit emptiness,
Not so allur'd to feed.

Imo. What is the matter, trow?
Iach.

That satiate yet unsatisfied desire,

The cloyed will

That tub both fill'd and running-ravening first
The lamb, longs after for the garbage.

Imo.

Thus raps you? Are you well?

What, dear sir,

Iach. Thanks, madam; well.-Beseech you, sir, desire

[TO PISANIO.