'Fore your queen died, she was more worth such gazes Than what you look on now. Leon. I thought of her, Even in these looks I made.-But your petition [To FLORIZEL. Is yet unanswered; I will to your father; Your honour not o'erthrown by your desires, I am a friend to them, and you: upon which errand I now go toward him; therefore, follow me, SCENE II.-The same. Before the Palace. Enter AUTOLYCUS and a GENTLEMAN. [Exeunt. 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 at 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: 2 Gent. Nothing but bonfires: The oracle is fulfilled; the king's daughter is found: such a deal of wonder is broken out within this hour, that ballad-makers cannot be able to express it. Enter a third GENTLEMAN. Here comes the lady Paulina's steward; he can deliver you more.-How goes it now, Sir? this news, which is called true, is so like an old tale, that the verity of it is in strong suspicion: Has the king found his heir? 3 Gent. Most true; if ever truth were pregnant by circumstance that which you hear you'll swear you see, there is such unity in the proofs. The mantle of queen Hermione ;-her jewel about the neck of it;-the letters of Antigonus, found with it, which they know to be his character;-the majesty of the creature, in resemblance of the mother;-the affectiont of nobleness, which nature shows above her breeding, and many other *The thing imported. † Disposition or quality. evidences, proclaim her, with all certainty, to be the king's daughter. Did you see the meeting of the two kings? 2 Gent. No. 3 Gent. Then have you lost a sight, which was to be seen, cannot be spoken of. There might you have beheld one joy crown another; so, and in such manner, that, it seemed, sorrow wept to take leave of them; for their joy waded in tears. There was casting up of eyes, holding up of hands; with countenance of such distraction, that they were to be known by garment, not by favour.* Our king, being ready to leap out of himself for joy of his found daughter; as if that joy were now become a loss, cries, O, thy mother, thy mother! then asks Bohemia forgiveness; then embraces his son-in-law; then again worries he his daughter, with clippingt her; now he thanks the old shepherd, which stands by, like a weather-bitten conduit of many kings' reigns.. I never heard of such another encounter, which lames report to follow it, and undoes description to do it. 2 Gent. What, pray you, became of Antigonus, that carried hence the child? 3 Gent. Like an old tale still; which will have matter to rehearse, though credit be asleep, and not an ear open: He was torn to pieces with a bear: this avouches the shepherd's son; who has not only his innocence (which seems much) to justify him, but a handkerchief, and rings, of his, that Paulina knows. 1 Gent. What became of his bark and his followers ? 3 Gent. Wrecked, the same instant of their master's death; and in the view of the shepherd: so that all the instruments which aided to expose the child were even then lost, when it was found. But, Q, the noble combat, that, 'twixt joy and sorrow, was fought in Paulina! She had one eye declined for the loss of her husband; another elevated that the oracle was fulfilled; She lifted the princess from the earth; and so locks her in embracing, as if she would pin her to her heart, that she might no more be in danger of losing. 1 Gent. The dignity of this act was worth the audience of kings and princes; for by such was it acted. 3 Gent. One of the prettiest touches of all, and that which angled for mine eyes (caught the water, though not the fish), was, when at the relation of the queen's death, with the manner how she came to it (bravely confessed, and lamented by the king), how attentiveness wounded his daughter; till, from one sign of dolour to another, she did, with an alas! I would fain say, bleed tears; for, I am sure, my heart wept blood. Who was most marble there, changed colour; some swooned, all sorrowed: if all the world could have seen it, the woe had been universal. 1 Gent. Are they returned to the court? 3 Gent. No: the princess hearing of her mother's statue, which is in the keeping of Paulina,-a piece many years in doing, and now newly performed by that rare Italian master, Julio Romano; who, had he himself eternity, and could put breath into his * Countenance, features. + Embracing. work, would beguile nature of her custom, so perfectly he is her ape: he so near to Hermione hath done Hermione, that, they say, one would speak to her, and stand in hope of answer: thither, with all greediness of affection, are they gone; and there they intend to sup. 2 Gent. I thought she had some great matter there in hand; for she hath privately, twice or thrice a day, ever since the death of Hermione, visited that removed house. Shall we thither, and with our company piece the rejoicing? 1 Gent. Who would be thence, that has the benefit of access? every wink of an eye some new grace will be born: our absence makes us unthrifty to our knowledge. Let's along. [Exeunt GENTLEMEN. Aut. Now, had I not the dash of my former life in me, would preferment drop on my head. I brought the old man and his son aboard the prince; told him I heard him talk of a fardel, and I know not what: but he at that time, over-fond of the shepherd's daughter (so he then took her to be), who began to be much sea-sick, and himself little better, extremity of weather continuing, this mystery remained undiscovered. But 'tis all one to me: for had I been the finder-out of this secret, it would not have relished among my other discredits. Enter SHEPHERD and CLOWN. Here come those I have done good to against my will, and already appearing in the blossoms of their fortune. Shep. Come, boy; I am past more children; but thy sons and daughters will be all gentlemen born. Clo. You are well met, Sir: You denied to fight with me this other day because I was no gentleman born: See you these clothes? say, you see them not, and think me still no gentleman born: you were best say, these robes are not gentleman born. Give me the lie; do; and try whether I am not now a gentleman born. Aut. I know, you are now, Sir, a gentleman born. Shep. And so have I, boy. Clo. So you have: but I was a gentleman born before my father: for the king's son took me by the hand, and called me, brother; and then the two kings called my father, brother; and then the prince, my brother, and the princess, my sister, called my father, father; and so we wept: and there was the first gentleman-like tears that ever we shed. Shep. We may live, son, to shed many more. Clo. Ay; or else 'twere hard luck, being in so preposterous estate as we are. Aut. I humbly beseech you, Sir, to pardon me all the faults I have committed to your worship, and to give me your good report to the prince, my master. * Remote. Shep. Pr'ythee, son, do; for we must be gentle, now we are gentlemen. Clo. Thou wilt amend thy life? Aut. Ay, an it like your good worship. Clo. Give me thy hand: I will swear to the prince, thou art as honest a true fellow as any is in Bohemia. Shep. You may say it, but not swear it. Clo. Not swear it, now I am a gentleman ? Let boors and franklins* say it, I'll swear it. Shep. How if it be false, son? Clo. If it be ne'er so false, a true gentleman may swear it, in the behalf of his friend:-And I'll swear to the prince, thou art a tallt fellow of thy hands, and that thou wilt not be drunk; but I know, thou art no tall fellow of thy hands, and that thou wilt be drunk: but I'll swear it: and I would, thou wouldst be a tall fellow of thy hands. Aut. I will prove so, Sir, to my power. Clo. Ay, by any means prove a tall fellow: If I do not wonder how thou darest venture to be drunk, not being a tall fellow, trust me not.-Hark! the kings and the princes, our kindred, are going to see the queen's picture. Come, follow us: we'll be thy good masters. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-The same. A Room in PAULINA'S House. Enter LEONTES, POLIXENES, FLORIZEL, PERDITA, CAMILLO, PAULINA, Lords and Attendants. Leon. O grave and good Paulina, the great comfort That I have had of thee! Paul. What, sovereign Sir, I did not well, I meant well: All my services, You have paid home: but that you have vouchsafed With your crown'd brother, and these your contracted It is a surplus of your grace, which never My life may last to answer. Leon. O Paulina, We honour you with trouble: But we came To see the statue of our queen your gallery Have we pass'd through, not without much content In many singularities; but we saw not That which my daughter came to look upon, Paul. As she lived peerless, So her dead likeness, I do well believe, Excels whatever yet you look'd upon, Or hand of man hath done; therefore I keep it To see the life as lively mock'd, as ever Still sleep mock'd death: behold; and say 'tis well. [PAULINA undraws a curtain, and discovers a statue. I like your silence, it the more shows off Your wonder: But yet speak;-first, you, my liege, Comes it not something near? Leon. Her natural posture! Chide me, dear stone; that I may say, indeed, Pol. O, not by much. Paul. So much the more our carver's excellence; Which lets go by some sixteen years, and makes her As she lived now. Leon. As now she might have done, So much to my good comfort, as it is Now piercing to my soul. O, thus she stood, As now it coldly stands), when first I woo'd her! Per. And give me leave; And do not say, 'tis superstition, that I kneel, and then implore her blessing.-Lady, Paul. O, patience, The statue is but newly fix'd, the colour's Cam. My lord, your sorrow was too sore laid on; So many summers, dry: scarce any joy Did ever so long live; no sorrow, But kill'd itself much sooner. Pol. Dear my brother, Let him, that was the cause of this, have power To take off so much grief from you, as he Will piece up in himself. Paul. Indeed, my lord, If I had thought, the sight of my poor image Would thus have wrought* you (for the stone is mine), Leon. Do not draw the curtain, Paul. No longer shall you gaze on't; lest your fancy May think anon it moves. * Agitated. |