A child that guided dotards: to his mistress, What kind of a man he is. 2nd Gent. I honor him The pangs of barred affections: though the king Hath charged you should not speak together. [Exit. Imo. O, dissembling courtesy! How fine this tyrant Can tickle where she wounds! - My dearest husband, Even out of your report. But 'pray you tell me, I something fear my father's wrath, but nothing Is she sole child to the king? (Always reserved my holy duty) what Post. My queen! my mistress! O, lady, weep no more; lest I give cause 2nd Gent. That a king's children should be so The loyal'st husband that did e'er plight troth. If the king come, I shall incur I know not [Exeunt. How much of his displeasure. Enter the QUEEN, POSTHUMUS, and IMOGEN. Queen. No, be assured, you shall not find me, daughter, After the slander of most stepmothers, Yet I'll move him. [Aside. [Exit. To walk this way: I never do him wrong, Post. Should we be taking leave Am senseless of your wrath; a touch more rare No harm, I trust, is done? Imo. Past hope, and in despair; that way, past And had no help of anger: they were parted Cym. Thou took'st a beggar would have made Myself by with a needle, that I might prick The goer back. Why came you from your master? 1st Lord. Hurt him? his body's a passable carcass, if he be not hurt it is a thoroughfare for steel, if it be not hurt. 2nd Lord. His steel was in debt; it went o' the backside the town. [Aside. Clo. The villain would not stand me. 2nd Lord. No; but he fled forward still, toward your face. [Aside. 1st Lord. Stand you! You have land enough of your own but he added to your having; gave you some ground. 2nd Lord. As many inches as you have oceans. Puppies! [Aside. Clo. I would they had not come between us. 2nd Lord. So would I, till you had measured how long a fool you were upon the ground. [Aside. Clo. And that she should love this fellow, and refuse me! 2nd Lord. If it be a sin to make a true election, she is damned. [Aside. 1st Lord. Sir, as I told you always, her beauty and her brain go not together. She's a good sign, but I have seen small reflection of her wit. 2nd Lord. She shines not upon fools, lest the reflection should hurt her. [Aside. 'Would there Clo. Come, I'll to my chamber. had been some hurt done! 2nd Lord. I wish not so; unless it had been the fall of an ass, which is no great hurt. Clo. You'll go with us? 1st Lord. I'll attend your lordship. [Aside. SCENE IV. A Room in CYMBELINE'S Palace. Enter IMOGEN and PISANIO. Imo. I would thou grew'st unto the shores o' the haven, And question'dst every sail: if he should write, "His was, Pisa. queen!" Imo. Senseless linen! happier therein than I! — And that was all? Imo. I would have broke mine eye-strings; cracked them, but To look upon him; till the diminution Imo. I did not take my leave of him, but had swear The shes of Italy should not betray Mine interest and his honor; or have charged him At the sixth hour of morn, at noon, at midnight, To encounter me with orisons, for then And, like the tyrannous breathing of the north, Imo. Those things I bid you do, get them despatched. to whom I have been often bound for no less than my life. Enter POSTHUMUS. Here comes the Briton: let him be so entertained amongst you as suits, with gentlemen of your knowing, to a stranger of his quality. - I beseech you all, be better known to this gentleman; whom I commend to you, as a noble friend of mine: how worthy he is I will leave to appear hereafter, rather than story him in his own hearing. French. Sir, we have known together in Orleans. Post. Since when I have been debtor to you for [Exeunt. courtesies which I will be ever to pay, and yet pay still. French. Sir, you o'errate my poor kindness. I SCENE V.-Rome. An Apartment in PHILARIO'S was glad I did atone my countryman and you; it House. Enter PHILARIO, IACHIMO, a Frenchman, a Dutchman, and a Spaniard. Iach. Believe it, sir. I have seen him in Britain: he was then of a crescent note; expected to prove so worthy as since he hath been allowed the name of: but I could then have looked on him without the help of admiration, though the catalogue of his endowments had been tabled by his side, and I to peruse him by items. Phi. You speak of him when he was less furnished than now he is with that which makes him, both without and within. French. I have seen him in France: we had very many there could behold the sun with as firm eyes as he. Iach. This matter of marrying his king's daughter (wherein he must be weighed rather by her value than his own), words him, I doubt not, a great deal from the matter. French. And then his banishment: Iach. Ay, and the approbations of those, that weep this lamentable divorce, and her dolours are wont wonderfully to extend him; be it but to fortify her judgment, which else an easy battery might lay flat, for taking a beggar without more quality. But how comes it he is to sojourn with you? how creeps acquaintance? Phi. His father and I were soldiers together; had been pity you should have been put together with so mortal a purpose as then each bore, upon importance of so slight and trivial a nature. Post. By your pardon, sir, I was then a young traveler; rather shunned to go even with what I heard, than in my every action to. be guided by others' experiences: but, upon my mended judg ment (if I offend not to say it is mended), my quarrel was not altogether slight. French. 'Faith, yes, to be put to the arbitrement of swords; and by such two that would, by all likelihood, have confounded one the other, or have fallen both. Iach. Can we, with manners ask what was the difference? French. Safely, I think; 't was a contention in public, which may, without contradiction, suffer the report. It was much like an argument that fell out last night, where each of us fell in praise of our country mistresses: this gentleman at that time vouching (and upon warrant of bloody affirmation) his to be more fair, virtuous, wise, chaste, constant-qualified, and less attemptible, than any the rarest of our ladies in France. Iach. That lady is not now living; or this gentleman's opinion, by this worn out. Post. She holds her virtue still, and I my mind. Jach. You must not so far prefer her 'fore ours of Italy. Post. Being so far provoked as I was in France, I would abate her nothing; though I profess my- Post. You are a great deal abused in too bold a persuasion: and I doubt not you sustain what you're hand comparison), had been something too fair and too good for any lady in Britany. If she went before others I have seen, as that diamond of yours out-lustres many I have beheld, I could not but believe she excelled many: but I have not seen the most precious diamond that is, nor you the lady. Jach. What's that? Post. A repulse-though your attempt, as you call it, deserves more; a punishment too. Phi. Gentlemen, enough of this; it came in too suddenly; let it die as it was born, and I pray you be better acquainted. Iach. 'Would I had put my estate, and my Post. I praised her as I rated her: so do I my stone. neighbor's, on the approbation of what I have Iach. Either your unparagoned mistress is dead, or she's outprized by a trifle. Post. You are mistaken: the one may be sold or given, if there were wealth enough for the purchase, or merit for the gift: the other is not a thing for sale, and only the gift of the gods. Iach. Which the gods have given you! Post. Which, by their graces, I will keep. Jach. You may wear her in title yours; but you know strange fowl light upon neighboring ponds : your ring may be stolen too: so, of your brace of unprizable estimations, the one is but frail, and the other casual; a cunning thief, or a that-wayaccomplished courtier, would hazard the winning both of first and last. Post. Your Italy contains none so accomplished a courtier, to convince the honor of my mistress; if in the holding or loss of that, you term her frail. I do nothing doubt you have store of thieves; notwithstanding, I fear not my ring. Phi. Let us leave here, gentlemen. Post. Sir, with all my heart. This worthy signior, I thank him, makes no stranger of me; we are familiar at first. Iach. With five times so much conversation, I should get ground of your fair mistress; make her go back, even to the yielding; had I admittance, and opportunity to friend. Post. No, no. Iach. I dare thereupon pawn the moiety of my estate to your ring; which, in my opinion, o'ervalues it something: but I make my wager rather against your confidence, than her reputation: and, to bar your offense herein too, I durst attempt it against any lady in the world. spoke. Post. What lady would you choose to assail? Iach. Yours; whom in constancy you think stands so safe. I will lay you ten thousand ducats to your ring, that, commend me to the court where your lady is, with no more advantage than the opportunity of a second conference, and I will bring from thence that honor of hers which you imagine so reserved. Post. I will wage against your gold, gold to it: my ring I hold as dear as my finger; 't is part of it. Iach. You are a friend, and therein the wiser. If you buy ladies' flesh at a million a dram, you cannot preserve it from tainting: but I see you have some religion in you, that you fear. Post. This is but a custom in your tongue; you bear a graver purpose, I hope. Iach. I am the master of my speeches; and would undergo what 's spoken, I swear. - Post. Will you?—I shall but lend my diamond till your return. Let there be covenants drawn between us. My mistress exceeds in goodness the hugeness of your unworthy thinking. I dare you to this match: here's my ring. Phi. I will have it no lay. Iach. By the gods it is one. -If I bring you no sufficient testimony that I have enjoyed the dearest bodily part of your mistress, my ten thousand ducats are yours; so is your diamond too. If I come off, and leave her in such honor as you have trust in, she your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold are yours:- provided I have your commendation for my more free entertainment. Post. I embrace these conditions; let us have articles betwixt us:-only, thus far you shall answer. If you make good your vauntage upon her, and give me directly to understand you have |