Queen. All the better; may This night forestall him of the coming day!1 [Exit QUEEN. Clo. I love and hate her; for she's fair and royal; And that she hath all courtly parts more exquisite Than lady, ladies, woman; 2 from every one The best she hath, and she, of all compounded, Outsells them all. I love her therefore; but, Disdaining me, and throwing favors on The low Posthumus, slanders so her judgment, That what's else rare, is choked; and, in that point, I will conclude to hate her, nay, indeed, To be revenged upon her. For, when fools Enter PISANIO. Shall-Who is here? What! are you packing, sirrah? Come hither. Ah, you precious pander! Villain, Where is thy lady? In a word; or else Thou art straightway with the fiends. Pis. O, good my lord! Clo. Where is thy lady? or, by Jupiter, I will not ask again. Close villain, From whose so many weights of baseness cannot Pis. How can she be with him? He is in Rome. Clo. Alas, my lord, When was she missed? Where is she, sir? Come nearer; No further halting. Satisfy me home, What is become of her? Pis. O, my all-worthy lord! Clo. All worthy villain! Discover where thy mistress is, at once, At the next word,-No more of worthy lord, 1 i. e. may his grief this night prevent him from ever seeing another day, by anticipated and premature destruction. 2 Than any lady, than all ladies, than all womankind. Speak, or thy silence on the instant is Then, sir, Pis. This paper is the history of is the history of my knowledge Touching her flight. Clo. [Presenting a letter. Let's see't. I will pursue her Even to Augustus' throne. Pis. Or this, or perish.' She's far enough; and what he learns by this, Aside. May prove his travel, not her danger. Clo. Humph! Pis. I'll write to my lord she's dead. Safe mayst thou wander, safe return again! Clo. Sirrah, is this letter true ? Pis. Sir, as I think. Clo. It is Posthumus' hand; I know't.-Sirrah, if thou wouldst not be a villain, but do me true service; undergo those employments, wherein I should have cause to use thee, with a serious industry,—that is, what villany soe'er I bid thee do, to perform it directly and truly, I would think thee an honest man. Thou shouldst neither want my means for thy relief, nor my voice for thy preferment. Pis. Well, my good lord. Clo. Wilt thou serve me? For since patiently and constantly thou hast stuck to the bare fortune of that beggar Posthumus, thou canst not in the course of gratitude but be a diligent follower of mine. Wilt thou serve me? Pis. Sir, I will. Hast Clo. Give me thy hand; here's my purse. any of thy late master's garments in thy possession? Pis. I have, my lord, at my lodging, the same suit he wore when he took leave of my lady and mistress. Clo. The first service thou dost me, fetch that suit hither; let it be thy first service; go. Pis. I shall, my lord. [Exit. 1 By these words, it is probable Pisanio means, "I must either practise this deceit upon Cloten, or perish by his fury." Dr. Johnson thought the words should be given to Cloten. Clo. Meet thee at Milford-Haven.-I forgot to ask him one thing; I'll remember't anon.-Even there, thou villain, Posthumus, will I kill thee.-I would these garments were come. She said upon a time, (the bitterness of it I now belch from my heart,) that she held the very garment of Posthumus in more respect than my noble and natural person, together with the adornment of my qualities. With that suit upon my back, will I ravish her. First kill him, and in her eyes; there shall she see my valor, which will then be a torment to her contempt. He on the ground, my speech of insultment ended on his dead body,and when my lust hath dined, (which, as I say, to vex her, I will execute in the clothes that she so praised,) to the court I'll knock her back, foot her home again. She hath despised me rejoicingly, and I'll be merry in my revenge. Re-enter PISANIO, with the clothes. Be those the garments? Pis. Ay, my noble lord. Clo. How long is't since she went to MilfordHaven ? Pis. She can scarce be there yet. Clo. Bring this apparel to my chamber; that is the second thing that I have commanded thee; the third is, that thou wilt be a voluntary mute to my design. Be but duteous, and true preferment shall tender itself to thee. My revenge is now at Milford; 'would I had wings to follow it!-Come, and be true. [Exit. Pis. Thou bidd'st me to my loss; for, true to thee, Were to prove false, which I will never be, To him that is most true.'-To Milford go, And find not her whom thou pursu'st. Flow, flow, You heavenly blessings, on her! This fool's speed Be crossed with slowness; labor be his meed! [Exit. 1 Pisanio, notwithstanding his master's letter commanding the murder of Imogen, considers him as true, supposing, as he has already said to her, that Posthumus was abused by some villain, equally an enemy to them both. SCENE VI. Before the Cave of Belarius. Enter IMOGEN, in boy's clothes. Imo. I see a man's life is a tedious one. I have tired myself; and for two nights together Have made the ground my bed. I should be sick, But that my resolution helps me.—Milford, When from the mountain-top Pisanio showed thee, Thou wast within a ken. O Jove! I think Foundations fly the wretched; such, I mean, Where they should be relieved. Two beggars told me, I could not miss my way. Will poor folks lie, That have afflictions on them; knowing 'tis A punishment, or trial? Yes; no wonder, When rich ones scarce tell true. To lapse in fulness Is sorer,' than to lie for need; and falsehood Is worse in kings than beggars.-My dear lord! Thou art one o'the false ones. Now I think on thee, My hunger's gone; but even before, I was At point to sink for food.-But what is this? Here is a path to it. 'Tis some savage hold: I were best not call; I dare not call; yet famine, Ere clean it o'erthrow nature, makes it valiant. Plenty, and peace, breeds cowards; hardness ever Of hardiness is mother.-Ho! who's here? If any thing that's civil,2 speak; if savage, Take, or lend.-Ho!-No answer? then I'll enter. Best draw my sword; and if mine enemy But fear the sword like me, he'll scarcely look on't. Such a foe, good Heavens! [She goes into the cave. Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGus. Bel. You, Polydore, have proved best woodman,3 and 1 i. e. is a greater or heavier crime. 2 Civil is here civilized, as opposed to savage, wild, rude, or uncultivated. "If any one dwell here." 3 A woodman, in its common acceptation, as here, signifies a hunter. Are master of the feast. Cadwal, and I, Gui. on that, Whilst what we have killed be cooked. Bel. Stay; come not in. [Looking in. But that it eats our victuals, I should think Here were a fairy. What's the matter, sir? Gui. Bel. By Jupiter, an angel! or, if not, An earthly paragon!-Behold divineness No elder than a boy! Enter IMOGEN. Imo. Good masters, harm me not. Before I entered here, I called; and thought To have begged, or bought, what I have took. Good troth, 3 I have stolen nought; nor would not, though I had found Gold strewed i'the floor. Here's money for my meat. I would have left it on the board, so soon As I had made my meal; and parted, With prayers for the provider. Gui. Money, youth? Arv. All gold and silver rather turn to dirt! 1 i. e. our compact. 2 Restie, which Steevens unwarrantably changed to restive, signifies here dull, heavy, as it is explained in Bullokar's Expositor, 1616. 3 Hanmer altered this to "o' the floor; " but in was frequently used for on in Shakspeare's time, as in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy will be done in earth." |