Polix.

How should this grow?

Cam. I know not: but I'm sure 'tis safer to
Avoid what's grown than question how 'tis born.
If, therefore, you dare trust my honesty,-
That lies enclosèd in this trunk, which you
Shall bear along impawn'd, - away to-night!
Your followers I will whisper to the business;
And will, by twos and threes, at several posterns,
Clear them o' the city for myself, I'll put

:

My fortunes to your service, which are here
By this discovery lost. Be not uncertain;
For, by the honour of my parents, I

Have utter'd truth: which if you seek to prove,

I dare not stand by; nor shall you be safer

Than one condemn'd by th' King's own mouth, thereon
His execution sworn.

I saw his heart in's face. Give me thy hand:

Be pilot to me, and thy places 58 shall

Still neighbour mine. My ships are ready, and
My people did expect my hence-departure
Two days ago. This jealousy of his

Is for a precious creature as she's rare,
Must it be great; and, as his person's mighty,
Must it be violent; and as he does conceive
He is dishonour'd by a man which ever
Profess'd to him, why, his revenges must

In that be made more bitter. Fear o'ershades me :
Good expedition be my friend, and nothing
The gracious Queen, Part of his theme, discomfort
Of his ill-ta'en suspicion !59 Come, Camillo ;

58 Places clearly means offices or honours. Polixenes means that Camillo

shall be placed near him, or in the highest offices under him.

59 The meaning seems to be." May a speedy departure befriend me, and

I will respect thee as a father, if

Thou bear'st my life off hence: let us avoid.
Cam. It is in mine authority to command
The keys of all the posterns: please your Highness
To take the urgent hour: come, sir, away.

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I.-Sicilia. A Room in the Palace.

Enter HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, and Ladies.

Herm. Take the boy to you: he so troubles me, 'Tis past enduring.

I Lady.

Come, my gracious lord,

Shall I be your playfellow?

Mam.

No, I'll none of you.

I Lady. Why, my sweet lord?

Mam. You'll kiss me hard, and speak to me as if

I were a baby still. — I love you better.

2 Lady. And why so, my lord?

Mam.

Not for because

Your brows are blacker; yet black brows, they say,
Become some women best, so that there be not

Too much hair there, but in a semicircle,

Or a half-moon made with a pen.

"

nowise discomfort the Queen in respect of his groundless suspicion!' Polixenes is apprehensive, as he well may be, that his flight will confirm the jealousy of Leontes, and so add to the sufferings of the Queen. And such is indeed the effect of the "good expedition " that rescues him from danger. Shakespeare often uses nothing simply as a strong negative, equivalent to nowise or not at all. He also repeatedly uses of with the force of in respect of. See Critical Notes.

2 Lady.

Who taught ye this?

Mam. I learn'd it out of women's faces. - Pray now What colour are your eyebrows?

1 Lady.

Blue, my lord.

Mam. Nay, that's a mock: I've seen a lady's nose That has been blue, but not her eyebrows.

I Lady.

Hark ye;

The Queen your mother rounds apace: we shall
Present our services to a fine new prince

One of these days; and then you'd wanton with us,

If we would have you.

2 Lady.

She is spread of late

Into a goodly bulk; good time encounter her!

Herm. What wisdom stirs amongst you? - Come, sir, now

I am for you again: pray you, sit by us,

And tell's a tale.

Mam.

Merry or sad shall't be?

Herm. As merry as you will.

Mam. A sad tale's best for Winter: I have one

Of sprites and goblins.

Herm.

Let's have that, good sir.

Come on, sit down: come on, and do your best

To fright me with your sprites; you're powerful at it.
Mam. There was a man,

Herm.

Mam.

Nay, come, sit down ; then on.

Dwelt by a churchyard : — I will tell it softly;

Yond crickets shall not hear it.

Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, Lords, and Guards.

Leon. Was he met there? his train? Camillo with him? I Lord. Behind the tuft of pines I met them; never Saw I men scour so on their way: I eyed them

Even to their ships.

Leon.

How blest am I
In my just censure, in my true opinion!
Alack, for lesser knowledge ! 2 how accursed
In being so blest! There may be in the cup
A spider 3 steep'd, and one may drink, depart,
And yet partake no venom; for his knowledge
Is not infected: but, if one present

Th' abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known
How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his sides,
With violent hefts: 4 I've drunk, and seen the spider.
Camillo was his help in this, his pander:
There is a plot against my life, my crown;
All's true that I mistrusted that false villain
Whom I employ'd was pre-employ'd by him :
He has discover'd my design, and I

Remain a pinch'd thing; 5 yea, a very trick

For them to play at will. - How came the posterns
So easily open?

I Lord.

By his great authority ;

Which often hath no less prevail'd than so,

Give me the boy: I'm glad you did not nurse him :

1 Censure is judgment in old language. This use of the word is well instanced in Fletcher's Elder Brother, i. 2: "Should I say more, you well might censure me a flatterer."

2 "O that my knowledge were less!"

3 Spiders were commonly thought poisonous in Shakespeare's time; a belief not altogether extinct even now.

4 Hefts is heavings; the strainings of nausea. Gorge is throat or gullet. So in Hamlet, v. 1: And now how abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rises at it."

5 Pinch'd thing probably signifies a puppet; puppets being moved or played by pinching them. Leontes means that others are making game of him, and sporting themselves in his dishonour.

Though he does bear some signs of me, yet you
Have too much blood in him.

Herm.

What is this? sport?

Leon. Bear the boy hence; he shall not come about her; Away with him! [Exit MAMILLIUS with some of the Guards. and let her sport herself

And I'll be sworn you would believe my saying,
Howe'er you lean to th' nayward.

Leon.

You, my lords,

Look on her, mark her well; be but about

To say, She is a goodly lady, and

The justice of your hearts will thereto add,

'Tis pity she's not honest-honourable :

Praise her but for this her without-door form,

Which, on my faith, deserves high speech, and straight
The shrug, the hum, or ha, - these petty brands
That calumny doth use; - O, I am out,

That mercy does; for calumny will sear 6

Virtue itself; these shrugs, these hums and ha's,

When you have said she's goodly, come between,
Ere you can say she's honest: but be't known,

From him that has most cause to grieve it should be,
She's an adultress.

Herm.

Should a villain say so,

The most replenish'd villain in the world,

He were as much more villain: you, my lord,
Do but mistake.

Leon.

You have mistook, my lady,

6 Sear has the sense of brands, second line before. The image is of burning marks upon the person with a hot iron.