THE WINTER'S TALE. Sidney Lee

KEEPER

       I may not, madam;

       To the contrary I have express commandment.

       PAULINA

       Here’s ado, to lock up honesty and honour from

       The access of gentle visitors!—Is’t lawful,

       Pray you, to see her women? any of them?

       Emilia?

       KEEPER

       So please you, madam, to put

       Apart these your attendants, I

       Shall bring Emilia forth.

       PAULINA

       I pray now, call her.

       Withdraw yourselves.

       [Exeunt ATTENDANTS.]

       KEEPER

       And, madam,

       I must be present at your conference.

       PAULINA

       Well, be’t so, pr’ythee.

       [Exit KEEPER.]

       Here’s such ado to make no stain a stain

       As passes colouring.

       [Re-enter KEEPER, with EMILIA.]

       Dear gentlewoman, how fares our gracious lady?

       EMILIA

       As well as one so great and so forlorn

       May hold together: on her frights and griefs,—

       Which never tender lady hath borne greater,—

       She is, something before her time, deliver’d.

       PAULINA

       A boy?

       EMILIA

       A daughter; and a goodly babe,

       Lusty, and like to live: the queen receives

       Much comfort in’t; says ‘My poor prisoner,

       I am as innocent as you.’

       PAULINA

       I dare be sworn;—

       These dangerous unsafe lunes i’ the king, beshrew them!

       He must be told on’t, and he shall: the office

       Becomes a woman best; I’ll take’t upon me;

       If I prove honey-mouth’d, let my tongue blister;

       And never to my red-look’d anger be

       The trumpet any more.—Pray you, Emilia,

       Commend my best obedience to the queen;

       If she dares trust me with her little babe,

       I’ll show’t the king, and undertake to be

       Her advocate to th’ loud’st. We do not know

       How he may soften at the sight o’ the child:

       The silence often of pure innocence

       Persuades, when speaking fails.

       EMILIA

       Most worthy madam,

       Your honour and your goodness is so evident,

       That your free undertaking cannot miss

       A thriving issue: there is no lady living

       So meet for this great errand. Please your ladyship

       To visit the next room, I’ll presently

       Acquaint the queen of your most noble offer;

       Who but to-day hammer’d of this design,

       But durst not tempt a minister of honour,

       Lest she should be denied.

       PAULINA

       Tell her, Emilia,

       I’ll use that tongue I have: if wit flow from it

       As boldness from my bosom, let’t not be doubted

       I shall do good.

       EMILIA

       Now be you bless’d for it!

       I’ll to the queen: please you come something nearer.

       KEEPER

       Madam, if ‘t please the queen to send the babe,

       I know not what I shall incur to pass it,

       Having no warrant.

       PAULINA

       You need not fear it, sir:

       This child was prisoner to the womb, and is,

       By law and process of great nature thence

       Freed and enfranchis’d: not a party to

       The anger of the king, nor guilty of,

       If any be, the trespass of the queen.

       KEEPER

       I do believe it.

       PAULINA

       Do not you fear: upon mine honour, I

       Will stand betwixt you and danger.

       [Exeunt.]

      SCENE III. The same. A Room in the Palace.

       [Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, Lords, and other Attendants.]

       LEONTES

       Nor night nor day no rest: it is but weakness

       To bear the matter thus,—mere weakness. If

       The cause were not in being,—part o’ the cause,

       She the adultress; for the harlot king

       Is quite beyond mine arm, out of the blank

       And level of my brain, plot-proof; but she

       I can hook to me:—say that she were gone,

       Given to the fire, a moiety of my rest

       Might come to me again.—Who’s there?

       FIRST ATTENDANT

       My lord?

       LEONTES

       How does the boy?

       FIRST ATTENDANT

       He took good rest tonight;

       ‘Tis hop’d his sickness is discharg’d.

       LEONTES

       To see his nobleness!

       Conceiving the dishonour of his mother,

       He straight declin’d, droop’d, took it deeply,

       Fasten’d and fix’d the shame on’t in himself,

       Threw off his spirit, his appetite, his sleep,

       And downright languish’d.—Leave me solely:—go,

       See how he fares.—

       [Exit FIRST ATTENDANT.]

       Fie, fie! no thought of him;

       The very thought of my revenges that way

       Recoil upon me: in himself too mighty,

       And in his parties, his alliance,—let him be,

       Until a time may serve: for present vengeance,

       Take it on her. Camillo and Polixenes

       Laugh at me; make their pastime at my sorrow:

       They should not laugh if I could reach them; nor

       Shall she within my power.

       [Enter PAULINA, with a Child.]