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 gentlemanlike 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. 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 9 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 tall 10 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 would'st be a tall fellow of thy hands. 9 i. e. Yeomen. 10 i. e. a bold, courageous fellow. See note on The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act i. Sc. 5. Autolycus chooses to understand the phrase in one of its senses, which was that of nimble handed, working with his hands, a fellow skilful in thievery. 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 11. [Exeunt. The same. SCENE III. A Room in Paulina's House. Enter LEONTES, POLIXENES, Florizel, PerDITA, CAMILLO, PAULINA, Lords, and Attendants. Leon. O grave and good Paulina, the great com fort That I have had of thee! Paul. Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to visit, Leon. O Paulina, We honour you with trouble: But we came That which my daughter came to look upon, The statue of her mother. Paul. As she liv'd peerless, So her dead likeness, I do well believe, 11 Good masters. It was a common petitionary phrase to ask a superior to be good lord or good master to the supplicant. Excels whatever yet you look'd upon, Or hand of man hath done; therefore I keep it 'tis well. [PAUL. 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, Thou art Hermione: or, rather, thou art she, In thy not chiding; for she was as tender As infancy and grace.—But yet, Paulina, Hermione was not so much wrinkled, nothing So aged, as this seems. 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 liv'd 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, Give me that hand of yours, to kiss. 1 The old copy reads louely. Paul. O, patience; The statue is but newly fix'd, the colour's Not dry. Cam. My lord, your sorrow was too sore laid on; Which sixteen winters cannot blow away, 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 Paul. power Indeed, my lord, If I had thought, the sight of my poor image Would thus have wrought I'd not have show'd it 3. Leon. you (for the stone is mine), Do not draw the curtain. Paul. No longer shall you gaze on't; lest your fancy May think anon, it moves. Leon. Let be, let be. 'Would, I were dead, but that, methinks, already1— What was he, that did make it?-See, my lord, Would you not deem, it breath'd? and that those veins Did verily bear blood? Pol. Masterly done: The very life seems warm upon her lip. Leon. The fixture of her eye has motion in't5, As we are mock'd with art 6. 2 Worked, agitated. 3 The folio reads 'Il'd not have show'd it.' In the late edition of Malone's Shakspeare it stands, 'I'll not have show'd it.' But surely this is erroneous. 4 The sentence if completed would probably have been, but that, methinks, already I converse with the dead.'-His passion made him break off. 5 i. e. Though her eye be fixed, it seems to have motion in it. As for as if. With has the force of by. Paul. I'll draw the curtain; My lord's almost so far transported, that He'll think anon it lives. Leon. O sweet Paulina, Make me to think so twenty years together; Leon. Do, Paulina; For this affliction has a taste as sweet As any cordial comfort. Still, methinks, There is an air comes from her: What fine chisel Could ever yet cut breath? Let no man mock me, For I will kiss her. Paul. Good my lord, forbear: The ruddiness upon her lip is wet; You'll mar it, if kiss it; you stain your own With oily painting: Shall I draw the curtain? Per. Stand by, a looker on. Paul. So long could I Either forbear, Quit presently the chapel; or resolve you By wicked powers. Leon. What you can make her do, I am content to look on: what to speak, To make her speak, as move. Paul. It is requir'd, You do awake your faith: Then, all stand still; I am about, let them depart. |