The Winter’s Tale

Thou dost make possible things not so held,

Communicat’st with dreams – how can this be? – 140

With what’s unreal thou coactive art,

And fellow’st nothing. Then ’tis very credent

Thou mayst co-join with something; and thou dost –

And that beyond commission; and I find it,

And that to the infection of my brains 145

And hard’ning of my brows.

Polixenes

What means Sicilia?

Hermione

He something seems unsettled.

Polixenes

How, my lord!

What cheer? How is’t with you, best brother?

Hermione

You look

As if you held a brow of much distraction.

Are you mov’d, my lord?

Leontes

No, in good earnest. 150

How sometimes nature will betray its folly,

Its tenderness, and make itself a pastime

To harder bosoms! Looking on the lines

Of my boy’s face, me thoughts I did recoil

Twenty-three years; and saw myself unbreech’d, 155

In my green velvet coat; my dagger muzzl’d,

Lest it should bite its master and so prove,

As ornaments oft do, too dangerous.

How like, methought, I then was to this kernel,

This squash, this gentleman. Mine honest friend, 160

Will you take eggs for money?

Mamillius

No, my lord, I’ll fight.

Leontes

You will? Why, happy man be’s dole! My brother,

Are you so fond of your young prince as we

Do seem to be of ours?

Polixenes

If at home, sir, 165

He’s all my exercise, my mirth, my matter;

Now my sworn friend, and then mine enemy;

My parasite, my soldier, statesman, all.

He makes a July’s day short as December,

And with his varying childness cures in me 170

Thoughts that would thick my blood.

Leontes

So stands this squire

Offic’d with me. We two will walk, my lord,

And leave you to your graver steps. Hermione,

How thou lov’st us show in our brother’s welcome;

Let what is dear in Sicily be cheap; 175

Next to thyself and my young rover, he’s

Apparent to my heart.

Hermione

If you would seek us,

We are yours i’ th’ garden. Shall’s attend you there?

Leontes

To your own bents dispose you; you’ll be found,

Be you beneath the sky. [Aside] I am angling now, 180

Though you perceive me not how I give line.

Go to, go to!

How she holds up the neb, the bill to him!

And arms her with the boldness of a wife

To her allowing husband!

[Exeunt POLIXENES, HERMIONE, and Attendants.]

Gone already! 185

Inch-thick, knee-deep, o’er head and ears a fork’d one!

Go, play, boy, play; thy mother plays, and I

Play too; but so disgrac’d a part, whose issue

Will hiss me to my grave. Contempt and clamour

Will be my knell. Go, play, boy, play. There have been, 190

Or I am much deceiv’d, cuckolds ere now;

And many a man there is, even at this present,

Now while I speak this, holds his wife by th’ arm

That little thinks she has been sluic’d in’s absence,

And his pond fish’d by his next neighbour, by 195

Sir Smile, his neighbour. Nay, there’s comfort in’t,

Whiles other men have gates and those gates open’d,

As mine, against their will. Should all despair

That have revolted wives, the tenth of mankind

Would hang themselves. Physic for’t there’s none; 200

It is a bawdy planet, that will strike

Where ’tis predominant; and ’tis pow’rful, think it,

From east, west, north, and south. Be it concluded,

No barricado for a belly. Know’t,

It will let in and out the enemy 205

With bag and baggage. Many thousand on’s

Have the disease, and feel’t not. How now, boy!

Mamillius

I am like you, they say.

Leontes

Why, that’s some comfort.

What! Camillo there?

Camillo

Ay, my good lord. 210

Leontes

Go play, Mamillius; thou’rt an honest man.

[Exit MAMILLIUS.]

Camillo, this great sir will yet stay longer.

Camillo

You had much ado to make his anchor hold;

When you cast out, it still came home.

Leontes

Didst note it?

Camillo

He would not stay at your petitions; made 215

His business more material.

Leontes

Didst perceive it?

[Aside] They’re here with me already; whisp’ring, rounding,

‘Sicilia is a so-forth’. ’Tis far gone

When I shall gust it last. – How came’t, Camillo,

That he did stay?

Camillo

At the good Queen’s entreaty. 220

Leontes

‘At the Queen’s’ be’t. ‘Good’ should be pertinent;

But so it is, it is not. Was this taken

By any understanding pate but thine?

For thy conceit is soaking, will draw in

More than the common blocks. Not noted, is’t, 225

But of the finer natures, by some severals

Of head-piece extraordinary? Lower messes

Perchance are to this business purblind? Say.

Camillo

Business, my lord? I think most understand

Bohemia stays here longer.

Leontes

Ha?

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