Where 'tis predominant; and 'tis powerful, 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

How now, boy!

With bag and baggage: many thousand on's
Have the disease, and feel 't not.
Mam. I am like you, they say.

Leon.

What, Camillo there?

Why, that's some comfort.

Cam. Ay, my good lord.

Leon. Go play, Mamillius; thou'rt an honest

man.

[Exit Mamillius.

Camillo, this great sir will yet stay longer.

Cam. You had much ado to make his anchor

hold:

When you cast out, it still came home.

Leon.

Didst note it?

Cam. He would not stay at your petitions; made His business more material.

Leon.

Didst perceive it?

[Aside] They're here with me already, whispering,

rounding

'Sicilia is a so-forth :' 'tis far gone,

When I shall gust it last.

That he did stay?

Cam.

How came 't, Camillo,

210

At the good queen's entreaty. 220

Leon. 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,
But of the finer natures? by some severals

214. came home, failed to take hold.

222. taken, perceived.

217. rounding, whispering.

226. severals, individuals.

Of head-piece extraordinary ? lower messes
Perchance are to this business purblind? say.
Cam. Business, my lord! I think most under-
stand

Bohemia stays here longer.

Leon

Cam.

Leon. Ay, but why?

Ha!

Stays here longer. 230

Cam. To satisfy your highness and the entreaties Of our most gracious mistress.

Leon.

Satisfy!

The entreaties of your mistress! satisfy!
Let that suffice. I have trusted thee, Camillo,
With all the nearest things to my heart, as well
My chamber-councils, wherein, priest-like, thou
Hast cleansed my bosom, I from thee departed
Thy penitent reform'd: but we have been
Deceived in thy integrity, deceived

In that which seems so.

Cam.

Be it forbid, my lord! Leon. To bide upon 't, thou art not honest, or, If thou inclinest that way, thou art a coward, Which hoxes honesty behind, restraining

From course required; or else thou must be counted

A servant grafted in my serious trust

And therein negligent; or else a fool

That seest a game play'd home, the rich stake

240

237. chamber-councils, private designs.

242. To bide upon't, to continue, or dwell upon it.

244. hoxes,

maims.

hamstrings,

U

I may be negligent, foolish and fearful;
In every one of these no man is free,
But that his negligence, his folly, fear,
Among the infinite doings of the world,
Sometime puts forth. In your affairs, my lord,
If ever I were wilful-negligent,

It was my folly; if industriously

I play'd the fool, it was my negligence,
Not weighing well the end; if ever fearful
To do a thing, where I the issue doubted,
Whereof the execution did cry out
Against the non-performance, 'twas a fear
Which oft infects the wisest: these, my lord,
Are such allow'd infirmities that honesty
Is never free of. But, beseech your grace,
Be plainer with me; let me know my trespass
By its own visage: if I then deny it,

'Tis none of mine.

Leon.
Ha' not you seen, Camillo,—
But that's past doubt, you have, or your eye-glass
Is thicker than a cuckold's horn,—or heard,—
For to a vision so apparent rumour
Cannot be mute,—or thought, for cogitation
Resides not in that man that does not think,—
My wife is slippery? If thou wilt confess,
Or else be impudently negative,

To have nor eyes nor ears nor thought, then say
My wife's a hobby-horse, deserves a name
As rank as any flax-wench that puts to
Before her troth-plight: say 't and justify 't.
Cam. I would not be a stander-by to hear
My sovereign mistress clouded so, without
My present vengeance taken: 'shrew my heart,
You never spoke what did become you less

256. industriously, deliberately.

266. its (F, it's).
281. present, instant.

250

260

270

280

Than this; which to reiterate were sin
As deep as that, though true.

Leon.
Is whispering nothing?
Is leaning cheek to cheek? is meeting noses?
Kissing with inside lip? stopping the career
Of laughter with a sigh ?—a note infallible
Of breaking honesty-horsing foot on foot?
Skulking in corners? wishing clocks more swift?
Hours, minutes? noon, midnight? and all eyes
Blind with the pin and web but theirs, theirs only,
That would unseen be wicked? is this nothing?
Why, then the world and all that's in 't is nothing;
The covering sky is nothing; Bohemia nothing;
My wife is nothing; nor nothing have these
nothings,

If this be nothing.

Cam.

Of this diseased opinion, and betimes;

For 'tis most dangerous.

Leon.

290

Good my lord, be cured

Say it be, 'tis true.

It is; you lie, you lie :

300

Cam. No, no, my lord.

Leon.

I say thou liest, Camillo, and I hate thee,

Pronounce thee a gross lout, a mindless slave,
Or else a hovering temporizer, that

Canst with thine eyes at once see good and evil,
Inclining to them both were my wife's liver

Infected as her life, she would not live

The running of one glass.

Cam.

Who does infect her?

Leon. Why, he that wears her like her medal, hanging

About his neck, Bohemia: who, if I

Had servants true about me, that bare eyes

To see alike mine honour as their profits,

291. the pin and web, cataract.

310

Their own particular thrifts, they would do that
Which should undo more doing: ay, and thou,
His cup-bearer,-whom I from meaner form
Have bench'd and rear'd to worship, who mayst see
Plainly as heaven sees earth and earth sees heaven,
How I am galled,-mightst bespice a cup,

To give mine enemy a lasting wink;

Which draught to me were cordial.

Cam.

Sir, my lord,

I could do this, and that with no rash potion,

But with a lingering dram that should not work
Maliciously like poison: but I cannot
Believe this crack to be in my dread mistress,
So sovereignly being honourable.

I have loved thee,

Leon.

Make that thy question, and go rot!

Dost think I am so muddy, so unsettled,
To appoint myself in this vexation, sully
The purity and whiteness of my sheets,
Which to preserve is sleep, which being spotted
Is goads, thorns, nettles, tails of wasps,
Give scandal to the blood o' the prince my son,
Who I do think is mine and love as mine,
Without ripe moving to 't? Would I do this?
Could man so blench?

Cam.

I must believe you, sir:
I do; and will fetch off Bohemia for 't;

Provided that, when he's removed, your highness
Will take again your queen as yours at first,

311. particular thrifts, private gains.

313. meaner form, lower place (with an allusion to the lower seats in hall).

314. bench'd,

authority.

317. wink, sleep.

raised

to

319. rash, quick.

320

330

324. Make that thy question, treat Hermione's guilt as open to discussion, and be cursed! 326. appoint myself, dress myself.

333. blench, swerve (from reason).