Clo. Ay; or else 'twere hard luck, being in so preposterous estate as we are.

Aut. I humbly beseech you, sir, to pardon 10 me all the faults I have committed to your worship and to give me your good report to the prince my master.

Shep. Prithee, 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 say it, I'll swear it.
Shep. How if it be false, son ?

170

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 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 180 would thou wouldst be a tall fellow of thy hands. 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. [Exeunt.

SCENE III. A chapel in PAULINA's house.

Enter LEONTES, POLIXENES, FLORIZEL, PERDITA, CAMILLO, PAULINA, Lords, and Attendants. Leon. O grave and good Paulina, the great comfort

That I have had of thee!

Paul.

What, sovereign sir,

I did not well I meant well. All my services
You have paid home: but that you have vouch-

safed,

With your crown'd brother and these your con-
tracted

Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to visit,
It is a surplus of your grace, which never

My life may last to answer.

Leon.

O Paulina,

We honour you with trouble: but we came

To see the statue of our queen: your gallery

Have we pass'd through, not without much con

tent

In many singularities; but we saw not

That which my daughter came to look upon,

The statue of her mother.

Paul.

As she lived peerless,

So her dead likeness, I do well believe,

Excels whatever yet you look'd upon

Or hand of man hath done; therefore I keep it

Lonely, apart. But here it is: prepare

To see the life as lively mock'd as ever

Still sleep mock'd death: behold, and say 'tis well.

[Paulina draws a curtain, and discovers

Hermione standing like a statue.

10

20

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

Paul. So much the more our carver's excellence; 30

Which lets go by some sixteen years and makes

her

As she lived 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,
Even with such life of majesty, warm life,

As now it coldly stands, when first I woo'd her!
I am ashamed: does not the stone rebuke me
For being more stone than it? O royal piece
There's magic in thy majesty, which has
My evils conjured to remembrance and
From thy admiring daughter took the spirits,

Standing like stone with thee.

Per.

And do not say 'tis superstition, that

I kneel and then implore her blessing.

And give me leave,

Lady,

O, patience!

Dear queen, that ended when I but began,

Give me that hand of yours to kiss.

Paul.

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,

40

50

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 power

To take off so much grief from you as he

Will piece up in himself.

Paul.

Indeed, my lord, If I had thought the sight of my poor image Would thus have wrought you, for the stone is

mine

I 'ld not have show'd it.
Leon.

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, already-
What was he that did make it? See, my lord,

Would you not deem it breathed? and that those

veins

Did verily bear blood?

Pol.

Masterly done:

The very life seems warm upon her lip.

Leon. The fixure of her eye has motion in 't,

As we are mock'd with art.

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!
No settled senses of the world can match

The pleasure of that madness. Let 't alone.

Paul. I am sorry, sir, I have thus far stirr'd you: but

60

70

Do, Paulina;

I could afflict you farther.

Leon.

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?

For I will kiss her.

Paul.

Let no man mock me,

The ruddiness upon her lip is wet;

You'll mar it if you kiss it, stain your own

With oily painting. Shall I draw the curtain ?

Leon. No, not these twenty years.
Per.

So long could I

Stand by, a looker on.

Paul.

Either forbear,

Quit presently the chapel, or resolve you

For more amazement. If you can behold it,

I'll make the statue move indeed, descend

And take you by the hand: but then you'll think

Which I protest against-I am assisted

By wicked powers.

Leon.

What you can make her do,

I am content to look on: what to speak,

I am content to hear; for 'tis as easy

To make her speak as move.

Paul.

It is required

You do awake your faith. Then all stand still;
On: those that think it is unlawful business

I am about, let them depart.

Leon.

No foot shall stir.

Paul.

Proceed:

Music, awake her; strike! [Music.

'Tis time; descend; be stone no more; approach:

Strike all that look upon with marvel. Come,

I'll fill your grave up: stir, nay, come away,

100