Cymbeline (9 page)
Authors: William Shakespeare
Takes off her bracelet
As slippery as the
Gordian knot
was
hard.
36
’Tis mine, and this will
witness outwardly
37
,
As strongly as the conscience does within,
To
th’madding
39
of her lord. On her left breast
A mole
cinque-spotted
: like the crimson
drops
40
I’th’bottom of a
cowslip.
Here’s a
voucher
41
Stronger than ever law could make; this
secret
42
Will force him think I have
picked
43
the lock and ta’en
The treasure of her honour. No more: to what end?
Why should I write this down that’s riveted,
Screwed to my memory? She hath been reading late,
The tale of
Tereus.
47
Here the leaf’s turned down
Where Philomel
gave up.
48
I have enough.
To th’trunk again, and shut the
spring
49
of it.
Swift, swift, you
dragons of the night
, that
dawning
50
May bare the raven’s eye! I lodge in fear:
Though
this
52
a heavenly angel, hell is here.
Clock strikes
One, two, three: time, time!
Exit
[
into the trunk
]
Bed and trunk removed
running scene 5 continues
Enter Cloten and Lords
FIRST LORD
Your lordship is the most patient man in loss, the
most coldest
that ever turned up
ace.
2
CLOTEN
It would make any man
cold
3
to lose.
FIRST LORD
But not every man patient
after
the noble
temper
4
of
your lordship. You are most hot and furious when you win.
CLOTEN
Winning will put any man into courage. If I could
get this foolish Innogen, I should have gold enough. It’s
almost morning, is’t not?
FIRST LORD
Day, my lord.
CLOTEN
I would this music would come: I am advised to give
her music o’ mornings, they say it will
penetrate.
11
—
Enter Musicians
Come on, tune: if you can penetrate her with your
fingering
12
,
so
: we’ll try
with tongue
too: if none will do, let her
remain
13
:
but I’ll never give o’er. First, a very excellent
good-conceited
14
thing; after, a wonderful sweet
air
15
, with admirable rich words
to it, and then let her consider.
Song
Sung by either Cloten or a Musician
Hark, hark, the lark at heaven’s gate sings,
His steeds to water at those
springs
19
On
chaliced
20
flowers that lies:
And
winking
Mary-buds
21
begin to ope their golden eyes
With everything that pretty is, my lady sweet, arise:
Arise, arise.
CLOTEN
So, get you gone: if this penetrate, I will consider
your music the better: if it do not, it is a vice in her ears
which
horsehairs
and
calves’ guts
, nor the voice of
unpaved
26
eunuch
to boot
27
, can never amend.
[Exeunt Musicians]
Enter Cymbeline and Queen
SECOND LORD
Here comes the king.
CLOTEN
I am glad I was up so late, for that’s the reason I was
up so early: he cannot choose but take this service I have
done
fatherly.
31
— Good morrow to your majesty and to my
gracious mother.
CYMBELINE
Attend you here
33
the door of our stern daughter?
Will she not forth?
CLOTEN
I have assailed her with musics, but she
vouchsafes
35
no notice.
CYMBELINE
The exile of her
minion
37
is too new,
She hath not yet forgot him: some more time
Must
wear
39
the print of his remembrance on’t,
And then she’s yours.
QUEEN
You are most
bound
41
to th’king,
Who lets go by no
vantages
42
that may
Prefer
you to his daughter:
frame yourself
43
To orderly solicits, and
be friended
44
With aptness of the season: make
denials
45
Increase your services: so seem, as if
You were inspired to do those duties which
You tender to her: that you in all obey her,
Save when command to your
dismission
49
tends,
And therein you are
senseless.
50
CLOTEN
Senseless? Not so.
[Enter a Messenger]
MESSENGER
So like you
52
, sir, ambassadors from Rome;
The one is Caius Lucius.
CYMBELINE
A worthy fellow,
Albeit
55
he comes on angry purpose now;
But that’s no fault of his: we must
receive
56
him
According to the honour of
his sender
57
,
And towards himself, his goodness
forspent
58
on us,
We must extend our
notice.
59
Our dear son,
When you have given good morning to your mistress,
Attend the queen and us. We shall have need
T’employ you towards this Roman.— Come, our queen.
Exeunt
[
all but Cloten
]
CLOTEN
If she be up, I’ll speak with her: if not,
Let her lie still and dream.— By your leave, ho!—
Knocks
I know her women are about her: what
If I do
line
66
one of their hands? ’Tis gold
Which buys admittance — oft it doth — yea, and makes
Diana’s rangers
false
68
themselves, yield up
Their deer to
th’stand o’th’stealer
69
: and ’tis gold
Which makes the
true
70
man killed and saves the thief:
Nay, sometime hangs both thief and true man: what
Can it not do and undo? I will make
One of her women
lawyer to me
73
, for
I yet not
understand the case
74
myself.—
Knocks
By your leave.
Enter a Lady
LADY
Who’s there that knocks?
CLOTEN
A gentleman.
LADY
No more?
CLOTEN
Yes, and a gentlewoman’s son.
LADY
That’s more
80
Than some whose tailors are as dear as yours
Can justly boast of: what’s your lordship’s pleasure?
CLOTEN
Your lady’s person: is she ready?
LADY
Ay,
To
keep
85
her chamber.
CLOTEN
There is gold for you,
Gives money
LADY
How, my good name? Or to report of you
What I shall think is good? The princess.
Enter Innogen
[
Exit Lady
]
INNOGEN
Good morrow, sir. You
lay out
91
too much pains
For purchasing
but
92
trouble: the thanks I give
Is telling you that I am poor of thanks,
And scarce can spare them.
CLOTEN
Still I swear I love you.
INNOGEN
If you but said so, ’twere as
deep
96
with me:
If you swear
still
97
, your recompense is still
That I regard it not.
CLOTEN
This is no answer.
INNOGEN
But that you shall not say I yield being silent
100
,
I would not speak. I pray you spare me: faith,
I shall
unfold
102
equal discourtesy
To your best kindness: one of your great
knowing
103
Should learn, being taught, forbearance.
CLOTEN
To leave you in your madness, ’twere my sin:
I will not.
INNOGEN
Fools cure not mad folks.
CLOTEN
Do you call me fool?
INNOGEN
As I am mad, I do:
If you’ll be patient, I’ll no more be mad.
That cures us both. I am much sorry, sir,
You
put me
112
to forget a lady’s manners
By being so
verbal
113
: and learn now, for all,
That I,
which
114
know my heart, do here pronounce
By th’very truth of it, I care not for you,
And am so near the lack of charity
To accuse myself I hate you, which I had rather
You felt than make’t my
boast.
118
CLOTEN
You sin against
Obedience, which you owe your father. For
The contract you
pretend
with that
base wretch
121
,
One
bred of alms
122
and fostered with cold dishes,
With scraps o’th’court, it is no contract, none:
And though it be allowed in
meaner parties
124
—
Yet who than he more mean? — to knit their souls,
On whom there is no more dependency
But brats and beggary, in
self-figured knot
127
,
Yet you are
curbed from that enlargement
128
by
The
consequence o’th’crown
, and must not
foil
129
The precious
note
130
of it with a base slave,
A
hilding
for a
livery
, a
squire’s cloth
131
,
A
pantler
132
; not so eminent.
INNOGEN
Profane fellow,
Wert thou the son of Jupiter, and no more
But what thou art besides,
thou wert
135
too base
To be his
groom
:
thou wert dignified enough
136
,
Even to the point of envy, if ’twere made
Comparative for your virtues
, to be
styled
138
The
under-hangman
139
of his kingdom, and hated
For being preferred so well.
140
CLOTEN
The
south-fog
141
rot him!
INNOGEN
He never can meet more mischance than come
To be but
named of thee.
His
meanest garment
143
That ever hath but
clipped
144
his body is dearer
In my respect than all the hairs above thee,
Were they all
made such men.
146
— How now, Pisanio?
Enter Pisanio
CLOTEN
His garment? Now the devil—
To Pisanio
INNOGEN
To Dorothy my woman hie thee presently.
CLOTEN
His garment?
INNOGEN
I am
sprited
with
150
a fool,
Frighted and angered worse: go bid my woman
Search for a jewel that too casually
Hath left mine arm: it was thy master’s.
’Shrew
153
me
If I would lose it for a revenue
Of any king’s in Europe. I do think
I saw’t this morning: confident I am.
Last night ’twas on mine arm; I kissed it.
I hope it be not gone to tell my lord
That I kiss
aught
159
but he.
PISANIO
’Twill not be lost.
INNOGEN
I hope so: go and search.