Cym. That might'st have had the sole son of

Imo. O bless'd, that I might not! I chose an

my queen!

eagle,

And did avoid a puttock. 2

Cym. Thou took'st a beggar; would'st have

made my throne

A seat for baseness.

Sir,

It is your fault that I have lov'd Posthumus :

You bred him as my playfellow; and he is

A man, worth any woman; overbuys me

Almost the sum he pays.

What!-art thou mad!

Imo. Almost, sir: Heaven restore me! -'Would

I were

A neat-herd's daughter! 3 and my Leonatus
Our neighbour shepherd's son !

Re-enter Queen.

Cym.

Thou foolish thing!

They were again together: you have done

[To the Queen.

Not after our command. Away with her,
And pen her up.
Queen.

'Beseech your patience: - Peace, Dear lady daughter, peace; - Sweet sovereign, Leave us to ourselves; and make yourself some

comfort

Out of your best advice. +

Cym.

Nay, let her languish

A drop of blood a day; and, being aged,

Die of this folly!

Queen.

Enter PISANIO.

[Exit.

Fye! - you must give way:

Here is your servant. - How now, sir? What

news?

Pis. My lord your son drew on my master.
Queen.

No harm, I trust, is done?

Pist.

Ha!

There might have been,

But that my master rather play'd than fought,
And had no help of anger: they were parted

By gentlemen at hand.

Queen.

I am very glad on't.

Imo. Your son's my father's friend: he takes his

part.

To draw upon an exile! - O brave sir! -
I would they were in Africk both together;
Myself by with a needle, that I might prick
The goer back. - Why came you from your

master ?

Pis. On his command: He would not suffer me

To bring him to the haven: left these notes
Of what commands I should be subject to,
When it pleas'd you to employ me.

Queen.

This hath been

Your faithful servant: I dare lay mine honour,

He will remain so.
Pis.

I humbly thank your highness.

Queen. Pray, walk a while.
Imo.

About some half hour hence,

I pray you, speak with me: you shall, at least,
Go see my lord aboard: for this time, leave me.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

A publick Place.

Enter CLOTEN and Two Lords.

1 Lord. Sir, I would advise you to shift a shirt; the violence of action hath made you reek as a sacrifice: Where air comes out, air comes in: there's none abroad so wholesome as that you

vent.

Clo. If my shirt were bloody, then to shift it Have I hurt him? 2 Lord. No, faith; not so much as his patience. [Aside.

1 Lord. Hurt him? his body's a passable carcass, if he be not hurt: it is a thoroughfare for steel, if it be not hurt.

2 Lord. His steel was in debt; it went o'the back

side the town.

Clo. The villain would not stand me.

[Aside.

2 Lord. No; but he fled forward still, toward

your face.

[Aside.

1 Lord. Stand you! You have land enough of your own: but he added to your having; gave you some ground.

2 Lord. As many inches as you have oceans: Puppies!

[Aside.

Clo. I would, they had not come between us. 2 Lord. So would I, till you had measured how long a fool you were upon the ground. [Aside. Clo. And that she should love this fellow, and

refuse me!

2 Lord. If it be a sin to make a true election, she is damned. [Aside.

1 Lord. Sir, as I told you always, her beauty and her brain go not together 5: She's a good sign, but I have seen small reflection of her wit. 6

2 Lord. She shines not upon fools, lest the reflection should hurt her.

[Aside.

Clo. Come, I'll to my chamber: 'Would there

had been some hurt done!

2 Lord. I wish not so; unless it had been the

fall of an ass, which is no great hurt.

Clo. You'll go with us?

1 Lord. I'll attend your lordship. Clo. Nay, come, let's go together.

2 Lord. Well, my lord.

SCENE IV.

A Room in Cymbeline's Palace.
Enter IMOGEN and PISANIO.

[Aside.

[Exeunt.

Imo. I would thou grew'st unto the shores o'the haven,

And question'dst every sail: if he should write,

And I not have it, 'twere a paper lost,

As offer'd mercy is. What was the last

That he spake to thee?

Pis.

'Twas, His queen, his queen!

Imo. Then wav'd his handkerchief?

Pis.

And kiss'd it, madam.

Imo. Senseless linen! happier therein than I !

And that was all?
Pis.

No, madam; for so long

As he could make me with this eye or ear

5 Her beauty and sense are not equal.

6 To understand the force of this idea, it should be remembered that anciently almost every sign had a motto, or some attempt at a witticism, underneath.

Distinguish him from others, he did keep
The deck, with glove, or hat, or handkerchief,
Still waving, as the fits and stirs of his mind
Could best express how slow his soul sail'd on,

How swift his ship.

Imo.

Thou should'st have made him

Madam, so I did.

As little as a crow, or less, ere left
To after-eye him.

Pis.

Imo. I would have broke mine eye-strings;

crack'd them, but

To look upon him; till the diminution

Of space had pointed him sharp as my needle:

Nay, follow'd him, till he had melted from

The smallness of a gnat to air; and then

Have turn'd mine eye, and wept. - But, good Pi

sanio,

When shall we hear from him?

Pis.

With his next vantage.7

Be assur'd, madam,

Imo. I did not take my leave of him, but had
Most pretty things to say: ere I could tell him,
How I would think on him, at certain hours,
Such thoughts, and such; or I could make him swear
The shes of Italy should not betray

Mine interest, and his honour; or have charg'd him,
At the sixth hour of morn, at noon, at midnight,
To encounter me with orisons, for then
I am in heaven for him: or ere I could
Give him that parting kiss, which I had set
Betwixt two charming words, comes in my father,
And, like the tyrannous breathing of the north,
Shakes all our buds from growing.

7 Opportunity.

8 Meet me with reciprocal praver.