Your carriage from the court. My noble mistress, Imo. Amen: I thank thee. SCENE V-A Room in CYMBELINE'S Palace. [Exeunt. Enter CYMBELINE, QUEEN, CLOTEN, LUCIUS, and LORDS. Cym. Thus far, and so farewell. Luc. Thanks, royal Sir. My emperor hath wrote; I must from hence; And am right sorry, that I must report ye My master's enemy. Cym. Our subjects, Sir, Will not endure his yoke; and for ourself Luc. So, Sir, I desire of you A conduct over land, to Milford Haven. Madam, all joy befall your grace, and you! Cym. My lords, you are appointed for that office; The due of honour in no point omit: So farewell, noble Lucius. Luc. Your hand, my lord. Clo. Receive it friendly: but from this time forth I wear it as your enemy. Luc. Sir, the event Is yet to name the winner: Fare you well. Cym. Leave not the worthy Lucius, good my lords, Till he have cross'd the Severn.-Happiness! [Exeunt LUCIUS and LORDS. Queen. He goes hence frowning: but it honours us, That we have given him cause. Clo. 'Tis all the better; Your valiant Britons have their wishes in it. Cym. Lucius hath wrote already to the emperor Will soon be drawn to head, from whence he moves Queen. 'Tis not sleepy business; But must be look'd to speedily, and strongly. Cym. Our expectation that it would be thus, We have noted it.-Call her before us; for Queen. Royal Sir, [Exit an ATTENDANT. Since the exile of Posthúmus, most retired Re-enter an ATTENDANT. Cym. Where is she, Sir? How Can her contempt be answer'd? Her chambers are all lock'd; and there's no answer She wish'd me to make known; but our great court Cym. Her doors lock'd ? Not seen of late? Grant, heavens, that which I fear, Queen. Son, I say, follow the king. Clo. That man of hers, Pisanio, her old servant, I have not seen these two days. Queen. Go, look after. Pisanio, thou that stand'st so for Posthumus!- [Exit. [Exit CLOTEN. Where is she gone? Haply, despair hath seized her ; To death, or to dishonour; and my end How now, my son ? Re-enter CLOTEN. Clo. 'Tis certain she is fled: Go in, and cheer the king, he rages; none Dare come about him. Queen. All the better: May This night forestall him* of the coming day! [Exit QUEEN. Clo. I love and hate her: for she's fair and royal; And that she hath all courtly parts more exquisite Than lady, ladies, woman:† from every one * Prevent his reaching. †Than any lady, all ladies, all womankind. The best she hath, and she, of all compounded, The low Posthúmus, slanders so her judgment, To be revenged upon her. For, when fools Enter PISANIO. Shall-Who is here? What! are you packing, sirrah? Where is thy lady? In a word; or else Thou art straightway with the fiends. Clo. Where is thy lady? or, by Jupiter, I will not ask again. Close villain, I'll have this secret from thy heart, or rip Thy heart to find it. Is she with Posthumus? From whose so many weights of baseness cannot Pis. Alas, my lord, How can she be with him? When was she miss'd? Clo. Where is she, Sir? Come nearer; No further halting: satisfy me home, Pis. O, my all-worthy lord! Clo. All-worthy villain! Discover where thy mistress is, at once, At the next word,-No more of worthy lord,— Speak, or thy silence on the instant is Thy condemnation and thy death. Pis. Then, Sir, This paper is the history of my knowledge, Touching her flight. Clo. Let's see't:-I will pursue her Even to Augustus' throne. Pis. Or this, or perish. [Presenting a letter. She's far enough; and what he learns by this May prove his travel, not her danger. Clo. Humph! [Aside. Pis. I'll write to my lord she's dead. O Imogen, Safe mayst thou wander, safe return again! Clo. Sirrah, is this letter true? Pis. Sir, as I think. Clo. It is Posthúmus' hand; I know't. -Sirrah, if thou wouldst not be a villain, but do me true service; undergo those employments, wherein I should have cause to use thee, with a serious industry, that is, what villany soe'er I bid thee do, to perform it, directly and truly,-I would think thee an honest man: thou shouldst neither want my means for thy relief nor my voice for thy preferment. Pis. Well, my good lord. Clo. Wilt thou serve me? for since patiently and constantly thou hast stuck to the bare fortune of that beggar Posthumus, thou canst not in the course of gratitude but be a diligent follower of mine. Wilt thou serve me? Pis. Sir, I will. Clo. Give me thy hand, here's my purse. Hast any of thy late master's garments in thy possession? Pis. I have, my lord, at my lodging, the same suit he wore when he took leave of my lady and mistress. Clo. The first service thou dost me, fetch that suit hither: let it be thy first service; go. Pis. I shall, my lord. [Exit. Clo. Meet thee at Milford Haven :-I forgot to ask him one thing; I'll remember't anon:-Even there thou villain, Posthumus, will I kill thee.-I would these garments were come. She said upon a time (the bitterness of it I now belch from my heart), that she held the very garment of Posthumus in more respect than my noble and natural person, together with the adornment of my qualities. With that suit upon my back, will I ravish her: First kill him, and in her eyes; there shall she see my valour, which will then be a torment to her contempt. He on the ground, my speech of insultment ended on his dead body, and when my lust hath dined (which, as I say, to vex her, I will execute in the clothes that she so praised), to the court I'll knock her back, foot her home again. She hath despised me rejoicingly, and I'll be merry in my revenge. Re-enter PISANIO, with the Clothes. Be those the garments? Pis. Ay, my noble lord. Clo. How long is't since she went to Milford Haven ? Clo. Bring this apparel to my chamber; that is the second thing that I have commanded thee: the third is, that thou shalt be a voluntary mute to my design. Be but duteous, and true preferment shall tender itself to thee. My revenge is now at Milford; 'Would I had wings to follow it !-Come, and be true. [Exit. Pis. Thou bid'st me to my loss: for, true to thee, And find not her whom thou pursu'st. Flow, flow, [Exit. SCENE VI.-Before the Cave of BELARIUS. Imo. I see, a man's life is a tedious one: Foundations fly the wretched: such, I mean, Where they should be relieved. Two beggars told me, [She goes into the cave. Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS. Will play the cook and servant; 'tis our match:† But for the end it works to. Come; our stomachs Gui. I am thoroughly weary. Arv. I am weak with toil, yet strong in appetite. Gui. There's cold meat i' the cave: we'll browze on that, Whilst what we have kill'd be cook'd. Bel. Stay; come not in: But that it eats our victuals, I should think Here were a fairy. Gui. What's the matter, Sir? Bel. By Jupiter, an angel! or, if not, An earthly paragon!-Behold divineness Enter IMOGEN. Imo. Good masters, harm me not: Before I enter'd here, I call'd; and thought [Looking in. To have begg'd, or bought, what I have took: Good troth, As I had made my meal; and parted With prayers for the provider. VOL. IV * Human. † Agreement. |