The Winter's Tale: ACT V , SCENE II. Before LEONTES' palace.

The Winter's Tale: ACT V


	Introduction

	ACT I

	ACT II

	ACT III

	ACT IV

	ACT V

		SCENE I. A room in LEONTES' palace.

		SCENE II. Before LEONTES' palace.

		SCENE III. A chapel in PAULINA'S house.

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SCENE II. Before LEONTES' palace.

Enter AUTOLYCUS and a Gentleman

AUTOLYCUS

Beseech you, sir, were you present at this relation?

First Gentleman

      I was by at the opening of the fardel, heard the old
      shepherd deliver the manner how he found it:
      whereupon, after a little amazedness, we were all
5     commanded out of the chamber; only this methought I
      heard the shepherd say, he found the child.

AUTOLYCUS

I would most gladly know the issue of it.

First Gentleman

      I make a broken delivery of the business; but the
      changes I perceived in the king and Camillo were
10    very notes of admiration: they seemed almost, with
      staring on one another, to tear the cases of their
      eyes; there was speech in their dumbness, language
      in their very gesture; they looked as they had heard
      of a world ransomed, or one destroyed: a notable
15    passion of wonder appeared in them; but the wisest
      beholder, that knew no more but seeing, could not
      say if the importance were joy or sorrow; but in the
      extremity of the one, it must needs be.

Enter another Gentleman

Here comes a gentleman that haply knows more.
20 The news, Rogero?

Second Gentleman

      Nothing but bonfires: the oracle is fulfilled; the
      king's daughter is found: such a deal of wonder is
      broken out within this hour that ballad-makers
      cannot be able to express it.

Enter a third Gentleman

25    Here comes the Lady Paulina's steward: he can
      deliver you more. How goes it now, sir? this news
      which is called true is so like an old tale, that
      the verity of it is in strong suspicion: has the king
      found his heir?

Third Gentleman

30    Most true, if ever truth were pregnant by
      circumstance: that which you hear you'll swear you
      see, there is such unity in the proofs. The mantle
      of Queen Hermione's, her jewel about the neck of it,
      the letters of Antigonus found with it which they
35    know to be his character, the majesty of the
      creature in resemblance of the mother, the affection
      of nobleness which nature shows above her breeding,
      and many other evidences proclaim her with all
      certainty to be the king's daughter. Did you see
40    the meeting of the two kings?

Second Gentleman

No.

Third Gentleman

      Then have you lost a sight, which was to be seen,
      cannot be spoken of. There might you have beheld one
      joy crown another, so and in such manner that it
45    seemed sorrow wept to take leave of them, for their
      joy waded in tears. There was casting up of eyes,
      holding up of hands, with countenances of such
      distraction that they were to be known by garment,
      not by favour. Our king, being ready to leap out of
50    himself for joy of his found daughter, as if that
      joy were now become a loss, cries 'O, thy mother,
      thy mother!' then asks Bohemia forgiveness; then
      embraces his son-in-law; then again worries he his
      daughter with clipping her; now he thanks the old
55    shepherd, which stands by like a weather-bitten
      conduit of many kings' reigns. I never heard of such
      another encounter, which lames report to follow it
      and undoes description to do it.

Second Gentleman

What, pray you, became of Antigonus, that carried
60 hence the child?

Third Gentleman

      Like an old tale still, which will have matter to
      rehearse, though credit be asleep and not an ear
      open. He was torn to pieces with a bear: this
      avouches the shepherd's son; who has not only his
65    innocence, which seems much, to justify him, but a
      handkerchief and rings of his that Paulina knows.

First Gentleman

What became of his bark and his followers?

Third Gentleman

      Wrecked the same instant of their master's death and
      in the view of the shepherd: so that all the
70    instruments which aided to expose the child were
      even then lost when it was found. But O, the noble
      combat that 'twixt joy and sorrow was fought in
      Paulina! She had one eye declined for the loss of
      her husband, another elevated that the oracle was
75    fulfilled: she lifted the princess from the earth,
      and so locks her in embracing, as if she would pin
      her to her heart that she might no more be in danger
      of losing.

First Gentleman

The dignity of this act was worth the audience of
80 kings and princes; for by such was it acted.

Third Gentleman

      One of the prettiest touches of all and that which
      angled for mine eyes, caught the water though not
      the fish, was when, at the relation of the queen's
      death, with the manner how she came to't bravely
85    confessed and lamented by the king, how
      attentiveness wounded his daughter; till, from one
      sign of dolour to another, she did, with an 'Alas,'
      I would fain say, bleed tears, for I am sure my
      heart wept blood. Who was most marble there changed
90    colour; some swooned, all sorrowed: if all the world
      could have seen 't, the woe had been universal.

First Gentleman

Are they returned to the court?

Third Gentleman

      No: the princess hearing of her mother's statue,
      which is in the keeping of Paulina,--a piece many
95    years in doing and now newly performed by that rare
      Italian master, Julio Romano, who, had he himself
      eternity and could put breath into his work, would
      beguile Nature of her custom, so perfectly he is her
      ape: he so near to Hermione hath done Hermione that
100   they say one would speak to her and stand in hope of
      answer: thither with all greediness of affection
      are they gone, and there they intend to sup.

Second Gentleman

      I thought she had some great matter there in hand;
      for she hath privately twice or thrice a day, ever
105   since the death of Hermione, visited that removed
      house. Shall we thither and with our company piece
      the rejoicing?

First Gentleman

      Who would be thence that has the benefit of access?
      every wink of an eye some new grace will be born:
110   our absence makes us unthrifty to our knowledge.
      Let's along.

Exeunt Gentlemen

AUTOLYCUS

      Now, had I not the dash of my former life in me,
      would preferment drop on my head. I brought the old
      man and his son aboard the prince: told him I heard
115   them talk of a fardel and I know not what: but he
      at that time, overfond of the shepherd's daughter,
      so he then took her to be, who began to be much
      sea-sick, and himself little better, extremity of
      weather continuing, this mystery remained
120   undiscovered. But 'tis all one to me; for had I
      been the finder out of this secret, it would not
      have relished among my other discredits.

Enter Shepherd and Clown

Here come those I have done good to against my will,
and already appearing in the blossoms of their fortune.

Shepherd

125 Come, boy; I am past moe children, but thy sons and
daughters will be all gentlemen born.

Clown

      You are well met, sir. You denied to fight with me
      this other day, because I was no gentleman born.
      See you these clothes? say you see them not and
130   think me still no gentleman born: you were best say
      these robes are not gentlemen born: give me the
      lie, do, and try whether I am not now a gentleman born.

AUTOLYCUS

I know you are now, sir, a gentleman born.

Clown

Ay, and have been so any time these four hours.

Shepherd

135 And so have I, boy.

Clown

      So you have: but I was a gentleman born before my
      father; for the king's son took me by the hand, and
      called me brother; and then the two kings called my
      father brother; and then the prince my brother and
140   the princess my sister called my father father; and
      so we wept, and there was the first gentleman-like
      tears that ever we shed.

Shepherd

We may live, son, to shed many more.

Clown

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

AUTOLYCUS

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

Shepherd

Prithee, son, do; for we must be gentle, now we are
150 gentlemen.

Clown

Thou wilt amend thy life?

AUTOLYCUS

Ay, an it like your good worship.

Clown

Give me thy hand: I will swear to the prince thou
art as honest a true fellow as any is in Bohemia.

Shepherd

155 You may say it, but not swear it.

Clown

Not swear it, now I am a gentleman? Let boors and
franklins say it, I'll swear it.

Shepherd

How if it be false, son?

Clown

      If it be ne'er so false, a true gentleman may swear
160   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 would thou wouldst
165   be a tall fellow of thy hands.

AUTOLYCUS

I will prove so, sir, to my power.

Clown

      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
170   and the princes, our kindred, are going to see the
      queen's picture. Come, follow us: we'll be thy
      good masters.

Exeunt

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