Wales. Before the Cave of BELARIUS. | |
| |
Enter IMOGEN, in boy’s clothes. | |
| Imo. I see a man’s life is a tedious one; | |
| I have tir’d myself, and for two nights together | 4 |
| Have made the ground my bed; I should be sick | |
| But that my resolution helps me. Milford, | |
| When from the mountain-top Pisanio show’d thee, | |
| Thou wast within a ken. O Jove! I think | 8 |
| Foundations fly the wretched; such, I mean, | |
| Where they should be reliev’d. Two beggars told me | |
| I could not miss my way; will poor folks lie, | |
| That have afflictions on them, knowing ’tis | 12 |
| A punishment or trial? Yes; no wonder, | |
| When rich ones scarce tell true. To lapse in fulness | |
| Is sorer than to lie for need, and falsehood | |
| Is worse in kings than beggars. My dear lord! | 16 |
| Thou art one o’ the false ones. Now I think on thee, | |
| My hunger’s gone, but even before I was | |
| At point to sink for food. But what is this? | |
| Here is a path to ’t; ’tis some savage hold; | 20 |
| I were best not call, I dare not call, yet famine, | |
| Ere clean it o’erthrow nature, makes it valiant. | |
| Plenty and peace breeds cowards, hardness ever | |
| Of hardiness is mother. Ho! Who’s here? | 24 |
| If any thing that’s civil, speak; if savage, | |
| Take or lend. Ho! No answer? Then I’ll enter. | |
| Best draw my sword; and if mine enemy | |
| But fear the sword like me, he’ll scarcely look on ’t. | 28 |
| Such a foe, good heavens! [Exit to the cave. | |
| |
Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS. | |
| Bel. You Polydore, have prov’d best woodman, and | |
| Are master of the feast; Cadwal and I | 32 |
| Will play the cook and servant, ’tis our match; | |
| The sweat of industry would dry and die | |
| But for the end it works to. Come; our stomachs | |
| Will make what’s homely savoury; weariness | 36 |
| Can snore upon the flint when resty sloth | |
| Finds the down pillow hard. Now, peace be here, | |
| Poor house, that keep’st thyself! | |
| Gui. I am throughly weary. | 40 |
| Arv. I am weak with toil, yet strong in appetite. | |
| Gui. There is cold meat i’ the cave; we’ll browse on that, | |
| Whilst what we have kill’d be cook’d. | |
| Bel. [Looking into the cave.] Stay; come not in; | 44 |
| 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, | 48 |
| An earthly paragon! Behold divineness | |
| No elder than a boy! | |
| |
Re-enter IMOGEN. | |
| Imo. Good masters, harm me not: | 52 |
| Before I enter’d here, I call’d; and thought | |
| To have begg’d or bought what I have took. Good troth, | |
| I have stol’n nought, nor would not, though I had found | |
| Gold strew’d i’ the floor. Here’s money for my meat; | 56 |
| I would have left it on the board so soon | |
| As I had made my meal, and parted | |
| With prayers for the provider. | |
| Gui. Money, youth? | 60 |
| Arv. All gold and silver rather turn to dirt! | |
| As ’tis no better reckon’d but of those | |
| Who worship dirty gods. | |
| Imo. I see you’re angry. | 64 |
| Know, if you kill me for my fault, I should | |
| Have died had I not made it. | |
| Bel. Whither bound? | |
| Imo. To Milford-Haven. | 68 |
| Bel. What’s your name? | |
| Imo. Fidele, sir. I have a kinsman who | |
| Is bound for Italy; he embark’d at Milford: | |
| To whom being going, almost spent with hunger, | 72 |
| I am fall’n in this offence. | |
| Bel. Prithee, fair youth, | |
| Think us no churls, nor measure our good minds | |
| By this rude place we live in. Well encounter’d! | 76 |
| ’Tis almost night; you shall have better cheer | |
| Ere you depart, and thanks to stay and eat it. | |
| Boys, bid him welcome. | |
| Gui. Were you a woman, youth, | 80 |
| I should woo hard but be your groom. In honesty, | |
| I bid for you, as I do buy. | |
| Arv. I’ll make ’t my comfort | |
| He is a man; I’ll love him as my brother; | 84 |
| And such a welcome as I’d give to him | |
| After a long absence, such is yours: most welcome! | |
| Be sprightly, for you fall ’mongst friends. | |
| Imo. ’Mongst friends, | 88 |
| If brothers. [Aside.] Would it had been so, that they | |
| Had been my father’s sons; then had my prize | |
| Been less, and so more equal ballasting | |
| To thee, Posthumus. | 92 |
| Bel. He wrings at some distress. | |
| Gui. Would I could free ’t! | |
| Arv. Or I, whate’er it be, | |
| What pain it cost, what danger. Gods! | 96 |
| Bel. Hark, boys. [Whispering. | |
| Imo. Great men, | |
| That had a court no bigger than this cave, | |
| That did attend themselves and had the virtue | 100 |
| Which their own conscience seal’d them,—laying by | |
| That nothing-gift of differing multitudes,— | |
| Could not out-peer these twain. Pardon me, gods! | |
| I’d change my sex to be companion with them, | 104 |
| Since Leonatus’ false. | |
| Bel. It shall be so. | |
| Boys, we’ll go dress our hunt. Fair youth, come in: | |
| Discourse is heavy, fasting; when we have supp’d, | 108 |
| We’ll mannerly demand thee of thy story, | |
| So far as thou wilt speak it. | |
| Gui. Pray, draw near. | |
| Arv. The night to the owl and morn to the lark less welcome. | 112 |
| Imo. Thanks, sir. | |
| Arv. I pray, draw near. [Exeunt. | |
