第 十四 章 · SCENE II. The same. Before the Palace.

. SCENE II. The same. Before the 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 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 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 passion of wonder appeared in them; but the wisest beholder,

that knew no more but seeing could not say if th’ importance were joy

or sorrow; but in the extremity of the one, it must needs be. Here

comes a gentleman that happily knows more.

Enter a Gentleman.

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. Here comes the Lady

Paulina’s steward: he can deliver you more.

Enter a third Gentleman.

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.

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 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 the meeting of the two kings?

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

No.

THIRD GENTLEMAN.

Then you have 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 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

countenance of such distraction that they were to be known by garment,

not by favour. Our king, being ready to leap out of 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 it bravely

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 colour; some swooned, all

sorrowed: if all the world could have seen it, 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 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 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 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. 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 them talk of a fardel and I know not what. But he at that

time over-fond 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 undiscover’d. But ’tis all

one to me; for had I been the finder-out of this secret, it would not

have relish’d 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.

Come, boy; I am past more 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 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.

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

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 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 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.

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 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 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

dar’st venture to be drunk, not being a tall fellow, trust me not.

Hark! the kings and the princes, our kindred, are going to see the

queen’s picture. Come, follow us: we’ll be thy good masters.

[_Exeunt._]