Cymbeline

Act 2, Scene II

IMOGEN in bed, reading; a Lady attending

IMOGEN

Who's there? my woman Helen?

Lady

Please you, madam

IMOGEN

What hour is it?

Lady

Almost midnight, madam.

IMOGEN

I have read three hours then: mine eyes are weak:

Fold down the leaf where I have left: to bed:

Take not away the taper, leave it burning;

And if thou canst awake by four o' the clock,

I prithee, call me. Sleep hath seized me wholly

Exit Lady

To your protection I commend me, gods.

From fairies and the tempters of the night

Guard me, beseech ye.

Sleeps. IACHIMO comes from the trunk

IACHIMO

The crickets sing, and man's o'er-labour'd sense

Repairs itself by rest. Our Tarquin thus

Did softly press the rushes, ere he waken'd

The chastity he wounded. Cytherea,

How bravely thou becomest thy bed, fresh lily,

And whiter than the sheets! That I might touch!

But kiss; one kiss! Rubies unparagon'd,

How dearly they do't! 'Tis her breathing that

Perfumes the chamber thus: the flame o' the taper

Bows toward her, and would under-peep her lids,

To see the enclosed lights, now canopied

Under these windows, white and azure laced

With blue of heaven's own tinct. But my design,

To note the chamber: I will write all down:

Such and such pictures; there the window; such

The adornment of her bed; the arras; figures,

Why, such and such; and the contents o' the story.

Ah, but some natural notes about her body,

Above ten thousand meaner moveables

Would testify, to enrich mine inventory.

O sleep, thou ape of death, lie dull upon her!

And be her sense but as a monument,

Thus in a chapel lying! Come off, come off:

Taking off her bracelet

As slippery as the Gordian knot was hard!

'Tis mine; and this will witness outwardly,

As strongly as the conscience does within,

To the madding of her lord. On her left breast

A mole cinque-spotted, like the crimson drops

I' the bottom of a cowslip: here's a voucher,

Stronger than ever law could make: this secret

Will force him think I have pick'd the lock and ta'en

The treasure of her honour. No more. To what end?

Why should I write this down, that's riveted,

Screw'd to my memory? She hath been reading late

The tale of Tereus; here the leaf's turn'd down

Where Philomel gave up. I have enough:

To the trunk again, and shut the spring of it.

Swift, swift, you dragons of the night, that dawning

May bare the raven's eye! I lodge in fear;

Though this a heavenly angel, hell is here.

Clock strikes

One, two, three: time, time!

Goes into the trunk. The scene closes

Scene III

An ante-chamber adjoining Imogen's apartments.

Enter CLOTEN and Lords

First Lord

Your lordship is the most patient man in loss, the

most coldest that ever turned up ace.

CLOTEN

It would make any man cold to lose.

First Lord

But not every man patient after the noble temper of

your lordship. You are most hot and furious when you win.

CLOTEN

Winning will put any man into courage. If I could

get this foolish Imogen, I should have gold enough.

It's almost morning, is't not?

First Lord

Day, my lord.

CLOTEN

I would this music would come: I am advised to give

her music o' mornings; they say it will penetrate.

Enter Musicians

Come on; tune: if you can penetrate her with your

fingering, so; we'll try with tongue too: if none

will do, let her remain; but I'll never give o'er.

First, a very excellent good-conceited thing;

after, a wonderful sweet air, with admirable rich

words to it: and then let her consider.

SONG

Hark, hark! the lark at heaven's gate sings,

And Phoebus 'gins arise,

His steeds to water at those springs

On chaliced flowers that lies;

And winking Mary-buds begin

To ope their golden eyes:

With every thing that pretty is,

My lady sweet, arise:

Arise, arise.

CLOTEN

So, get you gone. If this penetrate, I will

consider your music the better: if it do not, it is

a vice in her ears, which horse-hairs and

calves'-guts, nor the voice of unpaved eunuch to

boot, can never amend.

Exeunt Musicians

Second Lord

Here comes the king.

CLOTEN

I am glad I was up so late; for that's the reason I

was up so early: he cannot choose but take this

service I have done fatherly.

Enter CYMBELINE and QUEEN

Good morrow to your majesty and to my gracious mother.

CYMBELINE

Attend you here the door of our stern daughter?

Will she not forth?

CLOTEN

I have assailed her with music, but she vouchsafes no notice.

CYMBELINE

The exile of her minion is too new;

She hath not yet forgot him: some more time

Must wear the print of his remembrance out,

And then she's yours.

QUEEN

You are most bound to the king,

Who lets go by no vantages that may

Prefer you to his daughter. Frame yourself

To orderly soliciting, and be friended

With aptness of the season; make denials

Increase your services; so seem as if

You were inspired to do those duties which

You tender to her; that you in all obey her,

Save when command to your dismission tends,

And therein you are senseless.

CLOTEN

Senseless! not so.

Enter a Messenger

Messenger

So like you, sir, ambassadors from Rome;

The one is Caius Lucius.

CYMBELINE

A worthy fellow,

Albeit he comes on angry purpose now;

But that's no fault of his: we must receive him

According to the honour of his sender;

And towards himself, his goodness forespent on us,

We must extend our notice. Our dear son,

When you have given good morning to your mistress,

Attend the queen and us; we shall have need

To employ you towards this Roman. Come, our queen.

Exeunt all but CLOTEN

CLOTEN

If she be up, I'll speak with her; if not,

Let her lie still and dream.

Knocks

By your leave, ho!

I Know her women are about her: what

If I do line one of their hands? 'Tis gold

Which buys admittance; oft it doth; yea, and makes

Diana's rangers false themselves, yield up

Their deer to the stand o' the stealer; and 'tis gold

Which makes the true man kill'd and saves the thief;

Nay, sometime hangs both thief and true man: what

Can it not do and undo? I will make

One of her women lawyer to me, for

I yet not understand the case myself.

Knocks

By your leave.

Enter a Lady

Lady

Who's there that knocks?

CLOTEN

A gentleman.

Lady

No more?

CLOTEN

Yes, and a gentlewoman's son.

Lady

That's more

Than some, whose tailors are as dear as yours,

Can justly boast of. What's your lordship's pleasure?

CLOTEN

Your lady's person: is she ready?

Lady

Ay,

To keep her chamber.

CLOTEN

There is gold for you;

Sell me your good report.

Lady

How! my good name? or to report of you

What I shall think is good?--The princess!

Enter IMOGEN

CLOTEN

Good morrow, fairest: sister, your sweet hand.

Exit Lady

IMOGEN

Good morrow, sir. You lay out too much pains

For purchasing but trouble; the thanks I give

Is telling you that I am poor of thanks

And scarce can spare them.

CLOTEN

Still, I swear I love you.

IMOGEN

If you but said so, 'twere as deep with me:

If you swear still, your recompense is still

That I regard it not.

CLOTEN

This is no answer.

IMOGEN

But that you shall not say I yield being silent,

I would not speak. I pray you, spare me: 'faith,

I shall unfold equal discourtesy

To your best kindness: one of your great knowing

Should learn, being taught, forbearance.

CLOTEN

To leave you in your madness, 'twere my sin:

I will not.

IMOGEN

Fools are not mad folks.

CLOTEN

Do you call me fool?

IMOGEN

As I am mad, I do:

If you'll be patient, I'll no more be mad;

That cures us both. I am much sorry, sir,

You put me to forget a lady's manners,

By being so verbal: and learn now, for all,

That I, which know my heart, do here pronounce,

By the very truth of it, I care not for you,

And am so near the lack of charity--

To accuse myself--I hate you; which I had rather

You felt than make't my boast.

CLOTEN

You sin against

Obedience, which you owe your father. For

The contract you pretend with that base wretch,

One bred of alms and foster'd with cold dishes,

With scraps o' the court, it is no contract, none:

And though it be allow'd in meaner parties--

Yet who than he more mean?--to knit their souls,

On whom there is no more dependency

But brats and beggary, in self-figured knot;

Yet you are curb'd from that enlargement by

The consequence o' the crown, and must not soil

The precious note of it with a base slave.

A hilding for a livery, a squire's cloth,

A pantler, not so eminent.

IMOGEN

Profane fellow

Wert thou the son of Jupiter and no more

But what thou art besides, thou wert too base

To be his groom: thou wert dignified enough,

Even to the point of envy, if 'twere made

Comparative for your virtues, to be styled

The under-hangman of his kingdom, and hated

For being preferred so well.

CLOTEN

The south-fog rot him!

IMOGEN

He never can meet more mischance than come

To be but named of thee. His meanest garment,

That ever hath but clipp'd his body, is dearer

In my respect than all the hairs above thee,

Were they all made such men. How now, Pisanio!

Enter PISANIO

CLOTEN

'His garment!' Now the devil--

IMOGEN

To Dorothy my woman hie thee presently--

CLOTEN

'His garment!'

IMOGEN

I am sprited with a fool.

Frighted, and anger'd worse: go bid my woman

Search for a jewel that too casually

Hath left mine arm: it was thy master's: 'shrew me,

If I would lose it for a revenue

Of any king's in Europe. I do think

I saw't this morning: confident I am

Last night 'twas on mine arm; I kiss'd it:

I hope it be not gone to tell my lord

That I kiss aught but he.

PISANIO

'Twill not be lost.

IMOGEN

I hope so: go and search.

Exit PISANIO

CLOTEN

You have abused me:

'His meanest garment!'

IMOGEN

Ay, I said so, sir:

If you will make't an action, call witness to't.

CLOTEN

I will inform your father.

IMOGEN

Your mother too:

She's my good lady, and will conceive, I hope,

But the worst of me. So, I leave you, sir,

To the worst of discontent.

Exit

CLOTEN

I'll be revenged:

'His meanest garment!' Well.

Exit

CYMBELINE