This attempt
I am soldier to, and will abide205 it with
A prince’s courage. Away, I prithee.
PISANIO Well, madam, we must take a short207 farewell,
Lest being missed, I be suspected of
Your carriage209 from the court. My noble mistress,
Here is a box, I had it from the queen,
What’s in’t is precious: if you are sick at sea,
Or stomach-qualmed at land, a dram of this
Will drive away distemper. To some shade213,
And fit you214 to your manhood: may the gods
Direct you to the best.
INNOGEN Amen: I thank thee.
Exeunt
running scene 10
Enter Cymbeline, Queen, Cloten, Lucius and Lords
CYMBELINE Thus far1, and so farewell.
LUCIUS Thanks, royal sir:
My emperor hath wrote, I must from hence,
And am right sorry that I must report ye
My master’s enemy.
CYMBELINE Our subjects, sir,
Will not endure his yoke; and for ourself7
To show less sovereignty than they, must needs8
Appear unkinglike.
LUCIUS So10, sir: I desire of you
A conduct11 over land, to Milford Haven.
Madam, all joy befall12 your grace, and you.
CYMBELINE My lords, you are appointed for that office13:
The due of honour in no point14 omit.
So farewell, noble Lucius.
LUCIUS Your hand, my lord.
CLOTEN Receive it friendly: but from this time forth
I wear it as your enemy.
LUCIUS Sir, the event19
Is yet to name the winner. Fare you well.
CYMBELINE Leave not the worthy Lucius, good my lords,
Till he have crossed the Severn.22 Happiness.
Exeunt Lucius and others
QUEEN He goes hence frowning: but it honours us23
That we have given him cause.24
CLOTEN ’Tis all the better,
Your valiant Britons have their wishes in it.
CYMBELINE Lucius hath wrote already to the emperor
How it goes here. It fits us therefore ripely28
Our chariots and our horsemen be in readiness:
The powers that he already hath in Gallia
Will soon be drawn to head31, from whence he moves
His war for Britain.
QUEEN ’Tis not sleepy business,
But must be looked to speedily and strongly.
CYMBELINE Our expectation that it would be thus
Hath made us forward.36 But, my gentle queen,
Where is our daughter? She hath not appeared
Before the Roman, nor to us hath tendered
The duty of the day. She looks us39 like
A thing more made of malice than of duty,
We have noted it. Call her before us, for
We have been too slight in sufferance.42
[Exit one or more]
QUEEN Royal sir,
Since the exile of Posthumus, most retired44
Hath her life been: the cure whereof, my lord,
’Tis time must do. Beseech your majesty,
Forbear47 sharp speeches to her. She’s a lady
So tender of48 rebukes that words are strokes,
And strokes death to her.
Enter a Messenger
CYMBELINE Where is she, sir? How
Can her contempt be answered?51
MESSENGER Please you, sir,
Her chambers are all locked, and there’s no answer
That will be given to th’loud’st of noise we make.
QUEEN My lord, when last I went to visit her,
She prayed me to excuse her keeping close56,
Whereto constrained by her infirmity57,
She should that duty leave unpaid to you
Which daily she was bound to proffer59: this
She wished me to make known, but our great court
Made me to blame in memory.
CYMBELINE Her doors locked?
Not seen of late? Grant heavens that which I fear
Prove false.
Exit
QUEEN Son, I say, follow the king.
CLOTEN That man of hers, Pisanio, her old servant
I have not seen these two days.
Exit
QUEEN Go, look after.—
Pisanio, thou that stand’st so for69 Posthumus!
He hath a drug of mine: I pray his absence
Proceed by71 swallowing that, for he believes
It is a thing most precious. But for her,
Where is she gone? Haply73 despair hath seized her:
Or, winged with fervour of her love, she’s flown
To her desired Posthumus: gone she is
To death or to dishonour, and my end76
Can make good use of either. She being down,
I have the placing78 of the British crown.—
Enter Cloten
How now, my son?
CLOTEN ’Tis certain she is fled:
Go in and cheer the king, he rages, none
Dare come about him.
Aside
QUEEN All the better: may
This night forestall him of the coming day.84
Exit Queen
CLOTEN I love and hate her: for85 she’s fair and royal,
And that she hath all courtly parts86 more exquisite
Than lady, ladies, woman — from every one87
The best she hath, and she, of all compounded88,
Outsells89 them all — I love her therefore: but
Disdaining me, and throwing favours on
The low Posthumus, slanders91 so her judgement
That what’s else rare92 is choked: and in that point
I will conclude to hate her, nay, indeed,
To be revenged upon her. For when fools shall—
Enter Pisanio
Who is here?— What, are you packing, sirrah?95
Come hither: ah, you precious pander!96 Villain,
Where is thy lady? In a word, or else
Threatens him
Thou art straightway with the fiends.98
PISANIO O, good my lord!
CLOTEN Where is thy lady? Or, by Jupiter,
I will not ask again. Close101 villain,
I’ll have this secret from thy heart, or rip
Thy heart to find it. Is she with Posthumus,
From whose so many weights104 of baseness cannot
A dram105 of worth be drawn?
PISANIO Alas, my lord,
How can she be with him? When was she missed?
He is in Rome.
CLOTEN Where is she, sir? Come nearer109:
No further halting: satisfy me home110,
What is become of her?
PISANIO O my all-worthy lord!
CLOTEN All-worthy villain,
Discover114 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.
PISANIO Then, sir,
This paper is the history of my knowledge
Shows a letter
Touching120 her flight.
CLOTEN Let’s see’t: I will pursue her
Even to Augustus’ throne.
Aside
PISANIO Or this, or perish.123
She’s far enough, and what he learns by this
May prove his travel125, not her danger.
CLOTEN Hum!
Aside
PISANIO I’ll write to my lord she’s dead: O Innogen,
Safe mayst thou wander, safe return again!
CLOTEN Sirrah, is this letter true?
PISANIO Sir, as I think.
CLOTEN It is Posthumus’ hand, I know’t. Sirrah, if thou
wouldst not be a villain, but do me true service, undergo132
those employments133 wherein I should have cause to use thee
with a serious industry134, that is, what villainy soe’er I bid thee
do, to perform it directly and truly, I would think thee an
honest man: thou shouldst neither want136 my means for thy
relief, nor my voice for thy preferment.137
PISANIO Well, my good lord.
CLOTEN 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 but141 be
a diligent follower of mine. Wilt thou serve me?
PISANIO Sir, I will.
CLOTEN Give me thy hand, here’s my purse. Hast144 any of thy
late145 master’s garments in thy possession?
PISANIO I have, my lord, at my lodging, the same suit he wore
when he took leave of my lady and mistress.
CLOTEN The first service thou dost me, fetch that suit hither:
let it be thy first service, go.
PISANIO I shall, my lord.
Exit
CLOTEN 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 time154 — 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 eyes159; there shall she see my valour, which will then be a
torment to her contempt. He on the ground, my speech of
insultment161 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 knock163 her back,
foot164 her home again. She hath despised me rejoicingly, and
I’ll be merry in my revenge.—
Enter Pisanio
With Posthumus’ clothes
Be those the garments?
PISANIO Ay, my noble lord.
CLOTEN How long is’t since she went to Milford Haven?
PISANIO She can scarce be there yet.
CLOTEN Bring this apparel to my chamber. That is the
second thing that I have commanded thee. The third is that
thou wilt be a voluntary mute172 to my design. Be but duteous,
and true preferment shall tender173 itself to thee. My revenge is
now at Milford: would I had wings to follow it. Come, and be
true.
Exit
PISANIO Thou bid’st me to my loss176: for true to thee
Were to prove false, which I will never be,
To him that is most true.178 To Milford go,
And find not her whom thou pursuest. Flow, flow,
You heavenly blessings, on her. This fool’s speed
Be crossed with slowness; labour be his meed.181
Exit
running scene 11
Enter Innogen alone
In boy’s clothes
INNOGEN I see a man’s life is a tedious one:
I have tired2 myself, and for two nights together
Have made the ground my bed. I should be sick,
But that my resolution helps me.
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