Cam. Why, how now, father? Speak, ere thou diest.
Shep. I cannot speak, nor think, Nor dare to know that which I know.-0, sir, [To Florizel. You have undone a man of fourscore three, That thought to fill his grave in quiet ; yea, To die upon the bed my father dy'd, To lie close by his honest bones : but now Some hangman must put on my shrowd, and lay me Where no priest shovels-in duft.-O cursed wretch !
[To Perdita. That knew'lt this was the prince, and would'It adventure To mingle faith with him.Undone ! undone ! If I might die within this hour, I have liv'd To die when I desire.
[Exit. Flo. Why look
you
fo
upon
me ?
I am but forry, not afeard ; delay'd,
But nothing alter'd: What I was, I am:
More ftraining on, for plucking back; not following
My leash unwillingly.
Cam. Gracious my lord,
You know your father's temper: at this time
He will allow no speech, - which, I do guess,
You do not purpose to him ;-and as hardly
Will he endure your fight as yet, I fear :
Then, 'till the fury of his highness settle,
Come not before him.
Flo. I not purpose it.--
I think, Camillo.
Cam. Even he, my lord.
Per. How often have I told you, 'twould be thus ?
How often said, my dignity would last
But 'till 'twere known ?
and lay me where no priest soovels-in duft. ]-and bury me without the funeral service, in unconsecrated ground. Tt 2
Flo.
Flo. It cannot fail, but by
The violation of my faith ; And then
Let nature crush the sides o'the earth together,
And mar the feeds within !-Lift up thy looks :-
From 8 thy succession wipe me, father! I
Am heir to my affection.
Cam. Be advis'd.
Flo. I am ; and by my fancy: if my reason
Will thereto be obedient, I have reason ;
If not, my senses, better pleas'd with madness,
Do bid it welcome.
Cam. This is desperate, sir.
Flo. So call it: but it does fulfil my vow;
I needs must think it honesty. Camillo,
Not for Bohemia, nor the
pomp
that
may
Be thereat glean'd; for all the sun sees, or
The close earth wombs, or the profound sea hides
In unknown fathoms, will I break
my
oath
To this my fair belov’d: Therefore, I pray you,
As you have ever been my father's friend,
When he shall miss me, (as, in faith, I mean not
To see him any more) cast your good counsels
Upon his passion ; Let myfelf, and fortune,
Tug for the time to come. This you may know,
And fo deliver,-I am put to sea
With her, whom here I cannot hold on shore;
And, most opportune to our need, I have
A vessel rides fast by, but not prepar'd
For this design. What course I mean to hold,
Shall nothing benefit your knowledge, nor
Concern me the reporting.
Cam. O my lord,
I would your spirit were easier for advice,
Or stronger for
Flo. Hark, Perdita.-
I'll hear you by and by.
[To Camillo.
Cam. [ Aside.] He's irremoveable,
Resolv'd for Aight: Now were I happy, if
His going I could frame to serve my turn;
Save him from danger, do him love and honour;
Purchase the fight again of dear Sicilia,
And that unhappy king, my master, whom
I so much thirst to see.
Flo. Now, good Camillo,
I am so fraught with curious business, that
I leave out ceremony.
Cam. Sir, I think,
You have heard of my poor services, i’the love
That I have borne your father?
Flo. Very nobly
Have you deserv'd: it is my father's musick,
To speak your deeds ; not little of his care
To have them recompenc'd as thought on.
Cam. Well, my lord,
If
you may please to think I love the king ; And, through him, what is nearest to him, which is Your gracious self; embrace but my direction, (If your more ponderous and settled project May suffer alteration) on mine honour, I'll point you where you shall have such receiving As shall become your highness; where you may Enjoy your mistress ; from the whom, I see, There's no disjunction to be made, but by (As heavens forefend !) your ruin : Marry her And (with my best endeavours in your absence)
Your
Your 'discontenting father I'll strive to qualify,
And bring him up to liking.
Flo. How, Camillo,
May this, almost a miracle, be done?
That I may call thee something more than man,
And, after that, trust to thee.
Cam. Have you thought on
A place, whereto you'll go ?
Flo. Not any yet:
* But as the unthought-on accident is guilty
To what we wildly do ; so we profess
Ourselves to be the naves of chance, and fies
Of every wind that blows.
Cam. Then list to me :
This follows,-if you will not change your purpose,
But undergo this Aight ;-Make for Sicilia ;
And there present yourself, and your fair princess,
(For so, I see, she must be) 'fore Leontes;
She shall be habited, as it becomes
The partner of your bed. Methinks, I see
Leontes, opening his free arms, and weeping
His welcomes forth : asks thee, the son, forgiveness,
As 'twere i’the father's person: kisses the hands
Of
your fresh princess : o'er and o'er divides him
''Twixt his unkindness and his kindness; the one
He chides to hell, and bids the other grow,
Faster than thought, or time.
Flo. Worthy Camillo,
What colour for my visitation shall I
Hold up before him?
discontenting father)--with whom you have cause to be diffatisfied. * But as the unthought-on accident is guilty, &c.]—As the late unexpected discovery hath forc'd me upon these measures, fo I commit my. self entirely to the guidance of chance through the whole adventure.
i 'Twixt bis unkindness and his kindness ;]--Betwixt the thoughts of his paft unkindness and present kindness.
Cam.
Cam. Sent by the king your father
To greet him, and to give him comforts. Sir,
The manner of your bearing towards him, with
What you, as from your father, shall deliver,
Things known betwixt us three, I'll write you
down: The which shall point you forth, at every " sitting, What you must say ; that he shall not perceive,
have your
father's bofom there, And speak his very heart.
Flo. I am bound to you:
There is some "sap in this.
Cam. A course more promising
Than a wild dedication of yourselves
To unpath'd waters, undream'd shores ; most certain,
To miseries enough : no hope to help you ;
But, as you shake off one, to take another:
Nothing so certain, as your anchors; who
Do their best office, if they can but stay you
Where you'll be loth to be : Besides, you know,
Prosperity's the very bond of love;
Whose fresh complexion and whose heart together
Afiction alters.
Per. One of these is true :
I think, amiction may subdue the cheek,
But noto take in the mind,
Cam. Yea, say you so ?
There shall not, at your father's house, these seven years,
Be born another such,
Flo. My good Camillo,
She is as forward of her breeding, as
PI'the rear of birth.
in firting, ]-audience, interview--fitting—fit occafion. fap]-relish.
• take in)-reach, affect. P P'the rear of birth.)-Behind hand in point of descent,
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