Winter's Tale — Act 5, Scene 2 · Shakespeare for Bharat

AUTOLYCUS

Beseech you, sir, were you present at this relation?

First Gentleman

I was by at the opening of the fardel, heard the oldshepherd deliver the manner how he found it:whereupon, after a little amazedness, we were allcommanded out of the chamber; only this methought Iheard 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 thechanges I perceived in the king and Camillo werevery notes of admiration: they seemed almost, withstaring on one another, to tear the cases of theireyes; there was speech in their dumbness, languagein their very gesture; they looked as they had heardof a world ransomed, or one destroyed: a notablepassion of wonder appeared in them; but the wisestbeholder, that knew no more but seeing, could notsay if the importance were joy or sorrow; but in theextremity of the one, it must needs be.

First Gentleman

Here comes a gentleman that haply knows more.The news, Rogero?

Second Gentleman

Nothing but bonfires: the oracle is fulfilled; theking's daughter is found: such a deal of wonder isbroken out within this hour that ballad-makerscannot be able to express it.

Second Gentleman

Here comes the Lady Paulina's steward: he candeliver you more. How goes it now, sir? this newswhich is called true is so like an old tale, thatthe verity of it is in strong suspicion: has the kingfound his heir?

Third Gentleman

Most true, if ever truth were pregnant bycircumstance: that which you hear you'll swear yousee, there is such unity in the proofs. The mantleof Queen Hermione's, her jewel about the neck of it,the letters of Antigonus found with it which theyknow to be his character, the majesty of thecreature in resemblance of the mother, the affectionof nobleness which nature shows above her breeding,and many other evidences proclaim her with allcertainty to be the king's daughter. Did you seethe meeting of the two kings?

Second Gentleman

No.

Third Gentleman

Then have you lost a sight, which was to be seen,cannot be spoken of. There might you have beheld onejoy crown another, so and in such manner that itseemed sorrow wept to take leave of them, for theirjoy waded in tears. There was casting up of eyes,holding up of hands, with countenances of suchdistraction that they were to be known by garment,not by favour. Our king, being ready to leap out ofhimself for joy of his found daughter, as if thatjoy were now become a loss, cries 'O, thy mother,thy mother!' then asks Bohemia forgiveness; thenembraces his son-in-law; then again worries he hisdaughter with clipping her; now he thanks the oldshepherd, which stands by like a weather-bittenconduit of many kings' reigns. I never heard of suchanother encounter, which lames report to follow itand undoes description to do it.

Second Gentleman

What, pray you, became of Antigonus, that carriedhence the child?

Third Gentleman

Like an old tale still, which will have matter torehearse, though credit be asleep and not an earopen. He was torn to pieces with a bear: thisavouches the shepherd's son; who has not only hisinnocence, which seems much, to justify him, but ahandkerchief 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 andin the view of the shepherd: so that all theinstruments which aided to expose the child wereeven then lost when it was found. But O, the noblecombat that 'twixt joy and sorrow was fought inPaulina! She had one eye declined for the loss ofher husband, another elevated that the oracle wasfulfilled: she lifted the princess from the earth,and so locks her in embracing, as if she would pinher to her heart that she might no more be in dangerof losing.

First Gentleman

The dignity of this act was worth the audience ofkings and princes; for by such was it acted.

Third Gentleman

One of the prettiest touches of all and that whichangled for mine eyes, caught the water though notthe fish, was when, at the relation of the queen'sdeath, with the manner how she came to't bravelyconfessed and lamented by the king, howattentiveness wounded his daughter; till, from onesign of dolour to another, she did, with an 'Alas,'I would fain say, bleed tears, for I am sure myheart wept blood. Who was most marble there changedcolour; some swooned, all sorrowed: if all the worldcould have seen 't, 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 manyyears in doing and now newly performed by that rareItalian master, Julio Romano, who, had he himselfeternity and could put breath into his work, wouldbeguile Nature of her custom, so perfectly he is herape: he so near to Hermione hath done Hermione thatthey say one would speak to her and stand in hope ofanswer: thither with all greediness of affectionare 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, eversince the death of Hermione, visited that removedhouse. Shall we thither and with our company piecethe 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.

AUTOLYCUS

Now, had I not the dash of my former life in me,would preferment drop on my head. I brought the oldman and his son aboard the prince: told him I heardthem talk of a fardel and I know not what: but heat that time, overfond of the shepherd's daughter,so he then took her to be, who began to be muchsea-sick, and himself little better, extremity ofweather continuing, this mystery remainedundiscovered. But 'tis all one to me; for had Ibeen the finder out of this secret, it would nothave relished among my other discredits.

AUTOLYCUS

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 moe children, but thy sons anddaughters will be all gentlemen born.

Clown

You are well met, sir. You denied to fight with methis other day, because I was no gentleman born.See you these clothes? say you see them not andthink me still no gentleman born: you were best saythese robes are not gentlemen born: give me thelie, 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 myfather; for the king's son took me by the hand, andcalled me brother; and then the two kings called myfather brother; and then the prince my brother andthe princess my sister called my father father; andso we wept, and there was the first gentleman-liketears that ever we shed.

Shepherd

We may live, son, to shed many more.

Clown

Ay; or else 'twere hard luck, being in sopreposterous estate as we are.

AUTOLYCUS

I humbly beseech you, sir, to pardon me all thefaults I have committed to your worship and to giveme your good report to the prince my master.

Shepherd

Prithee, son, do; for we must be gentle, now we aregentlemen.

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 thouart 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 andfranklins 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 swearit in the behalf of his friend: and I'll swear tothe prince thou art a tall fellow of thy hands andthat thou wilt not be drunk; but I know thou art notall fellow of thy hands and that thou wilt bedrunk: but I'll swear it, and I would thou wouldstbe 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 notwonder how thou darest venture to be drunk, notbeing a tall fellow, trust me not. Hark! the kingsand the princes, our kindred, are going to see thequeen's picture. Come, follow us: we'll be thygood masters.