ARKCODEX
Act II, Scene 3
1An ante-chamber adjoining Imogen’s apartments.
2Enter Cloten and Lords.
3First LordYour lordship is the most patient man in loss, the most coldest that ever turned up ace.
4ClotenIt would make any man cold to lose.
5First LordBut not every man patient after the noble temper of your lordship. You are most hot and furious when you win.
6ClotenWinning 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?
7First LordDay, my lord.
8ClotenI would this music would come: I am advised to give her music o’ mornings; they say it will penetrate.
9Enter Musicians.
10Come 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.
11Song.
12Hark, 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.
13ClotenSo, 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.
14Second LordHere comes the king.
15ClotenI 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.
16Enter Cymbeline and Queen.
17Good morrow to your majesty and to my gracious mother.
18CymbelineAttend you here the door of our stern daughter?
Will she not forth?
19ClotenI have assailed her with music, but she vouchsafes no notice.
20CymbelineThe 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.
21QueenYou 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.
22ClotenSenseless! not so.
23Enter a Messenger.
24MessengerSo like you, sir, ambassadors from Rome;
The one is Caius Lucius.
25CymbelineA 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.
26ClotenIf 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.
27Enter a Lady.
28LadyWho’s there that knocks?
29ClotenA gentleman.
30LadyNo more?
31ClotenYes, and a gentlewoman’s son.
32LadyThat’s more
Than some, whose tailors are as dear as yours,
Can justly boast of. What’s your lordship’s pleasure?
33ClotenYour lady’s person: is she ready?
34LadyAy,
To keep her chamber.
35ClotenThere is gold for you;
Sell me your good report.
36LadyHow! my good name? or to report of you
What I shall think is good?—The princess!
37Enter Imogen.
38ClotenGood morrow, fairest: sister, your sweet hand. Exit Lady.
39ImogenGood 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.
40ClotenStill, I swear I love you.
41ImogenIf you but said so, ’twere as deep with me:
If you swear still, your recompense is still
That I regard it not.
42ClotenThis is no answer.
43ImogenBut 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.
44ClotenTo leave you in your madness, ’twere my sin:
I will not.
45ImogenFools are not mad folks.
46ClotenDo you call me fool?
47ImogenAs 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.
48ClotenYou 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.
49ImogenProfane 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 preferr’d so well.
50ClotenThe south-fog rot him!
51ImogenHe 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!
52Enter Pisanio.
53Cloten“His garment!” Now the devil—
54ImogenTo Dorothy my woman hie thee presently—
55Cloten“His garment!”
56ImogenI 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.
57Pisanio’Twill not be lost.
58ImogenI hope so: go and search. Exit Pisanio.
59ClotenYou have abused me:
“His meanest garment!”
60ImogenAy, I said so, sir:
If you will make’t an action, call witness to’t.
61ClotenI will inform your father.
62ImogenYour 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.
63ClotenI’ll be revenged:
“His meanest garment!” Well. Exit.