with a double occasion-gold, and a means to do the prince my master good; which who knows how that may turn back to my advancement? I will bring these two moles, these blind ones, aboard him if he think it fit to shore them again, and that the complaint they have to the king concerns him nothing, let him call me rogue for being so far officious; for I am proof against that title, and what shame else belongs to 't. To him will I present them; there may be matter in it.

[Exit.

SCENE I-Sicilia. A Room in the Palace of LEONTES.

Enter LEONTES, CLEOMENES, DION, PAULINA, and others. Cleo. Sir, you have done enough, and have perform'd A saint-like sorrow: no fault could you make Which you have not redeem'd; indeed, paid down More penitence than done trespass. At the last Do, as the heavens have done, forget your evil; With them, forgive yourself.

Leon.

Whilst I remember
Her and her virtues, I cannot forget
My blemishes in them; and so still think of
The wrong I did myself: which was so much,
That heirless it hath made my kingdom; and
Destroy'd the sweet'st companion that e'er man
Bred his hopes out of.

Paul.

If, one by one, you wedded all the world,
Or, from the all that are took something good,
To make a perfect woman, she, you kill'd,
Would be unparallel'd.

Leon.

I think so.

Kill'd!

She I kill'd! I did so: but thou strik'st me
Sorely, to say I did; it is as bitter

Upon thy tongue as in my thought. Now, good now,
Say so but seldom.

Cleo.

Not at all, good lady;

You might have spoken a thousand things that would Have done the time more benefit, and grac'd

Your kindness better.

Paul.

You are one of those

Would have him wed again.

If you would not so,

Dion.
You pity not the state, nor the remembrance
Of his most sovereign name; consider little
What dangers, by his highness' fail of issue,
May drop upon his kingdom, and devour
Incertain lookers-on. What were more holy
Than to rejoice the former queen is well?
What holier than-for royalty's repair,
For present comfort and for future good—
To bless the bed of majesty again

With a sweet fellow to 't?

Paul.

Respecting her that's gone.

There is none worthy,

Besides, the gods

Will have fulfill'd their secret purposes:
For has not the divine Apollo said,

Is 't not the tenor of his oracle,

That King Leontes shall not have an heir
Till his lost child be found? which that it shall,

Is all as monstrous to our human reason,

As my Antigonus to break his grave
And come again to me; who, on my life,

Did perish with the infant. 'Tis your counsel
My lord should to the heavens be contrary,
Oppose against their wills.-Care not for issue;

[TO LEONTES.

The crown will find an heir. Great Alexander
Left his to the worthiest ; so his successor
Was like to be the best.

Who hast the memory of Hermione,

I know, in honour-O, that ever I

Had squar'd me to thy counsel! then, even now,
I might have look'd upon my queen's full eyes;
Have taken treasure from her lips-

Paul.

More rich for what they yielded.

Leon.

And left them

Thou speak'st truth.

No more such wives; therefore, no wife: one worse,
And better us'd, would make her sainted spirit
Again possess her corpse; and, on this stage
(Where we offend her now), appear, soul-vex'd,
And begin, 'Why to me?'1

Paul.

She had just cause.

Leon.

Had she such power,

She had; and would incense me

Were I the ghost that walk'd, I'd bid you mark
Her eye, and tell me for what dull part in't
You chose her: then I'd shriek, that even your ears
Should rift to hear me; and the words that follow'd
Should be, 'Remember mine!'

Leon.

Stars, stars,

And all eyes else dead coals !—fear thou no wife,

I'll have no wife, Paulina.

Paul.

Will you swear

Never to marry, but by my free leave?

Leon. Never, Paulina; so be bless'd my spirit!

Paul. Then, good my lords, bear witness to his oath. Cleo. You tempt him overmuch.

Yet if my lord will marry-if you will, sir,
No remedy but you will; give me the office
To choose you a queen: she shall not be so young
As was your former; but she shall be such

As, walk'd your first queen's ghost, it should take joy
To see her in your arms.

Leon.

My true Paulina,

That

We shall not marry till thou bidd'st us.

Paul.

Shall be when your first queen's again in breath;
Never till then.

Enter a Gentleman.

Gent. One that gives out himself Prince Florizel, Son of Polixenes, with his princess (she

The fairest I have yet beheld), desires access

To your high presence.

Leon.

What with him? he comes not

Like to his father's greatness: his approach, So out of circumstance and sudden, tells us "Tis not a visitation fram'd, but forc'd

By need and accident. What train?

Gent.

And those but mean.

Leon.

But few,

His princess, say you, with him?

Gent. Ay, the most peerless piece of earth, I think, That e'er the sun shone bright on.

Paul.

O Hermione,

As every present time doth boast itself