The Winters Tale | Page 8

changes thus his manners.
CAMILLO. I dare not know, my lord.
POLIXENES. How! dare not! do not. Do you know, and dare not Be
intelligent to me? 'Tis thereabouts; For, to yourself, what you do know,
you must, And cannot say, you dare not. Good Camillo, Your chang'd
complexions are to me a mirror Which shows me mine chang'd too; for
I must be A party in this alteration, finding Myself thus alter'd with't.
CAMILLO. There is a sickness Which puts some of us in distemper;
but I cannot name the disease; and it is caught Of you that yet are well.
POLIXENES. How! caught of me! Make me not sighted like the
basilisk: I have look'd on thousands who have sped the better By my
regard, but kill'd none so. Camillo,-- As you are certainly a gentleman;
thereto Clerk-like, experienc'd, which no less adorns Our gentry than
our parents' noble names, In whose success we are gentle,--I beseech
you, If you know aught which does behove my knowledge Thereof to
be inform'd, imprison't not In ignorant concealment.
CAMILLO. I may not answer.
POLIXENES. A sickness caught of me, and yet I well! I must be
answer'd.--Dost thou hear, Camillo, I conjure thee, by all the parts of
man Which honour does acknowledge,--whereof the least Is not this
suit of mine,--that thou declare What incidency thou dost guess of harm
Is creeping toward me; how far off, how near; Which way to be
prevented, if to be; If not, how best to bear it.
CAMILLO. Sir, I will tell you; Since I am charg'd in honour, and by
him That I think honourable: therefore mark my counsel, Which must
be ev'n as swiftly follow'd as I mean to utter it, or both yourself and me
Cry lost, and so goodnight!
POLIXENES. On, good Camillo.
CAMILLO. I am appointed him to murder you.
POLIXENES. By whom, Camillo?
CAMILLO. By the king.
POLIXENES. For what?
CAMILLO. He thinks, nay, with all confidence he swears, As he had

seen 't or been an instrument To vice you to't, that you have touch'd his
queen Forbiddenly.
POLIXENES. O, then my best blood turn To an infected jelly, and my
name Be yok'd with his that did betray the best! Turn then my freshest
reputation to A savour that may strike the dullest nostril Where I arrive,
and my approach be shunn'd, Nay, hated too, worse than the great'st
infection That e'er was heard or read!
CAMILLO. Swear his thought over By each particular star in heaven
and By all their influences, you may as well Forbid the sea for to obey
the moon As, or by oath remove, or counsel shake The fabric of his
folly, whose foundation Is pil'd upon his faith, and will continue The
standing of his body.
POLIXENES. How should this grow?
CAMILLO. I know not: but I am sure 'tis safer to Avoid what's grown
than question how 'tis born. If, therefore you dare trust my honesty,--
That lies enclosed in this trunk, which you Shall bear along
impawn'd,--away to-night. Your followers I will whisper to the
business; And will, by twos and threes, at several posterns, Clear them
o' the city: for myself, I'll put My fortunes to your service, which are
here By this discovery lost. Be not uncertain; For, by the honour of my
parents, I Have utter'd truth: which if you seek to prove, I dare not
stand by; nor shall you be safer Than one condemn'd by the king's own
mouth, thereon His execution sworn.
POLIXENES. I do believe thee; I saw his heart in his face. Give me thy
hand; Be pilot to me, and thy places shall Still neighbour mine. My
ships are ready, and My people did expect my hence departure Two
days ago.--This jealousy Is for a precious creature: as she's rare, Must it
be great; and, as his person's mighty, Must it be violent; and as he does
conceive He is dishonour'd by a man which ever Profess'd to him, why,
his revenges must In that be made more bitter. Fear o'ershades me;
Good expedition be my friend, and comfort The gracious queen, part of
this theme, but nothing Of his ill-ta'en suspicion! Come, Camillo; I will
respect thee as a father, if Thou bear'st my life off hence: let us avoid.
CAMILLO. It is in mine authority to command The keys of all the
posterns: please your highness To take the urgent hour: come, sir,
away.
[Exeunt.]

ACT II.
SCENE I. Sicilia. A Room in the Palace.
[Enter HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, and Ladies.]
HERMIONE. Take the boy to you: he so troubles me, 'Tis past
enduring.
FIRST LADY. Come, my gracious lord, Shall I be your playfellow?
MAMILLIUS. No, I'll none of you.
FIRST LADY. Why, my sweet lord?
MAMILLIUS. You'll