The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [1170]
Affliction alters.
PERDITA.
One of these is true:
I think affliction may subdue the cheek,
But not take in the mind.
CAMILLO.
Yea, say you so?
There shall not at your father's house these seven years
Be born another such.
FLORIZEL.
My good Camillo,
She is as forward of her breeding as
She is i' th' rear o' our birth.
CAMILLO.
I cannot say 'tis pity
She lacks instructions, for she seems a mistress
To most that teach.
PERDITA.
Your pardon, sir; for this
I'll blush you thanks.
FLORIZEL.
My prettiest Perdita!
But, O, the thorns we stand upon! Camillo-
Preserver of my father, now of me;
The medicine of our house- how shall we do?
We are not furnish'd like Bohemia's son;
Nor shall appear in Sicilia.
CAMILLO.
My lord,
Fear none of this. I think you know my fortunes
Do all lie there. It shall be so my care
To have you royally appointed as if
The scene you play were mine. For instance, sir,
That you may know you shall not want- one word.
[They talk aside]
Re-enter AUTOLYCUS
AUTOLYCUS.
Ha, ha! what a fool Honesty is! and Trust, his sworn
brother, a very simple gentleman! I have sold all my trumpery;
not a counterfeit stone, not a ribbon, glass, pomander,
brooch,
table-book, ballad, knife, tape, glove, shoe-tie, bracelet,
horn-ring, to keep my pack from fasting. They throng who should
buy first, as if my trinkets had been hallowed and brought a
benediction to the buyer; by which means I saw whose purse was
best in picture; and what I saw, to my good use I rememb'red.
My
clown, who wants but something to be a reasonable man, grew so in
love with the wenches' song that he would not stir his pettitoes
till he had both tune and words, which so drew the rest of the
herd to me that all their other senses stuck in ears. You might
have pinch'd a placket, it was senseless; 'twas nothing to geld a
codpiece of a purse; I would have fil'd keys off that hung in
chains. No hearing, no feeling, but my sir's song, and admiring
the nothing of it. So that in this time of lethargy I pick'd and
cut most of their festival purses; and had not the old man come
in with whoobub against his daughter and the King's son and
scar'd my choughs from the chaff, I had not left a purse alive in the whole army.
CAMILLO, FLORIZEL, and PERDITA come forward
CAMILLO.
Nay, but my letters, by this means being there
So soon as you arrive, shall clear that doubt.
FLORIZEL.
And those that you'll procure from King Leontes?
CAMILLO.
Shall satisfy your father.
PERDITA.
Happy be you!
All that you speak shows fair.
CAMILLO.
[seeing AUTOLYCUS] Who have we here?
We'll make an instrument of this; omit
Nothing may give us aid.
AUTOLYCUS.
[Aside] If they have overheard me now- why, hanging.
CAMILLO.
How now, good fellow! Why shak'st thou so?
Fear not, man; here's no harm intended to thee.
AUTOLYCUS.
I am a poor fellow, sir.
CAMILLO.
Why, be so still; here's nobody will steal that from thee.
Yet for the outside of thy poverty we must make an exchange;
therefore discase thee instantly- thou must think there's a
necessity in't- and change garments with this gentleman.
Though
the pennyworth on his side be the worst, yet hold thee,
there's
some boot. [Giving money]
AUTOLYCUS.
I am a poor fellow, sir. [Aside] I know ye well enough.
CAMILLO.
Nay, prithee dispatch. The gentleman is half flay'd already.
AUTOLYCUS.
Are you in camest, sir? [Aside] I smell the trick on't.
FLORIZEL.
Dispatch, I prithee.
AUTOLYCUS.
Indeed, I have had earnest; but I cannot with conscience take it.
CAMILLO.
Unbuckle, unbuckle.
FLORIZEL and AUTOLYCUS exchange garments
Fortunate mistress- let my prophecy
Come home to ye!- you must retire yourself
Into some covert; take your sweetheart's hat
And pluck it o'er your brows, muffle your face,
Dismantle you, and, as you can, disliken
The truth of your own seeming, that you may-
For I do fear eyes over- to shipboard
Get undescried.
PERDITA.
I see the play so lies
That I must bear a part.
CAMILLO.
No remedy.
Have