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The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [1170]

By Root 20532 0

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

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