THE WINTER'S TALE 5.3

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THE WINTER'S TALE 5.3

A chapel in PAULINA'S house.

[Enter LEONTES, POLIXENES, FLORIZEL, PERDITA,

CAMILLO, PAULINA, Lords, and Attendants]

LEONTES O grave and good Paulina, the great comfort

That I have had of thee!

PAULINA What, sovereign sir,

I did not well I meant well. All my services

You have paid home: but that you have vouchsafed, 5

With your crown'd brother and these your contracted

Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to visit,

It is a surplus of your grace, which never

My life may last to answer.

LEONTES O Paulina, 10

We honour you with trouble: but we came

To see the statue of our queen: your gallery

Have we pass'd through, not without much content

In many singularities; but we saw not

That which my daughter came to look upon, 15

The statue of her mother.

PAULINA As she lived peerless,

So her dead likeness, I do well believe,

Excels whatever yet you look'd upon

Or hand of man hath done; therefore I keep it 20

Lonely, apart. But here it is: prepare

To see the life as lively mock'd as ever

Still sleep mock'd death: behold, and say 'tis well.

[PAULINA draws a curtain, and discovers HERMIONE

standing like a statue]

I like your silence, it the more shows off

Your wonder: but yet speak; first, you, my liege, 25

Comes it not something near?

LEONTES Her natural posture!

Chide me, dear stone, that I may say indeed

Thou art Hermione; or rather, thou art she

In thy not chiding, for she was as tender 30

As infancy and grace. But yet, Paulina,

Hermione was not so much wrinkled, nothing

So aged as this seems.

POLIXENES O, not by much.

PAULINA So much the more our carver's excellence; 35

Which lets go by some sixteen years and makes her

As she lived now.

LEONTES As now she might have done,

So much to my good comfort, as it is

Now piercing to my soul. O, thus she stood,

Even with such life of majesty, warm life, 40

As now it coldly stands, when first I woo'd her!

I am ashamed: does not the stone rebuke me

For being more stone than it? O royal piece,

There's magic in thy majesty, which has

My evils conjured to remembrance and 45

From thy admiring daughter took the spirits,

Standing like stone with thee.

PERDITA And give me leave,

And do not say 'tis superstition, that

I kneel and then implore her blessing. Lady, 50

Dear queen, that ended when I but began,

Give me that hand of yours to kiss.

PAULINA O, patience!

The statue is but newly fix'd, the colour's Not dry.

CAMILLO My lord, your sorrow was too sore laid on, 55

Which sixteen winters cannot blow away,

So many summers dry; scarce any joy

Did ever so long live; no sorrow

But kill'd itself much sooner.

POLIXENES Dear my brother, 60

Let him that was the cause of this have power

To take off so much grief from you as he

Will piece up in himself.

PAULINA Indeed, my lord,

If I had thought the sight of my poor image 65

Would thus have wrought you,--for the stone is mine--

I'ld not have show'd it.

LEONTES Do not draw the curtain.

PAULINA No longer shall you gaze on't, lest your fancy

May think anon it moves. 70

LEONTES Let be, let be.

Would I were dead, but that, methinks, already--

What was he that did make it? See, my lord,

Would you not deem it breathed? and that those veins

Did verily bear blood? 75

POLIXENES Masterly done:

The very life seems warm upon her lip.

LEONTES The fixture of her eye has motion in't,

As we are mock'd with art.

PAULINA I'll draw the curtain: 80

My lord's almost so far transported that

He'll think anon it lives.

LEONTES O sweet Paulina,

Make me to think so twenty years together!

No settled senses of the world can match 85

The pleasure of that madness. Let 't alone.

PAULINA I am sorry, sir, I have thus far stirr'd you: but

I could afflict you farther.

LEONTES Do, Paulina;

For this affliction has a taste as sweet 90

As any cordial comfort. Still, methinks,

There is an air comes from her: what fine chisel

Could ever yet cut breath? Let no man mock me,

For I will kiss her.

PAULINA Good my lord, forbear: 95

The ruddiness upon her lip is wet;

You'll mar it if you kiss it, stain your own

With oily painting. Shall I draw the curtain?

LEONTES No, not these twenty years.

PERDITA So long could I 100

Stand by, a looker on.

PAULINA Either forbear,

Quit presently the chapel, or resolve you

For more amazement. If you can behold it,

I'll make the statue move indeed, descend 105

And take you by the hand; but then you'll think--

Which I protest against--I am assisted

By wicked powers.

LEONTES What you can make her do,

I am content to look on: what to speak,

I am content to hear; for 'tis as easy 110

To make her speak as move.

PAULINA It is required

You do awake your faith. Then all stand still;

On: those that think it is unlawful business

I am about, let them depart. 115

LEONTES Proceed:

No foot shall stir.

PAULINA Music, awake her; strike!

[Music]

'Tis time; descend; be stone no more; approach;

Strike all that look upon with marvel. Come, 120

I'll fill your grave up: stir, nay, come away,

Bequeath to death your numbness, for from him

Dear life redeems you. You perceive she stirs:

[HERMIONE comes down]

Start not; her actions shall be holy as

You hear my spell is lawful: do not shun her 125

Until you see her die again; for then

You kill her double. Nay, present your hand:

When she was young you woo'd her; now in age

Is she become the suitor?

LEONTES O, she's warm! 130

If this be magic, let it be an art

Lawful as eating.

POLIXENES She embraces him.

CAMILLO She hangs about his neck:

If she pertain to life let her speak too.

POLIXENES Ay, and make't manifest where she has lived, 135

Or how stolen from the dead.

PAULINA That she is living,

Were it but told you, should be hooted at

Like an old tale: but it appears she lives,

Though yet she speak not. Mark a little while. 140

Please you to interpose, fair madam: kneel

And pray your mother's blessing. Turn, good lady;

Our Perdita is found.

HERMIONE You gods, look down

And from your sacred vials pour your graces 145

Upon my daughter's head! Tell me, mine own.

Where hast thou been preserved? where lived? how found

Thy father's court? for thou shalt hear that I,

Knowing by Paulina that the oracle

Gave hope thou wast in being, have preserved 150

Myself to see the issue.

PAULINA There's time enough for that;

Lest they desire upon this push to trouble

Your joys with like relation. Go together,

You precious winners all; your exultation 155

Partake to every one. I, an old turtle,

Will wing me to some wither'd bough and there

My mate, that's never to be found again,

Lament till I am lost.

LEONTES O, peace, Paulina! 160

Thou shouldst a husband take by my consent,

As I by thine a wife: this is a match,

And made between's by vows. Thou hast found mine;

But how, is to be question'd; for I saw her,

As I thought, dead, and have in vain said many 165

A prayer upon her grave. I'll not seek far--

For him, I partly know his mind--to find thee

An honourable husband. Come, Camillo,

And take her by the hand, whose worth and honesty

Is richly noted and here justified 170

By us, a pair of kings. Let's from this place.

What! look upon my brother: both your pardons,

That e'er I put between your holy looks

My ill suspicion. This is your son-in-law,

And son unto the king, who, heavens directing, 175

Is troth-plight to your daughter. Good Paulina,

Lead us from hence, where we may leisurely

Each one demand an answer to his part

Perform'd in this wide gap of time since first

We were dissever'd: hastily lead away. 180

[Exeunt]

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		[Enter LEONTES, POLIXENES, FLORIZEL, PERDITA,
		CAMILLO, PAULINA, Lords, and Attendants]

LEONTES		O grave and good Paulina, the great comfort
		That I have had of thee!

PAULINA	What, sovereign sir,
	I did not well I meant well. All my services
	You have paid home: but that you have vouchsafed,	5
	With your crown'd brother and these your contracted
	Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to visit,
	It is a surplus of your grace, which never
	My life may last to answer.

LEONTES	O Paulina,	10
	We honour you with trouble: but we came
	To see the statue of our queen: your gallery
	Have we pass'd through, not without much content
	In many singularities; but we saw not
	That which my daughter came to look upon,	15
	The statue of her mother.

PAULINA	As she lived peerless,
	So her dead likeness, I do well believe,
	Excels whatever yet you look'd upon
	Or hand of man hath done; therefore I keep it	20
	Lonely, apart. But here it is: prepare
	To see the life as lively mock'd as ever
	Still sleep mock'd death: behold, and say 'tis well.
	[PAULINA draws a curtain, and discovers HERMIONE
	standing like a statue]
	I like your silence, it the more shows off
	Your wonder: but yet speak; first, you, my liege,	25
	Comes it not something near?

LEONTES	Her natural posture!
	Chide me, dear stone, that I may say indeed
	Thou art Hermione; or rather, thou art she
	In thy not chiding, for she was as tender	30
	As infancy and grace. But yet, Paulina,
	Hermione was not so much wrinkled, nothing
	So aged as this seems.

PAULINA	So much the more our carver's excellence;	35
	Which lets go by some sixteen years and makes her
	As she lived now.

LEONTES	As now she might have done,
	So much to my good comfort, as it is
	Now piercing to my soul. O, thus she stood,
	Even with such life of majesty, warm life,	40
	As now it coldly stands, when first I woo'd her!
	I am ashamed: does not the stone rebuke me
	For being more stone than it? O royal piece,
	There's magic in thy majesty, which has
	My evils conjured to remembrance and	45
	From thy admiring daughter took the spirits,
	Standing like stone with thee.

PERDITA	And give me leave,
	And do not say 'tis superstition, that
	I kneel and then implore her blessing. Lady,	50
	Dear queen, that ended when I but began,
	Give me that hand of yours to kiss.

PAULINA		O, patience!
		The statue is but newly fix'd, the colour's Not dry.

CAMILLO	My lord, your sorrow was too sore laid on,	55
	Which sixteen winters cannot blow away,
	So many summers dry; scarce any joy
	Did ever so long live; no sorrow
	But kill'd itself much sooner.

POLIXENES	Dear my brother,	60
	Let him that was the cause of this have power
	To take off so much grief from you as he
	Will piece up in himself.

PAULINA	Indeed, my lord,
	If I had thought the sight of my poor image	65
	Would thus have wrought you,--for the stone is mine--
	I'ld not have show'd it.

PAULINA		No longer shall you gaze on't, lest your fancy
		May think anon it moves.	70

LEONTES	Let be, let be.
	Would I were dead, but that, methinks, already--
	What was he that did make it? See, my lord,
	Would you not deem it breathed? and that those veins
	Did verily bear blood?	75

POLIXENES		Masterly done:
		The very life seems warm upon her lip.

LEONTES		The fixture of her eye has motion in't,
		As we are mock'd with art.

PAULINA	I'll draw the curtain:	80
	My lord's almost so far transported that
	He'll think anon it lives.

LEONTES	O sweet Paulina,
	Make me to think so twenty years together!
	No settled senses of the world can match	85
	The pleasure of that madness. Let 't alone.

PAULINA		I am sorry, sir, I have thus far stirr'd you: but
		I could afflict you farther.

LEONTES	Do, Paulina;
	For this affliction has a taste as sweet	90
	As any cordial comfort. Still, methinks,
	There is an air comes from her: what fine chisel
	Could ever yet cut breath? Let no man mock me,
	For I will kiss her.

PAULINA	Good my lord, forbear:	95
	The ruddiness upon her lip is wet;
	You'll mar it if you kiss it, stain your own
	With oily painting. Shall I draw the curtain?

PAULINA	Either forbear,
	Quit presently the chapel, or resolve you
	For more amazement. If you can behold it,
	I'll make the statue move indeed, descend	105
	And take you by the hand; but then you'll think--
	Which I protest against--I am assisted
	By wicked powers.

LEONTES	What you can make her do,
	I am content to look on: what to speak,
	I am content to hear; for 'tis as easy	110
	To make her speak as move.

PAULINA	It is required
	You do awake your faith. Then all stand still;
	On: those that think it is unlawful business
	I am about, let them depart.	115

PAULINA	Music, awake her; strike!
	[Music]
	'Tis time; descend; be stone no more; approach;
	Strike all that look upon with marvel. Come,	120
	I'll fill your grave up: stir, nay, come away,
	Bequeath to death your numbness, for from him
	Dear life redeems you. You perceive she stirs:
	[HERMIONE comes down]
	Start not; her actions shall be holy as
	You hear my spell is lawful: do not shun her	125
	Until you see her die again; for then
	You kill her double. Nay, present your hand:
	When she was young you woo'd her; now in age
	Is she become the suitor?

LEONTES	O, she's warm!	130
	If this be magic, let it be an art
	Lawful as eating.

CAMILLO		She hangs about his neck:
		If she pertain to life let her speak too.

POLIXENES		Ay, and make't manifest where she has lived,	135
		Or how stolen from the dead.

PAULINA	That she is living,
	Were it but told you, should be hooted at
	Like an old tale: but it appears she lives,
	Though yet she speak not. Mark a little while.	140
	Please you to interpose, fair madam: kneel
	And pray your mother's blessing. Turn, good lady;
	Our Perdita is found.