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Such thoughts, and such; or I could make him swear
The shes of Italy should not betray

Mine interest, and his honour; or have charged him
At the sixth hour of morn, at noon, at midnight,
To encounter me with orisons, for then

I am in heaven for him; or ere I could

Give him that parting kiss, which I had set
Betwixt two charming words,- -comes in my father,
And, like the tyrannous breathing of the north,
Shakes all our buds from growing.

IACHIMO, an Italian, having a wager with POSTHUMUS touching IMOGEN's chastity, is concealed in a trunk in IMOGEN's chamber.

Imogen, reading in her bed; a Lady attending. Imogen. What hour is it?

Lady. Almost midnight, madam.

Imo. I have read three hours then: mine eyes are weak:

Fold down the leaf, where I have left: To bed;

Take not away the taper, leave it burning;
And if thou canst awake by four o' the clock,

I pr'ythee, call me. Sleep hath seized me wholly.—
To your protection I commend me, gods!
From fairies, and the tempters of the night,

Guard me, beseech ye!

[Sleeps.

Iachimo [from the trunk]. The crickets sing, and

man's o'er-laboured sense

Repairs itself by rest: our Tarquin thus

Did softly press the rushes, ere he wakened

The chastity he wounded.-Cytherea,

How bravely thou becom'st thy bed! fresh lily!
And whiter than the sheets! That I might touch'

But kiss; one kiss!-Rubies unparagoned,

How dearly they do't!-'Tis her breathing that
Perfumes the chamber thus: the flame o' the taper
Bows toward her; and would under-peep her lids,
To see the enclosed lights, now canopied

Under these windows; white and azure, laced
With blue of heaven's own tinct.-But my design,
To note the chamber :-I will write all down :-

:

Such and such pictures :-There the window :-Such
The adornment of her bed;-the arras, figures,
Why, such and such:--And the contents o' the story,—
Ah, but some natural notes about her body,
Above ten thousand meaner movables
Would testify, to enrich mine inventory.

O sleep, thou ape of death, lie dull upon her!
And be her sense but as a monument,
Thus in a chapel lying!-come off, come off;

[Taking off her bracelet.

As slippery as the Gordian knot was hard!-
"Tis mine, and this will witness outwardly,
As strongly as the conscience does within,
To the madding of her lord. On her left breast
A mole cinque-spotted, like the crimson drops
I' the bottom of a cowslip: Here's a voucher,
Stronger than ever law could make this secret

Will force him think I have picked the lock, and ta'en
The treasure of her honour. No more. To what end?

Why should I write this down, that's riveted,

Screwed to my memory? She hath been reading late
The tale of Tereus; here the leaf's turned down,
Where Philomel gave up ;-I have enough:

To the trunk again, and shut the spring of it.
Swift, swift, you dragons of the night!-that dawning

May bare the raven's eye: I lodge in fear;
Though this a heavenly angel, hell is here!
One, two, three,—Time, time !

[Clock. [Goes into the trunk.

POSTHUMUS, convinced of IMOGEN's perfidy, orders his Servant PISANIO

to slay her.

PISANIO and IMOGEN.

Imo. Thou told'st me, when we came from horse, the

place

Was near at hand :—ne'er longed my mother so
To see me first, as I have now:-Pisanio! Man!
Where is Posthumus? What is in thy mind,

That makes thee stare thus ? Wherefore breaks that sigh
From the inward of thee? One, but painted thus,
Would be interpreted a thing perplexed

Beyond self-explication: put thyself
Into a 'haviour of less fear, ere wildness
Vanquish my staider senses. What's the matter?
Why tender'st thou that paper to me, with
A look untender? If it be summer news,
Smile to't before: if winterly, thou need'st

But keep that countenance still.-My husband's hand!
That drug-damned Italy hath out-craftied him,
And he's at some hard point.-Speak, man; thy tongue
May take off some extremity, which to read

Would be even mortal to me.

Pis. Please you, read;

And
you shall find me, wretched man, a thing
The most disdained of fortune.

Imo. (Reads.) Thy mistress, Pisanio, hath played false to my bed: the testimonies whereof lie bleeding in me. I speak not out of weak surmises; from proof as strong as my grief, and as certain as I expect

my revenge.

That part, thou, Pisanio, must act for me, if thy faith be not tainted with the breach of hers. Let thine own hands take away her life: I shall give thee opportunities at Milford-Haven: she hath my letter for the purpose, where, if thou fear to strike, and to make me certain it is done, thou art the pander to her dishonour, and equally to me disloyal.

Pis. What shall I need to draw my sword? the paper
Hath cut her throat already.-No, 'tis slander;
Whose edge is sharper than the sword; whose tongue
Outvenoms all the worms of Nile; whose breath
Rides on the posting winds, and doth belie

All corners of the world: kings, queens, and states,
Maids, matrons, nay, the secrets of the grave,
This viperous slander enters.-What cheer, madam?
Imo. False to his bed! What is it to be false?
To lie in watch there, and to think on him?

Το

weep 'twixt clock and clock? if sleep charge nature, To break it with a fearful dream of him,

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Imo.... Come, fellow, be thou honest;

Do thou thy master's bidding: when thou seest him,
A little witness my obedience: look!

I draw the sword myself: take it, and hit
The innocent mansion of my love, my heart:
Fear not; 'tis empty of all things, but grief:
Thy master is not there; who was, indeed,
The riches of it. Do his bidding; strike.
Thou mayst be valiant in a better cause;

But now thou seem'st a coward. ... Pr'ythee, dispatch !
The lamb entreats the butcher. Where's thy knife?

Thou art too slow to do thy master's bidding,
When I desire it too.

Pis. O gracious lady,

Since I received command to do this business,

I have not slept one wink.

Imo. Do't, and to bed then.

Pis. I'll wake mine eye-balls blind first.
Imo. Wherefore then

Didst undertake it? Why hast thou abused
So many miles, with a pretence? this place?
Mine action, and thine own? our horses' labour?
The time inviting thee? the perturbed court,
For my being absent; whereunto I never
Purpose return? Why hast thou gone so far,
To be unbent, when thou hast taʼen thy stand,
The elected deer before thee?

Pis. But to win time

To lose so bad employment: in the which
I have considered of a course: good lady,
Hear me with patience.

Imo. Talk thy tongue weary; speak:

I have heard, I am a strumpet; and mine ear, Therein false struck, can take no greater wound, Nor tent to bottom that. But speak.

Pis. Then, madam,

I thought you would not back again.

Imo. Most like;

Bringing me here to kill me.

Pis. Not so, neither;

But if I were as wise as honest, then

My purpose would prove well. It cannot br
But that my master is abused:

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