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The Illustrated Works of Shakespeare
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Illustrated Works of Shakespeare, The (1990)(Animated Pixels)[!][CDTV-PC].iso
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27
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03_04
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1991-04-10
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256 lines
Wales near Milford Haven.
Enter PISANIO and INNOGEN
Innogen 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 th' 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?
[PISANIO gives her a letter.
Why tender'st thou that paper to me with
A look untender? If't be summer news,
Smile to't before; if winterly, thou need'st
But keep that count'nance still. My husband's hand?
That drug-damned Italy hath outcraftied 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.
Pisanio Please you read;
And you shall find me, wretched man, a thing
The most disdained of fortune.
Innogen [Reads.] "Thy mistress, Pisanio, hath played the strumpet
in my bed; the testimonies whereof lies bleeding in me. I
speak not out of weak surmises but 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 opportunity 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
pandar to her dishonour, and equally to me disloyal."
Pisanio 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?
Innogen False to his bed? What is it to be false?
To lie in watch there, and to think on him?
To weep 'twixt clock and clock? If sleep charge nature,
To break it with a fearful dream of him,
And cry myself awake? That's false to's bed, is it?
Pisanio Alas, good lady!
Innogen I false? Thy conscience witness! Iachimo,
Thou didst accuse him of incontinency;
Thou then looked'st like a villain; now, methinks,
Thy favour's good enough. Some jay of Italy,
Whose mother was her painting, hath betrayed him.
Poor I am stale, a garment out of fashion,
And for I am richer than to hang by th' walls
I must be ripped. To pieces with me! O,
Men's vows are women's traitors! All good seeming,
By thy revolt, O husband, shall be thought
Put on for villainy; not born where't grows,
But worn a bait for ladies.
Pisanio Good madam, hear me.
Innogen True honest men, being heard like false Aeneas,
Were, in his time, thought false - and Sinon's weeping
Did scandal many a holy tear - took pity
From most true wretchedness. So thou, Posthumus,
Wilt lay the leaven on all proper men:
Goodly and gallant shall be false and perjured
From thy great fail. Come, fellow, be thou honest;
Do thou thy master's bidding. When thou see'st 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.
Pisanio Hence, vile instrument,
Thou shalt not damn my hand.
Innogen Why, I must die;
And if I do not by thy hand thou art
No servant of thy master's. Against self-slaughter
There is a prohibition so divine
That cravens my weak hand. Come, here's my heart.
-Something's afore't. - Soft, soft, we'll no defence;
Obedient as the scabbard. What is here?
The scriptures of the loyal Leonatus,
All turned to heresy? Away, away,
Corrupters of my faith, you shall no more
Be stomachers to my heart. Thus may poor fools
Believe false teachers; though those that are betrayed
Do feel the treason sharply, yet the traitor
Stands in worse case of woe. And thou, Posthumus,
That didst set up my disobedience 'gainst the king
My father, and make me put into contempt the suits
Of princely fellows, shalt hereafter find
It is no act of common passage, but
A strain of rareness; and I grieve myself
To think, when thou shalt be disedged by her
That now thou tirest on, how thy memory
Will then be panged by me. Prithee 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.
Pisanio O gracious lady,
Since I received command to do this business
I have not slept one wink.
Innogen Do't, and to bed then.
Pisanio I'll wake mine eyeballs out first.
Innogen 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 ta'en thy stand,
Th' elected deer before thee?
Pisanio But to win time
To lose so bad employment, in the which
I have considered of a course. Good lady,
Hear me with patience.
Innogen 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.
Pisanio Then, madam,
I thought you would not back again.
Innogen Most like,
Bringing me here to kill me.
Pisanio Not so neither;
But if I were as wise as honest, then
My purpose would prove well. It cannot be
But that my master is abused. Some villain,
Ay, and singular in his art, hath done you both
This cursd injury.
Innogen Some Roman courtezan?
Pisanio No, on my life!
I'll give but notice you are dead, and send him
Some bloody sign of it; for 'tis commanded
I should do so: you shall be missed at court,
And that will well confirm it.
Innogen Why, good fellow,
What shall I do the while? Where abide? How live?
Or in my life what comfort, when I am
Dead to my husband?
Pisanio If you'll back to th' court-
Innogen No court, no father, nor no more ado
With that harsh, noble, simple nothing,
That Cloten, whose love-suit hath been to me
As fearful as a siege.
Pisanio If not at court,
Then not in Britain must you bide.
Innogen Where then?
Hath Britain all the sun that shines? Day, night,
Are they not but in Britain? I'th' world's volume
Our Britain seems as of it, but not in't;
In a great pool a swan's nest. Prithee think
There's livers out of Britain.
Pisanio I am most glad
You think of other place. Th' ambassador,
Lucius the Roman, comes to Milford Haven
Tomorrow. Now, if you could wear a mind
Dark, as your fortune is, and but disguise
That which t' appear itself must not yet be,
But by self-danger, you should tread a course
Pretty and full of view; yea, haply near
The residence of Posthumus; so nigh, at least,
That though his actions were not visible, yet
Report should render him hourly to your ear
As truly as he moves.
Innogen O for such means,
Though peril to my modesty, not death on't,
I would adventure!
Pisanio Well then, here's the point:
You must forget to be a woman; change
Command into obedience; fear and niceness-
The handmaids of all women, or, more truly,
Woman it pretty self - into a waggish courage,
Ready in gibes, quick-answered, saucy, and
As quarrellous as the weasel. Nay, you must
Forget that rarest treasure of your cheek,
Exposing it - but, O, the harder heart,
Alack, no remedy - to the greedy touch
Of common-kissing Titan, and forget
Your laboursome and dainty trims wherein
You made great Juno angry.
Innogen Nay, be brief.
I see into thy end, and am almost
A man already.
Pisanio First, make yourself but like one.
Fore-thinking this, I have already fit-
'Tis in my cloak-bag - doublet, hat, hose, all
That answer to them. Would you, in their serving,
And with what imitation you can borrow
From youth of such a season, fore noble Lucius
Present yourself, desire his service, tell him
Wherein you're happy - which will make him know
If that his head have ear in music - doubtless
With joy he will embrace you; for he's honourable,
And, doubling that, most holy. Your means abroad?-
You have me, rich, and I will never fail
Beginning nor supplyment.
Innogen Thou art all the comfort
The gods will diet me with. Prithee, away.
There's more to be considered; but we'll even
All that good time will give us. This attempt
I am soldier to, and will abide it with
A prince's courage. Away, I prithee.
Pisanio Well, madam, we must take a short farewell,
Lest, being missed, I be suspected of
Your carriage from the court. My noble mistress,
Here is a box; I had it from the queen.
What's in't is precious. If you are sick at sea
Or stomach-qualmed at land, a dram of this
Will drive away distemper. To some shade,
And fit you to your manhood. May the gods
Direct you to the best!
Innogen Amen. I thank thee.
[Exeunt severally.