Spaces:
Runtime error
Runtime error
| <html> | |
| <head> | |
| <title>SCENE II. A prison. | |
| </title> | |
| <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> | |
| <LINK rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" | |
| href="/shake.css"> | |
| </HEAD> | |
| <body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000"> | |
| <table width="100%" bgcolor="#CCF6F6"> | |
| <tr><td class="play" align="center">Winter's Tale | |
| <tr><td class="nav" align="center"> | |
| <a href="/Shakespeare">Shakespeare homepage</A> | |
| | <A href="/Shakespeare/winters_tale/">Winter's Tale</A> | |
| | Act 2, Scene 2 | |
| <br> | |
| <a href="winters_tale.2.1.html">Previous scene</A> | |
| | <a href="winters_tale.2.3.html">Next scene</A> | |
| </table> | |
| <H3>SCENE II. A prison.</h3> | |
| <p><blockquote> | |
| <i>Enter PAULINA, a Gentleman, and Attendants</i> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech1><b>PAULINA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=1>The keeper of the prison, call to him;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=2>let him have knowledge who I am.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exit Gentleman</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=3>Good lady,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=4>No court in Europe is too good for thee;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=5>What dost thou then in prison?</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Re-enter Gentleman, with the Gaoler</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=6>Now, good sir,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=7>You know me, do you not?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech2><b>Gaoler</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=8>For a worthy lady</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=9>And one whom much I honour.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech3><b>PAULINA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=10>Pray you then,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=11>Conduct me to the queen.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech4><b>Gaoler</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=12>I may not, madam:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=13>To the contrary I have express commandment.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech5><b>PAULINA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=14>Here's ado,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=15>To lock up honesty and honour from</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=16>The access of gentle visitors!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=17>Is't lawful, pray you,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=18>To see her women? any of them? Emilia?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech6><b>Gaoler</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=19>So please you, madam,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=20>To put apart these your attendants, I</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=21>Shall bring Emilia forth.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech7><b>PAULINA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=22>I pray now, call her.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=23>Withdraw yourselves.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exeunt Gentleman and Attendants</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech8><b>Gaoler</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=24>And, madam,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=25>I must be present at your conference.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech9><b>PAULINA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=26>Well, be't so, prithee.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exit Gaoler</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=27>Here's such ado to make no stain a stain</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=28>As passes colouring.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Re-enter Gaoler, with EMILIA</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=29>Dear gentlewoman,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=30>How fares our gracious lady?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech10><b>EMILIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=31>As well as one so great and so forlorn</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=32>May hold together: on her frights and griefs,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=33>Which never tender lady hath born greater,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=34>She is something before her time deliver'd.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech11><b>PAULINA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=35>A boy?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech12><b>EMILIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=36> A daughter, and a goodly babe,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=37>Lusty and like to live: the queen receives</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=38>Much comfort in't; says 'My poor prisoner,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=39>I am innocent as you.'</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech13><b>PAULINA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=40>I dare be sworn</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=41>These dangerous unsafe lunes i' the king,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=42>beshrew them!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=43>He must be told on't, and he shall: the office</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=44>Becomes a woman best; I'll take't upon me:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=45>If I prove honey-mouth'd let my tongue blister</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=46>And never to my red-look'd anger be</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=47>The trumpet any more. Pray you, Emilia,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=48>Commend my best obedience to the queen:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=49>If she dares trust me with her little babe,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=50>I'll show't the king and undertake to be</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=51>Her advocate to the loud'st. We do not know</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=52>How he may soften at the sight o' the child:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=53>The silence often of pure innocence</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=54>Persuades when speaking fails.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech14><b>EMILIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=55>Most worthy madam,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=56>Your honour and your goodness is so evident</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=57>That your free undertaking cannot miss</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=58>A thriving issue: there is no lady living</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=59>So meet for this great errand. Please your ladyship</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=60>To visit the next room, I'll presently</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=61>Acquaint the queen of your most noble offer;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=62>Who but to-day hammer'd of this design,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=63>But durst not tempt a minister of honour,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=64>Lest she should be denied.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech15><b>PAULINA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=65>Tell her, Emilia.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=66>I'll use that tongue I have: if wit flow from't</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=67>As boldness from my bosom, let 't not be doubted</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=68>I shall do good.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech16><b>EMILIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=69> Now be you blest for it!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=70>I'll to the queen: please you,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=71>come something nearer.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech17><b>Gaoler</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=72>Madam, if't please the queen to send the babe,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=73>I know not what I shall incur to pass it,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=74>Having no warrant.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech18><b>PAULINA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=75> You need not fear it, sir:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=76>This child was prisoner to the womb and is</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=77>By law and process of great nature thence</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=78>Freed and enfranchised, not a party to</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=79>The anger of the king nor guilty of,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=80>If any be, the trespass of the queen.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech19><b>Gaoler</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=81>I do believe it.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech20><b>PAULINA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=82> Do not you fear: upon mine honour,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=83>I will stand betwixt you and danger.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exeunt</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <table width="100%" bgcolor="#CCF6F6"> | |
| <tr><td class="nav" align="center"> | |
| <a href="/Shakespeare">Shakespeare homepage</A> | |
| | <A href="/Shakespeare/winters_tale/">Winter's Tale</A> | |
| | Act 2, Scene 2 | |
| <br> | |
| <a href="winters_tale.2.1.html">Previous scene</A> | |
| | <a href="winters_tale.2.3.html">Next scene</A> | |
| </table> | |
| </body> | |
| </html> | |