Affection! thy intention stabs the centre.
Thou dost make possible things not so held,
With what’s unreal thou coactive art,
And fellow’st nothing. Then ’tis very credent
Thou mayst co-join with something; and thou dost –
And that beyond commission; and I find it,
And hard’ning of my brows.
Polixenes
What means Sicilia?
Hermione
He something seems unsettled.
Polixenes
How, my lord!
What cheer? How is’t with you, best brother?
Hermione
You look
As if you held a brow of much distraction.
Are you mov’d, my lord?
Leontes
How sometimes nature will betray its folly,
Its tenderness, and make itself a pastime
To harder bosoms! Looking on the lines
Of my boy’s face, me thoughts I did recoil
In my green velvet coat; my dagger muzzl’d,
Lest it should bite its master and so prove,
As ornaments oft do, too dangerous.
How like, methought, I then was to this kernel,
Will you take eggs for money?
Mamillius
No, my lord, I’ll fight.
Leontes
You will? Why, happy man be’s dole! My brother,
Are you so fond of your young prince as we
Do seem to be of ours?
Polixenes
He’s all my exercise, my mirth, my matter;
Now my sworn friend, and then mine enemy;
My parasite, my soldier, statesman, all.
He makes a July’s day short as December,
Thoughts that would thick my blood.
Leontes
So stands this squire
Offic’d with me. We two will walk, my lord,
And leave you to your graver steps. Hermione,
How thou lov’st us show in our brother’s welcome;
Next to thyself and my young rover, he’s
Apparent to my heart.
Hermione
If you would seek us,
We are yours i’ th’ garden. Shall’s attend you there?