The Winter’s Tale

Leontes

To your own bents dispose you; you’ll be found,

Though you perceive me not how I give line.

Go to, go to!

How she holds up the neb, the bill to him!

And arms her with the boldness of a wife

To her allowing husband!

[Exeunt POLIXENES, HERMIONE, and Attendants.]

Inch-thick, knee-deep, o’er head and ears a fork’d one!

Go, play, boy, play; thy mother plays, and I

Play too; but so disgrac’d a part, whose issue

Will hiss me to my grave. Contempt and clamour

Or I am much deceiv’d, cuckolds ere now;

And many a man there is, even at this present,

Now while I speak this, holds his wife by th’ arm

That little thinks she has been sluic’d in’s absence,

Sir Smile, his neighbour. Nay, there’s comfort in’t,

Whiles other men have gates and those gates open’d,

As mine, against their will. Should all despair

That have revolted wives, the tenth of mankind

It is a bawdy planet, that will strike

Where ’tis predominant; and ’tis pow’rful, think it,

From east, west, north, and south. Be it concluded,

No barricado for a belly. Know’t,

With bag and baggage. Many thousand on’s

Have the disease, and feel’t not. How now, boy!

Mamillius

I am like you, they say.

Leontes

Why, that’s some comfort.

What! Camillo there?

Camillo

Leontes

Go play, Mamillius; thou’rt an honest man.

[Exit MAMILLIUS.]

Camillo, this great sir will yet stay longer.

Camillo

You had much ado to make his anchor hold;

When you cast out, it still came home.

Leontes

Didst note it?

Camillo

His business more material.

Leontes

Didst perceive it?

[Aside] They’re here with me already; whisp’ring, rounding,

‘Sicilia is a so-forth’. ’Tis far gone

When I shall gust it last. – How came’t, Camillo,

That he did stay?

Camillo