1    Thou told'st me, when we came from horse, the place
2    Was near at hand: ne'er long'd my mother so
3    To see me first, as I have now. Pisanio! man!
4    Where is Posthumus? What is in thy mind,
5    That makes thee stare thus? Wherefore breaks that sigh
6    From the inward of thee? One, but painted thus,
7    Would be interpreted a thing perplex'd
8    Beyond self-explication: put thyself
9    Into a havior of less fear, ere wildness
10   Vanquish my staider senses. What's the matter?
11   Why tender'st thou that paper to me, with
12   A look untender? If't be summer news,
13   Smile to't before; if winterly, thou need'st
14   But keep that countenance still. My husband's hand!
15   That drug-damn'd Italy hath out-craftied him,
16   And he's at some hard point. Speak, man: thy tongue
17   May take off some extremity, which to read
18   Would be even mortal to me.

19   Please you, read;
20   And you shall find me, wretched man, a thing
21   The most disdain'd of fortune.

Reads
22    'Thy mistress, Pisanio, hath played the
23   strumpet in my bed; the testimonies whereof lie
24   bleeding in me. I speak not out of weak surmises,
25   but from proof as strong as my grief and as certain
26   as I expect my revenge. That part thou, Pisanio,
27   must act for me, if thy faith be not tainted with
28   the breach of hers. Let thine own hands take away
29   her life: I shall give thee opportunity at
30   Milford-Haven. She hath my letter for the purpose
31   where, if thou fear to strike and to make me certain
32   it is done, thou art the pandar to her dishonour and
33   equally to me disloyal.'

34   What shall I need to draw my sword? the paper
35   Hath cut her throat already. No, 'tis slander,
36   Whose edge is sharper than the sword, whose tongue
37   Outvenoms all the worms of Nile, whose breath
38   Rides on the posting winds and doth belie
39   All corners of the world: kings, queens and states,
40   Maids, matrons, nay, the secrets of the grave
41   This viperous slander enters. What cheer, madam?

42   False to his bed! What is it to be false?
43   To lie in watch there and to think on him?
44   To weep 'twixt clock and clock? if sleep
45   charge nature,
46   To break it with a fearful dream of him
47   And cry myself awake? that's false to's bed, is it?

48   Alas, good lady!

49   I false! Thy conscience witness: Iachimo,
50   Thou didst accuse him of incontinency;
51   Thou then look'dst like a villain; now methinks
52   Thy favour's good enough. Some jay of Italy
53   Whose mother was her painting, hath betray'd him:
54   Poor I am stale, a garment out of fashion;
55   And, for I am richer than to hang by the walls,
56   I must be ripp'd:--to pieces with me!--O,
57   Men's vows are women's traitors! All good seeming,
58   By thy revolt, O husband, shall be thought
59   Put on for villany; not born where't grows,
60   But worn a bait for ladies.

61   Good madam, hear me.

62   True honest men being heard, like false Aeneas,
63   Were in his time thought false, and Sinon's weeping
64   Did scandal many a holy tear, took pity
65   From most true wretchedness: so thou, Posthumus,
66   Wilt lay the leaven on all proper men;
67   Goodly and gallant shall be false and perjured
68   From thy great fall. Come, fellow, be thou honest:
69   Do thou thy master's bidding: when thou see'st him,
70   A little witness my obedience: look!
71   I draw the sword myself: take it, and hit
72   The innocent mansion of my love, my heart;
73   Fear not; 'tis empty of all things but grief;
74   Thy master is not there, who was indeed
75   The riches of it: do his bidding; strike
76   Thou mayst be valiant in a better cause;
77   But now thou seem'st a coward.

78   Hence, vile instrument!
79   Thou shalt not damn my hand.

80   Why, I must die;
81   And if I do not by thy hand, thou art
82   No servant of thy master's. Against self-slaughter
83   There is a prohibition so divine
84   That cravens my weak hand. Come, here's my heart.
85   Something's afore't. Soft, soft! we'll no defence;
86   Obedient as the scabbard. What is here?
87   The scriptures of the loyal Leonatus,
88   All turn'd to heresy? Away, away,
89   Corrupters of my faith! you shall no more
90   Be stomachers to my heart. Thus may poor fools
91   Believe false teachers: though those that
92   are betray'd
93   Do feel the treason sharply, yet the traitor
94   Stands in worse case of woe.
95   And thou, Posthumus, thou that didst set up
96   My disobedience 'gainst the king my father
97   And make me put into contempt the suits
98   Of princely fellows, shalt hereafter find
99   It is no act of common passage, but
100  A strain of rareness: and I grieve myself
101  To think, when thou shalt be disedged by her
102  That now thou tirest on, how thy memory
103  Will then be pang'd by me. Prithee, dispatch:
104  The lamb entreats the butcher: where's thy knife?
105  Thou art too slow to do thy master's bidding,
106  When I desire it too.

107  O gracious lady,
108  Since I received command to do this business
109  I have not slept one wink.

110  Do't, and to bed then.

111  I'll wake mine eye-balls blind first.

112  Wherefore then
113  Didst undertake it? Why hast thou abused
114  So many miles with a pretence? this place?
115  Mine action and thine own? our horses' labour?
116  The time inviting thee? the perturb'd court,
117  For my being absent? whereunto I never
118  Purpose return. Why hast thou gone so far,
119  To be unbent when thou hast ta'en thy stand,
120  The elected deer before thee?

121  But to win time
122  To lose so bad employment; in the which
123  I have consider'd of a course. Good lady,
124  Hear me with patience.

125  Talk thy tongue weary; speak
126  I have heard I am a strumpet; and mine ear
127  Therein false struck, can take no greater wound,
128  Nor tent to bottom that. But speak.

129  Then, madam,
130  I thought you would not back again.

131  Most like;
132  Bringing me here to kill me.

133  Not so, neither:
134  But if I were as wise as honest, then
135  My purpose would prove well. It cannot be
136  But that my master is abused:
137  Some villain, ay, and singular in his art.
138  Hath done you both this cursed injury.

139  Some Roman courtezan.

140  No, on my life.
141  I'll give but notice you are dead and send him
142  Some bloody sign of it; for 'tis commanded
143  I should do so: you shall be miss'd at court,
144  And that will well confirm it.

145  Why good fellow,
146  What shall I do the where? where bide? how live?
147  Or in my life what comfort, when I am
148  Dead to my husband?

149  If you'll back to the court--

150  No court, no father; nor no more ado
151  With that harsh, noble, simple nothing,
152  That Cloten, whose love-suit hath been to me
153  As fearful as a siege.

154  If not at court,
155  Then not in Britain must you bide.

156  Where then
157  Hath Britain all the sun that shines? Day, night,
158  Are they not but in Britain? I' the world's volume
159  Our Britain seems as of it, but not in 't;
160  In a great pool a swan's nest: prithee, think
161  There's livers out of Britain.

162  I am most glad
163  You think of other place. The ambassador,
164  Lucius the Roman, comes to Milford-Haven
165  To-morrow: now, if you could wear a mind
166  Dark as your fortune is, and but disguise
167  That which, to appear itself, must not yet be
168  But by self-danger, you should tread a course
169  Pretty and full of view; yea, haply, near
170  The residence of Posthumus; so nigh at least
171  That though his actions were not visible, yet
172  Report should render him hourly to your ear
173  As truly as he moves.

174  O, for such means!
175  Though peril to my modesty, not death on't,
176  I would adventure.

177  Well, then, here's the point:
178  You must forget to be a woman; change
179  Command into obedience: fear and niceness--
180  The handmaids of all women, or, more truly,
181  Woman its pretty self--into a waggish courage:
182  Ready in gibes, quick-answer'd, saucy and
183  As quarrelous as the weasel; nay, you must
184  Forget that rarest treasure of your cheek,
185  Exposing it--but, O, the harder heart!
186  Alack, no remedy!--to the greedy touch
187  Of common-kissing Titan, and forget
188  Your laboursome and dainty trims, wherein
189  You made great Juno angry.

190  Nay, be brief
191  I see into thy end, and am almost
192  A man already.

193  First, make yourself but like one.
194  Fore-thinking this, I have already fit--
195  'Tis in my cloak-bag--doublet, hat, hose, all
196  That answer to them: would you in their serving,
197  And with what imitation you can borrow
198  From youth of such a season, 'fore noble Lucius
199  Present yourself, desire his service, tell him
200  wherein you're happy,--which you'll make him know,
201  If that his head have ear in music,--doubtless
202  With joy he will embrace you, for he's honourable
203  And doubling that, most holy. Your means abroad,
204  You have me, rich; and I will never fail
205  Beginning nor supplyment.

206  Thou art all the comfort
207  The gods will diet me with. Prithee, away:
208  There's more to be consider'd; but we'll even
209  All that good time will give us: this attempt
210  I am soldier to, and will abide it with
211  A prince's courage. Away, I prithee.

212  Well, madam, we must take a short farewell,
213  Lest, being miss'd, I be suspected of
214  Your carriage from the court. My noble mistress,
215  Here is a box; I had it from the queen:
216  What's in't is precious; if you are sick at sea,
217  Or stomach-qualm'd at land, a dram of this
218  Will drive away distemper. To some shade,
219  And fit you to your manhood. May the gods
220  Direct you to the best!

221  Amen: I thank thee.