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go before it.

      LEONTES

       Stay your thanks a while,

      And pay them when you part.

      POLIXENES

       Sir, that's to-morrow.

      I am question'd by my fears, of what may chance

      Or breed upon our absence; that may blow

      No sneaping winds at home, to make us say,

      'This is put forth too truly.' Besides, I have stay'd

      To tire your royalty.

      LEONTES

       We are tougher, brother,

      Than you can put us to't.

      POLIXENES

       No longer stay.

      LEONTES

      One seven-night longer.

      POLIXENES

       Very sooth, to-morrow.

      LEONTES

      We'll part the time between 's then: and in that

      I'll no gainsaying.

      POLIXENES

       Press me not, beseech you, so,

      There is no tongue that moves, none, none i' the world,

      So soon as yours, could win me: so it should now,

      Were there necessity in your request, although

      'Twere needful I denied it. My affairs

      Do even drag me homeward: which to hinder,

      Were, in your love a whip to me; my stay

      To you a charge and trouble: to save both,

      Farewell, our brother.

      LEONTES

       Tongue-tied, our queen? Speak you.

      HERMIONE

      I had thought, sir, to have held my peace until

      You had drawn oaths from him not to stay. You, sir,

      Charge him too coldly. Tell him you are sure

      All in Bohemia's well: this satisfaction

      The by-gone day proclaimed: say this to him,

      He's beat from his best ward.

      LEONTES

       Well said, Hermione.

      HERMIONE

      To tell he longs to see his son were strong:

      But let him say so then, and let him go;

      But let him swear so, and he shall not stay,

      We'll thwack him hence with distaffs.—

      [To POLIXENES]

      Yet of your royal presence I'll adventure

      The borrow of a week. When at Bohemia

      You take my lord, I'll give him my commission

      To let him there a month behind the gest

      Prefix'd for's parting:—yet, good deed, Leontes,

      I love thee not a jar of the clock behind

      What lady she her lord.—You'll stay?

      POLIXENES

       No, madam.

      HERMIONE

      Nay, but you will?

      POLIXENES

       I may not, verily.

      HERMIONE

      Verily!

      You put me off with limber vows; but I,

      Though you would seek to unsphere the stars with oaths,

      Should yet say 'Sir, no going.' Verily,

      You shall not go; a lady's verily is

      As potent as a lord's. Will go yet?

      Force me to keep you as a prisoner,

      Not like a guest: so you shall pay your fees

      When you depart, and save your thanks. How say you?

      My prisoner or my guest? by your dread 'verily,'

      One of them you shall be.

      POLIXENES

       Your guest, then, madam:

      To be your prisoner should import offending;

      Which is for me less easy to commit

      Than you to punish.

      HERMIONE

       Not your gaoler then,

      But your kind hostess. Come, I'll question you

      Of my lord's tricks and yours when you were boys.

      You were pretty lordings then.

      POLIXENES

       We were, fair queen,

      Two lads that thought there was no more behind

      But such a day to-morrow as to-day,

      And to be boy eternal.

      HERMIONE

      Was not my lord the verier wag o' the two?

      POLIXENES

      We were as twinn'd lambs that did frisk i' the sun

      And bleat the one at th' other. What we chang'd

      Was innocence for innocence; we knew not

      The doctrine of ill-doing, nor dream'd

      That any did. Had we pursu'd that life,

      And our weak spirits ne'er been higher rear'd

      With stronger blood, we should have answer'd heaven

      Boldly 'Not guilty,' the imposition clear'd

      Hereditary ours.

      HERMIONE

       By this we gather

      You have tripp'd since.

      POLIXENES

       O my most sacred lady,

      Temptations have since then been born to 's! for

      In those unfledg'd days was my wife a girl;

      Your precious self had then not cross'd the eyes

      Of my young play-fellow.

      HERMIONE

       Grace to boot!

      Of this make no conclusion, lest you say

      Your queen and I are devils: yet, go on;

      The offences we have made you do we'll answer;

      If you first sinn'd with us, and that with us

      You did continue fault, and that you slipp'd not

      With any but with us.

      LEONTES

       Is he won yet?

      HERMIONE

      He'll

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