Such parting were too petty. Look here, love:

This diamond was my mother’s. Take it, heart;

She gives him a ring

But keep it till you woo another wife

When Innogen is dead.

POSTHUMUS

How, how? Another?

You gentle gods, give me but this I have,

And cere up my embracements from a next

With bonds of death! Remain, remain thou here

He puts on the ring

While sense can keep it on; and, sweetest, fairest,

As I my poor self did exchange for you

To your so infinite loss, so in our trifles

I still win of you. For my sake wear this.

He gives her a bracelet

It is a manacle of love. I’ll place it

Upon this fairest prisoner.

INNOGEN O the gods!

When shall we see again?

Enter Cymbeline and lords

POSTHUMUS

Alack, the King!

CYMBELINE

Thou basest thing, avoid hence, from my sight!

If after this command thou fraught the court

With thy unworthiness, thou diest. Away.

Thou’rt poison to my blood.

POSTHUMUS

The gods protect you,

And bless the good remainders of the court!

I am gone.

Exit

INNOGEN

There cannot be a pinch in death

More sharp than this is.

CYMBELINE

O disloyal thing,

That shouldst repair my youth, thou heap’st

A year’s age on me.

INNOGEN

I beseech you, sir,

Harm not yourself with your vexation.

I am senseless of your wrath. A touch more rare

Subdues all pangs, all fears.

CYMBELINE

Past grace, obedience-

INNOGEN

Past hope and in despair: that way past grace.

CYMBELINE

That mightst have had the sole son of my queen!

INNOGEN

O blessed that I might not! I chose an eagle

And did avoid a puttock.

CYMBELINE

Thou took’st a beggar, wouldst have made my throne

A seat for baseness.

INNOGEN

No, I rather added

A lustre to it.

CYMBELINE

O thou vile one!

INNOGEN

Sir,

It is your fault that I have loved Posthumus.

You bred him as my playfellow, and he is

A man worth any woman, over-buys me

Almost the sum he pays.

CYMBELINE

What, art thou mad?

INNOGEN

Almost, sir. Heaven restore me! Would I were

A neatherd’s daughter, and my Leonatus

Our neighbour shepherd’s son.

Enter Queen

CYMBELINE

Thou foolish thing.

(To Queen) They were again together; you have done

Not after our command. (To lords) Away with her,

And pen her up.

QUEEN

Beseech your patience, peace,

Dear lady daughter, peace. Sweet sovereign,

Leave us to ourselves, and make yourself some comfort

Out of your best advice.

CYMBELINE

Nay, let her languish

A drop of blood a day, and, being aged,

Die of this folly.

Exit with lords

QUEEN

Fie, you must give way.

Enter Pisanio

Here is your servant. How now, sir? What news?

PISANIO

My lord your son drew on my master.

QUEEN Ha!

No harm, I trust, is done?

PISANIO

There might have been,

But that my master rather played than fought,

And had no help of anger. They were parted

By gentlemen at hand.

QUEEN

I am very glad on’t.

INNOGEN

Your son’s my father’s friend; he takes his part

To draw upon an exile—O brave sir!

I would they were in Afric both together,

Myself by with a needle, that I might prick

The goer-back. (To Pisanio) Why came you from your

master?

PISANIO

On his command. He would not suffer me

To bring him to the haven, left these notes

Of what commands I should be subject to

When’t pleased you to employ me.

QUEEN

This hath been

Your faithful servant. I dare lay mine honour

He will remain so.

PISANIO I humbly thank your highness.

QUEEN Pray walk a while.

⌈Exit⌉

INNOGEN

About some half hour hence, pray you speak with me.

You shall at least go see my lord aboard.

For this time leave me.

Exeunt severally

1.2 Enter Cloten and two Lords

FIRST LORD Sir, I would advise you to shift a shirt. The violence of action hath made you reek as a sacrifice. Where air comes out, air comes in. There’s none abroad so wholesome as that you vent.

CLOTEN If my shirt were bloody, then to shift it. Have I hurt him?

SECOND LORD (aside) No, faith, not so much as his patience.

FIRST LORD Hurt him? His body’s a passable carcass if he be not hurt. It is a thoroughfare for steel if he be not hurt.

SECOND LORD (aside) His steel was in debt—it went o’th’ backside the town.

CLOTEN The villain would not stand me.

SECOND LORD (aside) No, but he fled forward still, toward your face.

FIRST LORD Stand you? You have land enough of your own, but he added to your having, gave you some ground.

SECOND LORD (aside) As many inches as you have oceans. Puppies!

CLOTEN I would they had not come between us.

SECOND LORD (aside) So would I, till you had measured how long a fool you were upon the ground.

CLOTEN And that she should love this fellow and refuse me!

SECOND LORD (aside) If it be a sin to make a true election, she is damned.

FIRST LORD Sir, as I told you always, her beauty and her brain go not together. She’s a good sign, but I have seen small reflection of her wit.

SECOND LORD (aside) She shines not upon fools lest the reflection should hurt her.

CLOTEN Come, I’ll to my chamber. Would there had been some hurt done.

SECOND LORD (aside) I wish not so, unless it had been the fall of an ass, which is no great hurt.

CLOTEN (to Second Lord) You’ll go with us?

FIRST LORD I’ll attend your lordship.

CLOTEN Nay, come, let’s go together.

SECOND LORD Well, my lord.

Exeunt

1.3 Enter Innogen and Pisanio

INNOGEN

I would thou grew‘st unto the shores o’th’ haven

And questionedst every sail. If he should write

And I not have it, ’twere a paper lost

As offered mercy is. What was the last

That he spake to thee?

PISANIO

It was his queen, his queen.

INNOGEN