The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare
Act 2 - Scene 2
A prison.
Paulina : The keeper of the prison, call to him;
[p]let him have knowledge who I
am.
[p][Exit Gentleman]
[p]Good lady,
[p]No court in Europe is too
good for thee;
[p]What dost thou then in prison?
[p][Re-enter
Gentleman, with the Gaoler]
[p]Now, good sir,
[p]You know me, do you
not?
Gaoler : For a worthy lady
[p]And one whom much I honour.
Paulina : Pray you then,
[p]Conduct me to the queen.
Gaoler : I may not, madam:
[p]To the contrary I have express commandment.
Paulina : Here's ado,
[p]To lock up honesty and honour from
[p]The access of
gentle visitors!
[p]Is't lawful, pray you,
[p]To see her women? any of
them? Emilia?
Gaoler : So please you, madam,
[p]To put apart these your attendants,
I
[p]Shall bring Emilia forth.
Paulina : I pray now, call her.
[p]Withdraw yourselves.
Gaoler : And, madam,
[p]I must be present at your conference.
Paulina : Well, be't so, prithee.
[p][Exit Gaoler]
[p]Here's such ado to make no
stain a stain
[p]As passes colouring.
[p][Re-enter Gaoler, with
EMILIA]
[p]Dear gentlewoman,
[p]How fares our gracious lady?
Emilia : As well as one so great and so forlorn
[p]May hold together: on her
frights and griefs,
[p]Which never tender lady hath born
greater,
[p]She is something before her time deliver'd.
Paulina : A boy?
Emilia : A daughter, and a goodly babe,
[p]Lusty and like to live: the queen
receives
[p]Much comfort in't; says 'My poor prisoner,
[p]I am
innocent as you.'
Paulina : I dare be sworn
[p]These dangerous unsafe lunes i' the
king,
[p]beshrew them!
[p]He must be told on't, and he shall: the
office
[p]Becomes a woman best; I'll take't upon me:
[p]If I prove
honey-mouth'd let my tongue blister
[p]And never to my red-look'd
anger be
[p]The trumpet any more. Pray you, Emilia,
[p]Commend my best
obedience to the queen:
[p]If she dares trust me with her little
babe,
[p]I'll show't the king and undertake to be
[p]Her advocate to
the loud'st. We do not know
[p]How he may soften at the sight o' the
child:
[p]The silence often of pure innocence
[p]Persuades when
speaking fails.
Emilia : Most worthy madam,
[p]Your honour and your goodness is so
evident
[p]That your free undertaking cannot miss
[p]A thriving issue:
there is no lady living
[p]So meet for this great errand. Please your
ladyship
[p]To visit the next room, I'll presently
[p]Acquaint the
queen of your most noble offer;
[p]Who but to-day hammer'd of this
design,
[p]But durst not tempt a minister of honour,
[p]Lest she
should be denied.
Paulina : Tell her, Emilia.
[p]I'll use that tongue I have: if wit flow
from't
[p]As boldness from my bosom, let 't not be doubted
[p]I shall
do good.
Emilia : Now be you blest for it!
[p]I'll to the queen: please you,
[p]come
something nearer.
Gaoler : Madam, if't please the queen to send the babe,
[p]I know not what I
shall incur to pass it,
[p]Having no warrant.
Paulina : You need not fear it, sir:
[p]This child was prisoner to the womb and
is
[p]By law and process of great nature thence
[p]Freed and
enfranchised, not a party to
[p]The anger of the king nor guilty
of,
[p]If any be, the trespass of the queen.
Gaoler : I do believe it.
Paulina : Do not you fear: upon mine honour,
[p]I will stand betwixt you and
danger.
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Next: Act 2 - Scene 3
