Clown.
Ay, and have been so any time these four hours.
Shepherd.
And so have I, boy!
Clown. So you have:—but I was a gentleman born before my father; for the king’s son took me by the hand and called me brother; and then the two kings called my father brother; and then the prince, my brother, and the princess, my sister, called my father father; and so we wept; and there was the first gentleman-like tears that ever we shed.
Shepherd.
We may live, son, to shed many more.
Clown.
Ay; or else ’twere hard luck, being in so preposterous
estate as
we are.
Autolycus. I humbly beseech you, sir, to pardon me all the faults I have committed to your worship, and to give me your good report to the prince my master.
Shepherd.
Pr’ythee, son, do; for we must be gentle, now
we are gentlemen.
Clown.
Thou wilt amend thy life?
Autolycus.
Ay, an it like your good worship.
Clown.
Give me thy hand: I will swear to the prince
thou art as honest
a true fellow as any is in Bohemia.
Shepherd.
You may say it, but not swear it.
Clown.
Not swear it, now I am a gentleman? Let boors
and franklins say
it, I’ll swear it.
Shepherd.
How if it be false, son?
Clown. If it be ne’er so false, a true gentleman may swear it in the behalf of his friend.—And I’ll swear to the prince thou art a tall fellow of thy hands and that thou wilt not be drunk; but I know thou art no tall fellow of thy hands and that thou wilt be drunk: but I’ll swear it; and I would thou wouldst be a tall fellow of thy hands.
Autolycus.
I will prove so, sir, to my power.
Clown. Ay, by any means, prove a tall fellow: if I do not wonder how thou darest venture to be drunk, not being a tall fellow, trust me not.—Hark! the kings and the princes, our kindred, are going to see the queen’s picture. Come, follow us: we’ll be thy good masters.
[Exeunt.]
Scene III. The same. A Room in PAULINA’s house.
[Enter Leontes, Polixenes, Florizel, Perdita, Camillo, Paulina, Lords and Attendants.]
Leontes.
O grave and good Paulina, the great comfort
That I have had of thee!
Paulina.
What,
sovereign sir,
I did not well, I meant well. All my services
You have paid home: but that you have vouchsaf’d,
With your crown’d brother and these your contracted
Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to visit,
It is a surplus of your grace which never
My life may last to answer.
Leontes.
O
Paulina,
We honour you with trouble:—but we came
To see the statue of our queen: your gallery
Have we pass’d through, not without much content
In many singularities; but we saw not
That which my daughter came to look upon,
The statue of her mother.