Shakespeare Portal

Act 1, Scene 3

A room in Cymbeline's palace.

  1. [Enter IMOGEN and PISANIO]
  2. Imogen
  3. 253 I would thou grew'st unto the shores o' the haven,
  4. 254 And question'dst every sail: if he should write
  5. 255 And not have it, 'twere a paper lost,
  6. 256 As offer'd mercy is. What was the last
  7. 257 That he spake to thee?
  8. Pisanio
  9. 258 It was his queen, his queen!
  10. Imogen
  11. 259 Then waved his handkerchief?
  12. Pisanio
  13. 260 And kiss'd it, madam.
  14. Imogen
  15. 261 Senseless Linen! happier therein than I!
  16. 262 And that was all?
  17. Pisanio
  18. 263 No, madam; for so long
  19. 264 As he could make me with this eye or ear
  20. 265 Distinguish him from others, he did keep
  21. 266 The deck, with glove, or hat, or handkerchief,
  22. 267 Still waving, as the fits and stirs of 's mind
  23. 268 Could best express how slow his soul sail'd on,
  24. 269 How swift his ship.
  25. Imogen
  26. 270 Thou shouldst have made him
  27. 271 As little as a crow, or less, ere left
  28. 272 To after-eye him.
  29. Pisanio
  30. 273 Madam, so I did.
  31. Imogen
  32. 274 I would have broke mine eye-strings; crack'd them, but
  33. 275 To look upon him, till the diminution
  34. 276 Of space had pointed him sharp as my needle,
  35. 277 Nay, follow'd him, till he had melted from
  36. 278 The smallness of a gnat to air, and then
  37. 279 Have turn'd mine eye and wept. But, good Pisanio,
  38. 280 When shall we hear from him?
  39. Pisanio
  40. 281 Be assured, madam,
  41. 282 With his next vantage.
  42. Imogen
  43. 283 I did not take my leave of him, but had
  44. 284 Most pretty things to say: ere I could tell him
  45. 285 How I would think on him at certain hours
  46. 286 Such thoughts and such, or I could make him swear
  47. 287 The shes of Italy should not betray
  48. 288 Mine interest and his honour, or have charged him,
  49. 289 At the sixth hour of morn, at noon, at midnight,
  50. 290 To encounter me with orisons, for then
  51. 291 I am in heaven for him; or ere I could
  52. 292 Give him that parting kiss which I had set
  53. 293 Betwixt two charming words, comes in my father
  54. 294 And like the tyrannous breathing of the north
  55. 295 Shakes all our buds from growing.
  56. [Enter a Lady]
  57. Lady
  58. 296 The queen, madam,
  59. 297 Desires your highness' company.
  60. Imogen
  61. 298 Those things I bid you do, get them dispatch'd.
  62. 299 I will attend the queen.
  63. Pisanio
  64. 300 Madam, I shall.
  65. [Exeunt]