Section 10:
ACT IV, SCENE II Bohemia. A Room in the palace of POLIXENES.

[Enter POLIXENES and CAMILLO.]

POLIXENES.:

I pray thee, good Camillo, be no more importunate: 'tis

a sickness denying thee anything; a death to grant this.

CAMILLO.:

It is fifteen years since I saw my country; though I have

for the most part been aired abroad, I desire to lay my bones

there. Besides, the penitent king, my master, hath sent for me;

to whose feeling sorrows I might be some allay, or I o'erween to

think so,—which is another spur to my departure.

POLIXENES.:

As thou lovest me, Camillo, wipe not out the rest of thy

services by leaving me now: the need I have of thee, thine own

goodness hath made; better not to have had thee than thus to want

thee; thou, having made me businesses which none without thee can

sufficiently manage, must either stay to execute them thyself, or

take away with thee the very services thou hast done; which if I

have not enough considered,—as too much I cannot,—to be more

thankful to thee shall be my study; and my profit therein the

heaping friendships. Of that fatal country Sicilia, pr'ythee,

speak no more; whose very naming punishes me with the remembrance

of that penitent, as thou call'st him, and reconciled king, my

brother; whose loss of his most precious queen and children are

even now to be afresh lamented. Say to me, when sawest thou the

Prince Florizel, my son? Kings are no less unhappy, their issue

not being gracious, than they are in losing them when they have

approved their virtues.

CAMILLO.:

Sir, it is three days since I saw the prince. What his

happier affairs may be, are to me unknown; but I have missingly

noted he is of late much retired from court, and is less frequent

to his princely exercises than formerly he hath appeared.

POLIXENES.:

I have considered so much, Camillo, and with some care;

so far that I have eyes under my service which look upon his

removedness; from whom I have this intelligence,—that he is

seldom from the house of a most homely shepherd;—a man, they

say, that from very nothing, and beyond the imagination of his

neighbours, is grown into an unspeakable estate.

CAMILLO.:

I have heard, sir, of such a man, who hath a daughter of

most rare note: the report of her is extended more than can be

thought to begin from such a cottage.

POLIXENES.:

That's likewise part of my intelligence: but, I fear, the

angle that plucks our son thither. Thou shalt accompany us to the

place; where we will, not appearing what we are, have some

question with the shepherd; from whose simplicity I think it not

uneasy to get the cause of my son's resort thither. Pr'ythee, be

my present partner in this business, and lay aside the thoughts

of Sicilia.

CAMILLO.:

I willingly obey your command.

POLIXENES.:

My best Camillo!—We must disguise ourselves.

[Exeunt.]