Act 1, Scene 3: A room in Cymbeline's palace.

SCENE III. A room in Cymbeline's palace.

    Enter IMOGEN and PISANIO

IMOGEN

    I would thou grew'st unto the shores o' the haven,
    And question'dst every sail: if he should write
    And not have it, 'twere a paper lost,
    As offer'd mercy is. What was the last
    That he spake to thee?

PISANIO

    It was his queen, his queen!

IMOGEN

    Then waved his handkerchief?

PISANIO

    And kiss'd it, madam.

IMOGEN

    Senseless Linen! happier therein than I!
    And that was all?

PISANIO

    No, madam; for so long
    As he could make me with this eye or ear
    Distinguish him from others, he did keep
    The deck, with glove, or hat, or handkerchief,
    Still waving, as the fits and stirs of 's mind
    Could best express how slow his soul sail'd on,
    How swift his ship.

IMOGEN

    Thou shouldst have made him
    As little as a crow, or less, ere left
    To after-eye him.

PISANIO

    Madam, so I did.

IMOGEN

    I would have broke mine eye-strings; crack'd them, but
    To look upon him, till the diminution
    Of space had pointed him sharp as my needle,
    Nay, follow'd him, till he had melted from
    The smallness of a gnat to air, and then
    Have turn'd mine eye and wept. But, good Pisanio,
    When shall we hear from him?

PISANIO

    Be assured, madam,
    With his next vantage.

IMOGEN

    I did not take my leave of him, but had
    Most pretty things to say: ere I could tell him
    How I would think on him at certain hours
    Such thoughts and such, or I could make him swear
    The shes of Italy should not betray
    Mine interest and his honour, or have charged him,
    At the sixth hour of morn, at noon, at midnight,
    To encounter me with orisons, for then
    I am in heaven for him; or ere I could
    Give him that parting kiss which I had set
    Betwixt two charming words, comes in my father
    And like the tyrannous breathing of the north
    Shakes all our buds from growing.

    Enter a Lady

Lady

    The queen, madam,
    Desires your highness' company.

IMOGEN

    Those things I bid you do, get them dispatch'd.
    I will attend the queen.

PISANIO

    Madam, I shall.

    Exeunt

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