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to patient acquiescence consecrate；
I now demand and even supplicate。
AST。
Such news； and from such lips； may well suspend
The tongue to loyal answer most attuned；
But if to me as spokesman of my faction
Your Highness looks for answer； I reply
For one and allLet Segismund； whom now
We first hear tell of as your living heir；
Appear； and but in your sufficient eye
Approve himself worthy to be your son；
Then we will hail him Poland's rightful heir。
What says my cousin？
EST。
Ay； with all my heart。
But if my youth and sex upbraid me not
That I should dare ask of so wise a king
KING。
Ask； ask； fair cousin！ Nothing； I am sure；
Not well consider'd； nay； if 'twere； yet nothing
But pardonable from such lips as those。
EST。
Then； with your pardon； Sirif Segismund；
My cousin； whom I shall rejoice to hail
As Prince of Poland too； as you propose；
Be to a trial coming upon which
More； as I think； than life itself depends；
Why； Sir； with sleep…disorder'd senses brought
To this uncertain contest with his stars？
KING。
Well ask'd indeed！ As wisely be it answer'd！
/Because/ it is uncertain； see you not？
For as I think I can discern between
The sudden flaws of a sleep…startled man；
And of the savage thing we have to dread；
If but bewilder'd； dazzled； and uncouth；
As might the sanest and the civilest
In circumstance so strangenay； more than that；
If moved to any out…break short of blood；
All shall be well with him； and how much more；
If 'mid the magic turmoil of the change；
He shall so calm a resolution show
As scarce to reel beneath so great a blow！
But if with savage passion uncontroll'd
He lay about him like the brute foretold；
And must as suddenly be caged again；
Then what redoubled anguish and despair；
From that brief flash of blissful liberty
Remittedand for everto his chain！
Which so much less； if on the stage of glory
Enter'd and exited through such a door
Of sleep as makes a dream of all between。
EST。
Oh kindly answer； Sir； to question that
To charitable courtesy less wise
Might call for pardon rather！ I shall now
Gladly； what； uninstructed； loyally
I should have waited。
AST。
Your Highness doubts not me；
Nor how my heart follows my cousin's lips；
Whatever way the doubtful balance fall；
Still loyal to your bidding。
OMNES。
So say all。
KING。
I hoped； and did expect； of all no less
And sure no sovereign ever needed more
From all who owe him love or loyalty。
For what a strait of time I stand upon；
When to this issue not alone I bring
My son your Prince； but e'en myself your King：
And； whichsoever way for him it turn；
Of less than little honour to myself。
For if this coming trial justify
My thus withholding from my son his right；
Is not the judge himself justified in
The father's shame？ And if the judge proved wrong；
My son withholding from his right thus long；
Shame and remorse to judge and father both：
Unless remorse and shame together drown'd
In having what I flung for worthless found。
But comealready weary with your travel；
And ill refresh'd by this strange history；
Until the hours that draw the sun from heaven
Unite us at the customary board；
Each to his several chamber： you to rest；
I to contrive with old Clotaldo best
The method of a stranger thing than old
Time has a yet among his records told。
Exeunt。
ACT II
SCENE IA Throne…room in the Palace。 Music within。
（Enter King and Clotaldo； meeting a Lord in waiting）
KING。
You； for a moment beckon'd from your office；
Tell me thus far how goes it。 In due time
The potion left him？
LORD。
At the very hour
To which your Highness temper'd it。 Yet not
So wholly but some lingering mist still hung
About his dawning senseswhich to clear；
We fill'd and handed him a morning drink
With sleep's specific antidote suffused；
And while with princely raiment we invested
What nature surely modell'd for a Prince
All but the swordas you directed
KING。
Ay
LORD。
If not too loudly； yet emphatically
Still with the title of a Prince address'd him。
KING。
How bore he that？
LORD。
With all the rest； my liege；
I will not say so like one in a dream
As one himself misdoubting that he dream'd。
KING。
So far so well； Clotaldo； either way；
And best of all if tow'rd the worse I dread。
But yet no violence？
LORD。
At most； impatience；
Wearied perhaps with importunities
We yet were bound to offer。
KING。
Oh； Clotaldo！
Though thus far well； yet would myself had drunk
The potion he revives from！ such suspense
Crowds all the pulses of life's residue
Into the present moment； and； I think；
Whichever way the trembling scale may turn；
Will leave the crown of Poland for some one
To wait no longer than the setting sun！
CLO。
Courage； my liege！ The curtain is undrawn；
And each must play his part out manfully；
Leaving the rest to heaven。
KING。
Whose written words
If I should misinterpret or transgress！
But as you say
（To the Lord； who exit。）
You； back to him at once；
Clotaldo； you； when he is somewhat used
To the new world of which they call him Prince；
Where place and face； and all； is strange to him；
With your known features and familiar garb
Shall then； as chorus to the scene； accost him；
And by such earnest of that old and too
Familiar world； assure him of the new。
Last in the strange procession； I myself
Will by one full and last development
Complete the plot for that catastrophe
That he must put to all； God grant it be
The crown of Poland on his brows！Hark！ hark！
Was that his voice within！Now louderOh；
Clotaldo； what！ so soon begun to roar！
Again！ above the music But betide
What may； until the moment； we must hide。
（Exeunt King and Clotaldo。）
SEGISMUND （within）。
Forbear！ I stifle with your perfume！ Cease
Your crazy salutations！ peace； I say
Begone； or let me go； ere I go mad
With all this babble； mummery； and glare；
For I am growing dangerousAir！ room！ air！
（He rushes in。 Music ceases。）
Oh but to save the reeling brain from wreck
With its bewilder'd senses！
（He covers his eyes for a while。）
What！ E'en now
That Babel left behind me； but my eyes
Pursued by the same glamour； thatunless
Alike bewitch'd toothe confederate sense
Vouches for palpable： bright…shining floors
That ring hard answer back to the stamp'd heel；
And shoot up airy columns marble…cold；
That； as they climb； break into golden leaf
And capital； till they embrace aloft
In clustering flower and fruitage over walls
Hung with such purple curtain as the West
Fringes with such a gold； or over…laid
With sanguine…glowing semblances of men；
Each in his all but living action busied；
Or from the wall they look from； with fix'd eyes
Pursuing me； and one most strange of all
That； as I pass'd the crystal on the wall；