Page 910 - Shakespeare - Vol. 3

Great king, I am no strumpet; by my life [290]
I am either maid or else this old man’s wife.

KING
She does abuse our ears. To prison with her.

DIANA
Good mother, fetch my bail. Stay, royal sir;
Exit the Widow.

The jeweller that owes the ring is sent for
And be shall surety me. But for this lord [295]
Who hath abused me as he knows himself,
Though yet he never harmed me, here I quit him.

He knows himself my bed he hath defiled,
And at that time he got his wife with child.
Dead though she be she feels her young one kick. [300]
So there’s my riddle: one that’s dead is quick.

And now behold the meaning.

Enter the Widow, with Helena.

KING
Is there no exorcist
Beguiles the truer office of mine eyes?
Is’t real that I see?

HELENA
No, my good lord,

’Tis but the shadow of a wife you see, [305]
The name and not the thing.

BERTRAM
Both, both. O pardon!

HELENA
O my good lord, when I was like this maid

I found you wondrous kind. There is your ring,