Page 750 - Shakespeare - Vol. 4

You look
As if you held a brow of much distraction:
Are you mov’d, my lord?

LEONTES
No, in good earnest. [150]
How sometimes nature will betray its folly,

Its tenderness, and make itself a pastime
To harder bosoms! Looking on the lines
Of my boy’s face, methoughts I did recoil

Twenty-three years, and saw myself unbreech’d, [155]
In my green velvet coat; my dagger muzzl’d
Lest it should bite its master, and so prove,
As ornaments oft do, too dangerous:
How like, methought, I then was to this kernel,

This squash, this gentleman. Mine honest friend, [160]
Will you take eggs for money?

MAMILLIUS
No, my lord, I’ll fight.

LEONTES
You will? Why, happy man be’s dole! My brother,

Are you so fond of your young prince, as we
Do seem to be of ours?

POLIXENES
If at home, sir, [165]
He’s all my exercise, my mirth, my matter:
Now my sworn friend, and then mine enemy;

My parasite, my soldier, statesman, all.
He makes a July’s day short as December;
And with his varying childness cures in me [170]
Thoughts that would thick my blood.

LEONTES

So stands this squire