Authors: William Shakespeare
Enter a Lady
LADY
The queen, madam,
Desires your highness’ company.
INNOGEN
Those things I bid you do, get them dispatched.
I will attend the queen.
PISANIO
Madam, I shall.
Exeunt
running scene 2
Enter
Philario
,
Iachimo
, a Frenchman, a Dutchman and a Spaniard
IACHIMO
Believe it, sir, I have seen him in Britain; he was then
of a crescent note
2
, expected to prove so worthy as since he
hath
been allowed the name of.
3
But I could then have looked
on him
without the help of admiration
4
, though the
catalogue of his
endowments
had been
tabled
5
by his side and
I to peruse him by items.
PHILARIO
You speak of him when he was less furnished than
now he is with that which makes him both without and
within.
FRENCHMAN
I have seen him in France: we had very many there
could
behold the sun with as firm eyes as he.
11
IACHIMO
This matter of marrying his king’s daughter,
wherein he must be
weighed
13
rather by her value than his
own,
words him, I doubt not, a great deal from the matter.
14
FRENCHMAN
And then his banishment.
IACHIMO
Ay, and the
approbation
16
of those that weep this
lamentable
divorce
under her colours
17
are wonderfully to
extend him,
be it but
to
fortify
18
her judgement, which else an
easy
battery
19
might lay flat, for taking a beggar without less
quality. But how comes it he is to
sojourn
20
with you? How
PHILARIO
His father and I were soldiers together, to whom I
have been often bound for no less than my life.
Enter Posthumus
Here comes the Briton. Let him be so entertained amongst
you as
suits
with gentlemen of your
knowing
25
to a stranger of
his quality. I beseech you all be better known to this
gentleman, whom I commend to you as a noble friend of
mine. How worthy he is I will leave to appear hereafter,
rather than
story him in his own hearing.
29
FRENCHMAN
Sir,
we have known together
30
in Orleans.
POSTHUMUS
Since when I have been debtor to you for courtesies,
which I will be ever to pay, and yet pay still.
32
FRENCHMAN
Sir, you o’errate my poor kindness, I was glad I did
atone
34
my countryman and you: it had been pity you should
have been
put together
, with so
mortal
35
a purpose as then
each bore, upon importance of so slight and trivial a nature.
POSTHUMUS
By your pardon, sir, I was then a young traveller,
rather shunned to go even with what I heard than in
38
my every action to be guided by others’ experiences: but
upon my mended judgement — if I offend not to say it is
mended — my quarrel was not altogether slight.
FRENCHMAN
Faith, yes, to be put to the
arbitrament of
42
swords,
and by such two that would by all likelihood have
confounded one the other, or have fallen both.
IACHIMO
Can we, with manners, ask what was the
difference?
FRENCHMAN
Safely, I think: ’twas a contention in public, which
may, without contradiction,
suffer the report.
48
It was much
like an argument that
fell out
49
last night, where each of us fell
in praise of
our country mistresses.
50
This gentleman at that
time
vouching
—
and upon warrant of bloody affirmation
51
—
his to be more fair, virtuous, wise, chaste, constant, qualified
and less
attemptable
53
than any the rarest of our ladies in
France.
IACHIMO
That lady is not now living; or this gentleman’s
opinion,
by this, worn out.
56
POSTHUMUS
She
holds
her virtue still, and I my
mind.
57
IACHIMO
You must not so far prefer her ’fore ours of Italy.
POSTHUMUS
Being so far provoked as I was in France, I would
abate her nothing
, though I
profess myself
60
her adorer, not
her friend.
IACHIMO
As fair and as good — a kind of
hand-in-hand
62
comparison — had been something too fair and too good for
any lady in Britain. If she
went before
64
others I have seen as
that diamond of yours outlustres many I have beheld, I could
not but believe she excelled many: but I have not seen the
most precious diamond that is, nor you the lady.
POSTHUMUS
I praised her as I
rated
68
her: so do I my stone.
IACHIMO
What do you
esteem
69
it at?
POSTHUMUS
More than the world
enjoys.
70
IACHIMO
Either your
unparagoned
71
mistress is dead, or she’s
POSTHUMUS
You are mistaken: the one may be sold
or
73
given, or if
there were wealth enough for the purchase, or merit for the
gift. The other is not a thing for sale, and only the gift of the
gods.
IACHIMO
Which the gods have given you?
POSTHUMUS
Which by their graces I will keep.
IACHIMO
You may wear her in title yours
79
: but you know
strange fowl light upon neighbouring ponds.
Your
ring
80
may
be stolen too, so your
brace
of
unprizable estimations
81
, the
one is but
frail
and the other
casual.
82
A cunning thief, or a
that-way-accomplished courtier
83
, would hazard the winning
both of first and last.
POSTHUMUS
Your Italy contains none so accomplished a courtier
to
convince
86
the honour of my mistress, if in the holding or
loss of that you term her frail. I do nothing doubt you have
store
88
of thieves, notwithstanding, I fear not my ring.
PHILARIO
Let us
leave here
89
, gentlemen.
POSTHUMUS
Sir, with all my heart. This worthy signior, I thank
him, makes no stranger of me, we are
familiar at first.
91
IACHIMO
With five times so much conversation, I should
get
92
ground of your fair mistress, make her go back, even to the
yielding, had I admittance and opportunity to
friend.
94
POSTHUMUS
No, no.
IACHIMO
I dare thereupon
pawn the moiety
of my estate,
to
96
your ring, which in my opinion o’ervalues it
something
97
: but
I make my wager rather against your confidence than her
reputation. And to
bar your offence
99
herein too, I durst
attempt it against any lady in the world.
POSTHUMUS
You are a great deal
abused
101
in too bold a
persuasion
, and I doubt not
you sustain what you’re worthy
102
of by your attempt.
IACHIMO
What’s that?
POSTHUMUS
A repulse, though your attempt, as you call it,
deserve more: a punishment too.
PHILARIO
Gentlemen, enough of this, it
came in
107
too suddenly.
Let it die as it was born, and I pray you be better acquainted.
IACHIMO
Would I had
put my estate
109
and my neighbour’s on
th’approbation
110
of what I have spoke.
POSTHUMUS
What lady would you choose to assail?
IACHIMO
Yours, whom in constancy you think stands so safe.
I will lay you
ten thousand ducats
113
to your ring, that
commend
114
me to the court where your lady is, with no more
advantage than the opportunity of a second
conference
115
, and
I will bring from thence that honour of hers which you
imagine so
reserved.
117
POSTHUMUS
I will
wage
118
against your gold, gold to it: my ring I
hold dear as my finger, ’tis part of it.
IACHIMO
You are a
friend, and therein the wiser
120
: if you buy
ladies’ flesh at a million a
dram
, you cannot
preserve
121
it from
tainting.
But I see you have some religion in you
,
that
122
you
fear.
POSTHUMUS
This is
but a custom in your tongue
124
: you bear a
graver
125
purpose I hope.
IACHIMO
I am the master of my speeches, and would
undergo
126
what’s spoken, I swear.
POSTHUMUS
Will you? I shall but lend my diamond till your
return: let there be
covenants drawn between’s.
129
My mistress
exceeds in goodness the hugeness of your unworthy
thinking. I dare you to this match: here’s my ring.
PHILARIO
I will
have it no lay.
132
IACHIMO
By the gods, it is one. If I bring you no sufficient
testimony
134
that I have enjoyed the dearest bodily part of your
mistress, my ten thousand ducats are yours, so is your
diamond too. If I
come off
136
, and leave her in such honour as
you have trust in, she your jewel, this your jewel and my gold
are yours, provided I have your
commendation
138
for my more
POSTHUMUS
I embrace these conditions, let us have
articles
140
betwixt us. Only thus far you shall answer: if you
make your
141
voyage upon her and give me directly to understand you
have prevailed, I am no further your enemy, she is not worth
our debate. If she remain unseduced, you not making it
appear otherwise, for your ill opinion and th’assault you
have made to her chastity, you shall answer me with your
sword.
IACHIMO
Your hand, a
covenant
148
: we will have these things
set down by lawful counsel, and straight away for Britain,
lest the bargain should catch cold and starve
150
: I will fetch my
gold and have our two wagers recorded.
POSTHUMUS
Agreed.
[Exeunt Posthumus and Iachimo]
FRENCHMAN
Will this hold
153
, think you?
PHILARIO
Signior Iachimo will not
from it.
154
Pray let us follow
’em.
Exeunt