Portia. He knows me as the blind man knows the cuckoo, By the bad voice. Lorenzo. Dear lady, welcome home. Portia. We have been praying for our husbands' healths, Which speed, we hope, the better for our words. Give order to my servants that they take I 20 [A tucket sounds. Lorenzo. Your husband is at hand; I hear his trumpet: We are no tell-tales, madam; fear you not. Portia. This night methinks is but the daylight sick; It looks a little paler: 'tis a day, Such as the day is when the sun is hid. Enter BASSANIO, ANTONIO, GRATIANO, and their followers. Bassanio. We should hold day with the Antipodes, Portia. Let me give light, but let me not be light; But God sort all! You are welcome home, my lord. 130 Bass. I thank you, madam. Give welcome to my friend. This is the man, this is Antonio, To whom I am so infinitely bound. Portia. You should in all sense be much bound to him, For, as I hear, he was much bound for you. Antonio. No more than I am well acquitted of. It must appear in other ways than words, 140 Gratiano. [To Nerissa] By yonder moon I swear you do me wrong; In faith, I gave it to the judge's clerk: Would he were dead that had it, for my part, Since you do take it, love, so much at heart. Portia. A quarrel, ho, already! what's the matter? Nerissa. What talk you of the posy or the value? Gratiano. He will, an if he live to be a man. Nerissa. Ay, if a woman live to be a man. Gratiano. Now, by this hand, I gave it to a youth, A kind of boy, a little scrubbed boy, No higher than thyself, the judge's clerk, I could not for my heart deny it him. 150 160 170 Portia. You were to blame, I must be plain with you, To part so slightly with your wife's first gift; A thing stuck on with oaths upon your finger And so riveted with faith unto your flesh. I gave my love a ring and made him swear Never to part with it; and here he stands; I dare be sworn for him he would not leave it Nor pluck it from his finger, for the wealth That the world masters. Now, in faith, Gratiano, You give your wife too unkind a cause of grief: An 'twere to me, I should be mad at it. Bass. [Aside] Why, I were best to cut my left hand off And swear I lost the ring defending it. Gratiano. My Lord Bassanio gave his ring away Portia. What ring gave you, my lord? Not that, I hope, which you received of me. Bassanio. If I could add a lie unto a fault, I would deny it; but you see my finger Portia. Even so void is your false heart of truth. Until I see the ring. If you did know to whom I gave the ring, Portia. If you had known the virtue of the ring, Or your own honour to contain the ring, I'll die for't but some woman had the ring. Bassanio. No, by my honour, madam, by my soul, 180 190 200 No woman had it, but a civil doctor, Which did refuse three thousand ducats of me And begg'd the ring; the which I did deny him Even he that did uphold the very life Of my dear friend. What should I say, sweet lady? I was beset with shame and courtesy ; My honour would not let ingratitude So much besmear it. Pardon me, good lady; 210 220 Had you been there, I think you would have begg'd Portia. Let not that doctor e'er come near my house : Since he hath got the jewel that I loved, And that which you did swear to keep for me, I will become as liberal as you; I'll not deny him any thing I have. Nerissa. Nor I his clerk; therefore be well advised How you do leave me to mine own protection. Gratiano. Well, do you so: let not me take him then; For if I do, I'll mar the young clerk's pen. Antonio. I am the unhappy subject of these quarrels. 231 Portia. Sir, grieve not you; you are welcome notwithstanding. Bassanio. Portia, forgive me this enforced wrong; And, in the hearing of these many friends, I swear to thee, even by thine own fair eyes, Wherein I see myself— Portia. Mark you but that! In both my eyes he doubly sees himself; In each eye, one: swear by your double self, Nay, but hear me: 240 Bassanio. Antonio. I once did lend my body for his wealth; Portia. Then you shall be his surety. Give him this And bid him keep it better than the other. 249 Antonio. Here, Lord Bassanio; swear to keep this ring. Bassanio. By heaven, it is the same I gave the doctor! Portia. You are all amazed: Here is a letter: read it at your leisure; It comes from Padua, from Bellario: There you shall find that Portia was the doctor, Nerissa there her clerk: Lorenzo here Shall witness. I set forth as soon as you And even but now return'd: I have not yet You shall not know by what strange accident 260 Bassanio. Were you the doctor and I knew you not? Gratiano. Were you the clerk and yet I knew you not? Antonio. Sweet lady, you have given me life and living; For here I read for certain that my ships Are safely come to road. Portia. How now, Lorenzo ! 270 My clerk hath some good comforts too for you. Nerissa. Ay, and I'll give them him without a fee. There do I give to you and Jessica, From the rich Jew, a special deed of gift, After his death, of all he dies possess'd of. |