No note at all of our being absent hence, Nor you, Lorenzo; essica, nor you. [A Tucket sounds. Lor. Your husband is at hand, I hear his trumpet; We are no tell-tales, Madam, fear you not. For. This night, methinks, is but the day-light sick ; It looks a little paler; 'tis a day, Such as the day is when the fun is hid. Enter Bassanio, Anthonio, Gratiano, and their followers. Por. Let me give light, but let me not be light} But God sort all! you are welcome home, my lord. To whom I am so infinitely bound. Por. You fhould in all sense be much bound to him ; For, as I hear, he was much bound for you. Anth. No more than I am well acquitted of. For Sir, you are very welcome so our house; It must appear in other ways than words; Therefore I scant this breathing courtefie. Gra. By yonder moon, I swear, you do me wrong; Por. A quarrel, ho, already! what's the matter ? Ner. What talk you of the posie, or the value ? The clerk will ne'er wear hair on's face, that had it. man. Ner. Ay, if a woman live to be a man. Gra. Now, by this hand, I gave it to a youth. A kind A kind of boy, a little scrubbed boy, I could not for my heart deny it him. Por. You were to blame, I must be plain with you, I gave my love a ring, and made him swear Bass. Why, I were belt to cut my left hand off, [Aside. Gra. My lord Bassanio gave his ring away Por. What ring gave you, my lord? Not that, I hope, which you receiv'd of me. I would deny it; but you see my finger Por. Even so void is your false heart of truth. Ner. Nor in yours, Till I again fee mine. Bass. Sweet Portia, If you did know to whom I gave the ring, If gave the ring, ring, you did know for whom I You You would not then have parted with the ring. Nerissa teaches me what to believe; I'll die for't, but some woman had the ring. Bass. No, by mine honour, Madam, by my soul. No woman had it, but a Civil Doctor, Who did refuse three thousand ducats of me, Ev'n he, that did uphold the very life Of my dear friend. What should I fay, sweet lady I was beset with shame and courtesie ; So much besmear it. Pardon me, good lady, And by these blessed candles of the night, Had you been there, I think, you would have begg'd The ring of me, to give the worthy Doctor. Por. Let not that Doctor e'er come near my house, Since he hath got the jewel that I lov'd, And that which you did swear to keep for me: I'll not deny him any thing I have, No, not my body, nor my husband's bed; Know him I shall, I am well sure of it. Lye not a night from home; watch me, like Argus : If you do not, if I be left alone, Now, by mine honour, which is yet my own, Ner. And I his clerk; therefore be well advised, How you do leave me to mine own protection. Gra. Well, do you so; let me not take him then; For if I do, I'll mar the young clerk's pen. Ant. I am th' unhappy subject of these quarrels. Por. Sir, grieve not you; you are welcome, notwithstanding. Bal. Portia, Forgive me this enforced wrong. I swear to thee, ev'n by thine own fair eyes, Por. Por. Mark you but that! In both mine eyes he doubly sees himself; Ba. Nay, but hear me: Pardon this fault, and by my soul I swear, [To Portia Par. Then you shall be his surety; give him this, And bid him keep it better than the other. Ant. Here, lord Bassanio, swear to keep this ring. Bass. By heav'n, it is the fame I gave the Doctor. Por. I had it of him: pardon me, Bafanio; For by this ring the Doctor lay with me. Ner. And pardon me, my gentle Gratiano, For that fame scrubbed boy, the Doctor's clerk, In lieu of this, last night did lye with me. Gra. Why, this is like the mending of high-ways In summer, where the ways are fair enough: What! are we cuckolds, ere we have deserv'd it? Por. Speak not so grossly; you are all amaz'd; Here is a letter, read it at your leisure;. It comes from Padua, from Bellario: There you shall find, that Portia was the Doctor; Ant, I am dumb. Bass. Were you the Doctor, and I knew you not? Gra. Were you the clerk, that is to make me a cuckold? Ner. Ay, but the clerk, that never means to do it, Unless Unless he live until he be a man. Bass. Sweet Doctor, you shall be my bedfellow; When I am absent, then lye with my wife. Ant. Sweet lady, you have giv'n me life and living; Par. How now, Lorenzo? My clerk hath some good comforts too for you. From the rich Jew a special Deed of Gift, Lor. Fair ladies, you drop Manna in the way Por. It is almost morning, And yet, I'm sure, you are not satisfy'd Gra. Let it be so: the first interr'gatory, So sore, as keeping safe Nerissa's ring. [Exeunt omnes. |