Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones, and floods; Let no such man be trusted. - Mark the music. Enter PORTIA and NERISSA at a distance. Por. That light we see is burning in my hall. Ner. When the moon shone, we did not see the candle. Ner. It is your music, madam, of the house. How many things by season seasoned are Lor. [Music ceases. That is the voice, Or, I am much deceived, of Portia. Por. He knows me, as the blind man knows the cuckoo, By the bad voice. Lor. Dear lady, welcome home. Por. We have been praying for our husbands' welfare, Which speed, we hope, the better for our words. Are they returned? Lor. But there is come a messenger before, Madam, they are not yet; Go in, Nerissa; To signify their coming. Por. Give order to my servants, that they take No note at all of our being absent hence ; Nor you, Lorenzo; --Jessica, nor you. [A tucket sounds. Lor. Your husband is at hand; I hear his trumpet; We are no tell-tales, madam; fear you not. Por. This night, methinks, is but the daylight sick; It looks a little paler; 'tis a day, Such as a day is when the sun is hid. Enter BASSANIO, ANTONIO, GRATIANO, and their Followers. Bass. We should hold day with the antipodes, If you would walk in absence of the sun. Por. Let me give light, but let me not be light; For a light wife doth make a heavy husbånd, And never be Bassanio so for me; But God sort all! - You are welcome home, my lord. Bass. I thank you, madam; give welcome to my friend.—This is the man, this is Antonio, To whom I am so infinitely bound. Por. You should in all sense be much bound to him, [GRATIANO and NERISSA seem to talk apart. Gra. By yonder moon, I swear, you do me wrong, In faith, I gave it to the judge's clerk, Would he were gelt that had it, for my part, Since you do take it, love, so much at heart. Por. A quarrel, ho, already? What's the matter? That she did give me; whose posy was Ner. What talk you of the posy, or the value? The clerk wil ne'er wear hair on his face that had it Gra. 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; Por. 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 riveted so 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. Why, I were best to cut my left hand off, Gra. My lord Bassanio gave his ring away Por. [Aside. What ring gave you, my lord? I would deny it; but you see, my finger Hath not the ring upon it; it is gone. Por. Even so void is your false heart of truth. By Heaven, I will ne'er come in your bed Until I see the ring. Ner. Nor I in yours, Till I again see mine. Sweet Portia, If you did know to whom I gave the ring, When nought would be accepted but the ring, To urge the thing held as a ceremony? I'll die for't, but some woman had the ring. Bass. No, by mine honor, madam, by my soul, Which did refuse three thousand ducats of me, Even he that had held up the very life. Of my dear friend. What should I say, sweet lady? I was enforced to send it after him; I was beset with shame and courtesy; My honor would not let ingratitude So much besmear it. Pardon me, good lady; For, by these blessed candles of the night, Had you been there, I think, you would have begged 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 loved, 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. Lie not a night from home; watch me, like Argus; Now, by mine honor, which is yet my own, I'll have that doctor for my bedfellow. Ner. And I his clerk; therefore be well advised. How you do leave me to mine own protection. Gra. Well, do you so; let not me take him then: For if I do, I'll mar the young clerk's pen. Ant. I am the unhappy subject of these quarrels. Por. Sir, grieve not you; you are welcome notwith standing. Bass. Portia, forgive me this enforced wrong; I swear to thee, even by thine own fair eyes, Por. Mark you but that! In both my eyes he doubly sees himself: And there's an oath of credit. Nay, but hear me. Bass Ant. I once did lend my body for his wealth; Which, but for him that had your husband's ring, [To PORTIA Had quite miscarried. I dare be bound again, Por. 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 heaven, it is the same I gave the doctor! Por. I had it of him. Pardon me, Bassanio, For by this ring the doctor lay with me. Ner. And pardon me, my gentle Gratiano; Gra. Why, this is like the mending of highways It comes from Padua, from Bellario; There you shall find, that Portia was the doctor; You shall not know by what strange accident Ant. I am dumb. Bass. Were you the doctor, and I knew you not? Gra. Were you the clerk, that is to make me cuckold? Ner. Ay; but the clerk that never means to do it; Unless he live until he be a man. Bass. Sweet doctor, you shall be my bedfellow; When I am absent, then lie with my wife. Ant. Sweet lady, you have given me life, and living; For here I read for certain, that my ships Are safely come to road. Por. How now, Lorenzo? My clerk hath some good comforts too for you. |