You swore to me, when I did give it you, 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. 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, And swear I lost the ring defending it. [Aside. Gra. My lord Bassanio gave his ring away Por. I would deny it; but you see, my finger 1 Respective, that is, considerative, regardful; not respectful or respectable, as Steevens supposed. 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, Bass. When nought would be accepted but the ring, If you had pleased to have defended it With any terms of zeal, wanted the modesty I'll die for't, but some woman had the ring. Bass. No, by mine honor, madam, by my soul, No woman had it, but a civil doctor, Which did refuse three thousand ducats of me, Of my dear friend. What should I say, sweet lady? I was beset with shame and courtesy ; My honor would not let ingratitude So much besmear it. Pardon me, good lady; Had you been there, I think, you would have begged Por. Let not that doctor e'er come near my house: Since he hath got the jewel that I loved, 1 To contain had nearly the same meaning with to retain. 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. Lie not a night from home; watch me, like Argus: Now, by mine honor, 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 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 notwithstanding. 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: In each eye one.-Swear by your double1 self, Bass. Nay, but hear me. Pardon this fault, and by my soul I swear, I never more will break an oath with thee. 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! 1 Double is here used for deceitful, full of duplicity. VOL. II. 32 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; For that same scrubbed boy, the doctor's clerk, In lieu of this, last night did lie with me. Gra. Why, this is like the mending of highways In summer, where the ways are fair enough; What! are we cuckolds, ere we have deserved it? Por. Speak not so grossly.-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; Shall witness, I set forth as soon as you, You shall not know by what strange accident 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? From the rich Jew, a special deed of gift, Lor. Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way Of starved people. Por. It is almost morning, And yet, I am sure, you are not satisfied Gra. Let it be so. The first inter'gatory [Exeunt. |