Upon a knife, Love me, and leave me not. Ner. What talk you of the posy or the value? That you would wear it till your hour of death, Ner. Ay, if a woman live to be a man. Gra. Now, by this hand, I gave it to a youth, A kind of boy, a little scrubbéd 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; An't were 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. Gra. My lord Bassanio gave his ring away Unto the judge that begged it, and, indeed, And neither man nor master would take aught But the two rings. Por.. What ring gave you, my lord? Not that, I hope, which you received of me. Bass. If I could add a lie unto a fault, I would deny it; but you see, my finger Hath not the ring upon it: it is gone. If If Por. Even so void is your false heart of truth. you did know to whom I gave the ring, you did know for whom I gave the ring, And would conceive for what I gave the ring, And how unwillingly I left the ring, When naught would be accepted but the ring, Or your own honor to contain the ring, You would not then have parted with the ring. If you had pleased to have defended it 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, Even he that had held up the very life Sweet Portia, Of my dear friend. What should I say, sweet lady? I was beset with shame and courtesy; So much besmear it. Pardon me, good lady, For, by these blesséd 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 will become as liberal as you: I'll not deny him anything I have. Ner. And I his clerk. Ant. I am the unhappy subject of these quarrels. Por. Sir, grieve not you; you are welcome notwithstanding. Bass. Portia, forgive me this enforcéd wrong; And in the hearing of these many friends 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. Bass. Ant. I once did lend my body for his wealth, Will never more break faith advisedly. 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. There you shall find, that Portia was the doctor, Shall witness, I set forth as soon as you, And even but now returned; I have not yet You shall not know by what strange accident Bass. Were you the doctor, and I knew you not? Ant. Sweet lady, you have given me life and living; Are safely come to road. Por. How now, Lorenzo? My clerk hath some good comforts too for you. From the rich Jew, a special deed of gift, After his death, of all he dies possessed of. Lor. Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way Por. [Exeunt. SCENE. During a great part of the Play, at ROME; afterwards near Flav. Hence! home, you idle creatures, get you home: Being mechanical, you ought not walk Of your profession? - Speak, what trade art thou? 1 Cit. Why, sir, a carpenter. Mar. Where is thy leather apron and thy rule? |