1    Fear it not, sir: I would I were so sure
2    To win the king as I am bold her honour
3    Will remain hers.

4    What means do you make to him?

5    Not any, but abide the change of time,
6    Quake in the present winter's state and wish
7    That warmer days would come: in these sear'd hopes,
8    I barely gratify your love; they failing,
9    I must die much your debtor.

10   Your very goodness and your company
11   O'erpays all I can do. By this, your king
12   Hath heard of great Augustus: Caius Lucius
13   Will do's commission throughly: and I think
14   He'll grant the tribute, send the arrearages,
15   Or look upon our Romans, whose remembrance
16   Is yet fresh in their grief.

17   I do believe,
18   Statist though I am none, nor like to be,
19   That this will prove a war; and you shall hear
20   The legions now in Gallia sooner landed
21   In our not-fearing Britain than have tidings
22   Of any penny tribute paid. Our countrymen
23   Are men more order'd than when Julius Caesar
24   Smiled at their lack of skill, but found
25   their courage
26   Worthy his frowning at: their discipline,
27   Now mingled with their courages, will make known
28   To their approvers they are people such
29   That mend upon the world.

30   See! Iachimo!

31   The swiftest harts have posted you by land;
32   And winds of all the comers kiss'd your sails,
33   To make your vessel nimble.

34   Welcome, sir.

35   I hope the briefness of your answer made
36   The speediness of your return.

37   Your lady
38   Is one of the fairest that I have look'd upon.

39   And therewithal the best; or let her beauty
40   Look through a casement to allure false hearts
41   And be false with them.

42   Here are letters for you.

43   Their tenor good, I trust.

44   'Tis very like.

45   Was Caius Lucius in the Britain court
46   When you were there?

47   He was expected then,
48   But not approach'd.

49   All is well yet.
50   Sparkles this stone as it was wont? or is't not
51   Too dull for your good wearing?

52   If I had lost it,
53   I should have lost the worth of it in gold.
54   I'll make a journey twice as far, to enjoy
55   A second night of such sweet shortness which
56   Was mine in Britain, for the ring is won.

57   The stone's too hard to come by.

58   Not a whit,
59   Your lady being so easy.

60   Make not, sir,
61   Your loss your sport: I hope you know that we
62   Must not continue friends.

63   Good sir, we must,
64   If you keep covenant. Had I not brought
65   The knowledge of your mistress home, I grant
66   We were to question further: but I now
67   Profess myself the winner of her honour,
68   Together with your ring; and not the wronger
69   Of her or you, having proceeded but
70   By both your wills.

71   If you can make't apparent
72   That you have tasted her in bed, my hand
73   And ring is yours; if not, the foul opinion
74   You had of her pure honour gains or loses
75   Your sword or mine, or masterless leaves both
76   To who shall find them.

77   Sir, my circumstances,
78   Being so near the truth as I will make them,
79   Must first induce you to believe: whose strength
80   I will confirm with oath; which, I doubt not,
81   You'll give me leave to spare, when you shall find
82   You need it not.

83   Proceed.

84   First, her bedchamber,--
85   Where, I confess, I slept not, but profess
86   Had that was well worth watching--it was hang'd
87   With tapesty of silk and silver; the story
88   Proud Cleopatra, when she met her Roman,
89   And Cydnus swell'd above the banks, or for
90   The press of boats or pride: a piece of work
91   So bravely done, so rich, that it did strive
92   In workmanship and value; which I wonder'd
93   Could be so rarely and exactly wrought,
94   Since the true life on't was--

95   This is true;
96   And this you might have heard of here, by me,
97   Or by some other.

98   More particulars
99   Must justify my knowledge.

100  So they must,
101  Or do your honour injury.

102  The chimney
103  Is south the chamber, and the chimney-piece
104  Chaste Dian bathing: never saw I figures
105  So likely to report themselves: the cutter
106  Was as another nature, dumb; outwent her,
107  Motion and breath left out.

108  This is a thing
109  Which you might from relation likewise reap,
110  Being, as it is, much spoke of.

111  The roof o' the chamber
112  With golden cherubins is fretted: her andirons--
113  I had forgot them--were two winking Cupids
114  Of silver, each on one foot standing, nicely
115  Depending on their brands.

116  This is her honour!
117  Let it be granted you have seen all this--and praise
118  Be given to your remembrance--the description
119  Of what is in her chamber nothing saves
120  The wager you have laid.

121  Then, if you can,
Showing the bracelet
122  Be pale: I beg but leave to air this jewel; see!
123  And now 'tis up again: it must be married
124  To that your diamond; I'll keep them.

125  Jove!
126  Once more let me behold it: is it that
127  Which I left with her?

128  Sir--I thank her--that:
129  She stripp'd it from her arm; I see her yet;
130  Her pretty action did outsell her gift,
131  And yet enrich'd it too: she gave it me, and said
132  She prized it once.

133  May be she pluck'd it off
134  To send it me.

135  She writes so to you, doth she?

136  O, no, no, no! 'tis true. Here, take this too;
Gives the ring
137  It is a basilisk unto mine eye,
138  Kills me to look on't. Let there be no honour
139  Where there is beauty; truth, where semblance; love,
140  Where there's another man: the vows of women
141  Of no more bondage be, to where they are made,
142  Than they are to their virtues; which is nothing.
143  O, above measure false!

144  Have patience, sir,
145  And take your ring again; 'tis not yet won:
146  It may be probable she lost it; or
147  Who knows if one of her women, being corrupted,
148  Hath stol'n it from her?

149  Very true;
150  And so, I hope, he came by't. Back my ring:
151  Render to me some corporal sign about her,
152  More evident than this; for this was stolen.

153  By Jupiter, I had it from her arm.

154  Hark you, he swears; by Jupiter he swears.
155  'Tis true:--nay, keep the ring--'tis true: I am sure
156  She would not lose it: her attendants are
157  All sworn and honourable:--they induced to steal it!
158  And by a stranger!--No, he hath enjoyed her:
159  The cognizance of her incontinency
160  Is this: she hath bought the name of whore
161  thus dearly.
162  There, take thy hire; and all the fiends of hell
163  Divide themselves between you!

164  Sir, be patient:
165  This is not strong enough to be believed
166  Of one persuaded well of--

167  Never talk on't;
168  She hath been colted by him.

169  If you seek
170  For further satisfying, under her breast--
171  Worthy the pressing--lies a mole, right proud
172  Of that most delicate lodging: by my life,
173  I kiss'd it; and it gave me present hunger
174  To feed again, though full. You do remember
175  This stain upon her?

176  Ay, and it doth confirm
177  Another stain, as big as hell can hold,
178  Were there no more but it.

179  Will you hear more?

180  Spare your arithmetic: never count the turns;
181  Once, and a million!

182  I'll be sworn--

183  No swearing.
184  If you will swear you have not done't, you lie;
185  And I will kill thee, if thou dost deny
186  Thou'st made me cuckold.

187  I'll deny nothing.

188  O, that I had her here, to tear her limb-meal!
189  I will go there and do't, i' the court, before
190  Her father. I'll do something--

191  Quite besides
192  The government of patience! You have won:
193  Let's follow him, and pervert the present wrath
194  He hath against himself.

195  With an my heart.