Cymbeline

1 Enter Philario, Iachimo, a Frenchman, a Dutchman and a Spaniard.
2 IACHIMO.
3 Believe it, sir, I have seen him in Britain. He was then of a crescent
4 note, expected to prove so worthy as since he hath been allowed the
5 name of. But I could then have look’d on him without the help of
6 admiration, though the catalogue of his endowments had been tabled by
7 his side, and I to peruse him by items.
8 PHILARIO.
9 You speak of him when he was less furnish’d than now he is with that
10 which makes him both without and within.
11 FRENCHMAN.
12 I have seen him in France; we had very many there could behold the sun
13 with as firm eyes as he.
14 IACHIMO.
15 This matter of marrying his king’s daughter, wherein he must be weighed
16 rather by her value than his own, words him, I doubt not, a great deal
17 from the matter.
18 FRENCHMAN.
19 And then his banishment.
20 IACHIMO.
21 Ay, and the approbation of those that weep this lamentable divorce
22 under her colours are wonderfully to extend him, be it but to fortify
23 her judgement, which else an easy battery might lay flat, for taking a
24 beggar, without less quality. But how comes it he is to sojourn with
25 you? How creeps acquaintance?
26 PHILARIO.
27 His father and I were soldiers together, to whom I have been often
28 bound for no less than my life.
29 Enter Posthumus.
30 Here comes the Briton. Let him be so entertained amongst you as suits
31 with gentlemen of your knowing to a stranger of his quality. I beseech
32 you all be better known to this gentleman, whom I commend to you as a
33 noble friend of mine. How worthy he is I will leave to appear
34 hereafter, rather than story him in his own hearing.
35 FRENCHMAN.
36 Sir, we have known together in Orleans.
37 POSTHUMUS.
38 Since when I have been debtor to you for courtesies, which I will be
39 ever to pay and yet pay still.
40 FRENCHMAN.
41 Sir, you o’errate my poor kindness. I was glad I did atone my
42 countryman and you; it had been pity you should have been put together
43 with so mortal a purpose as then each bore, upon importance of so
44 slight and trivial a nature.
45 POSTHUMUS.
46 By your pardon, sir. I was then a young traveller; rather shunn’d to go
47 even with what I heard than in my every action to be guided by others’
48 experiences; but upon my mended judgement (if I offend not to say it is
49 mended) my quarrel was not altogether slight.
50 FRENCHMAN.
51 Faith, yes, to be put to the arbitrement of swords, and by such two
52 that would by all likelihood have confounded one the other or have
53 fall’n both.
54 IACHIMO.
55 Can we, with manners, ask what was the difference?
56 FRENCHMAN.
57 Safely, I think. ’Twas a contention in public, which may, without
58 contradiction, suffer the report. It was much like an argument that
59 fell out last night, where each of us fell in praise of our country
60 mistresses; this gentleman at that time vouching (and upon warrant of
61 bloody affirmation) his to be more fair, virtuous, wise, chaste,
62 constant, qualified, and less attemptable, than any the rarest of our
63 ladies in France.
64 IACHIMO.
65 That lady is not now living, or this gentleman’s opinion, by this, worn
66 out.
67 POSTHUMUS.
68 She holds her virtue still, and I my mind.
69 IACHIMO.
70 You must not so far prefer her ’fore ours of Italy.
71 POSTHUMUS.
72 Being so far provok’d as I was in France, I would abate her nothing,
73 though I profess myself her adorer, not her friend.
74 IACHIMO.
75 As fair and as good—a kind of hand-in-hand comparison—had been
76 something too fair and too good for any lady in Britain. If she went
77 before others I have seen as that diamond of yours outlustres many I
78 have beheld, I could not but believe she excelled many; but I have not
79 seen the most precious diamond that is, nor you the lady.
80 POSTHUMUS.
81 I prais’d her as I rated her. So do I my stone.
82 IACHIMO.
83 What do you esteem it at?
84 POSTHUMUS.
85 More than the world enjoys.
86 IACHIMO.
87 Either your unparagon’d mistress is dead, or she’s outpriz’d by a
88 trifle.
89 POSTHUMUS.
90 You are mistaken: the one may be sold or given, if there were wealth
91 enough for the purchase or merit for the gift; the other is not a thing
92 for sale, and only the gift of the gods.
93 IACHIMO.
94 Which the gods have given you?
95 POSTHUMUS.
96 Which by their graces I will keep.
97 IACHIMO.
98 You may wear her in title yours; but you know strange fowl light upon
99 neighbouring ponds. Your ring may be stol’n too. So your brace of
100 unprizable estimations, the one is but frail and the other casual; a
101 cunning thief, or a that-way-accomplish’d courtier, would hazard the
102 winning both of first and last.
103 POSTHUMUS.
104 Your Italy contains none so accomplish’d a courtier to convince the
105 honour of my mistress, if in the holding or loss of that you term her
106 frail. I do nothing doubt you have store of thieves; notwithstanding, I
107 fear not my ring.
108 PHILARIO.
109 Let us leave here, gentlemen.
110 POSTHUMUS.
111 Sir, with all my heart. This worthy signior, I thank him, makes no
112 stranger of me; we are familiar at first.
113 IACHIMO.
114 With five times so much conversation I should get ground of your fair
115 mistress; make her go back even to the yielding, had I admittance and
116 opportunity to friend.
117 POSTHUMUS.
118 No, no.
119 IACHIMO.
120 I dare thereupon pawn the moiety of my estate to your ring, which, in
121 my opinion, o’ervalues it something. But I make my wager rather against
122 your confidence than her reputation; and, to bar your offence herein
123 too, I durst attempt it against any lady in the world.
124 POSTHUMUS.
125 You are a great deal abus’d in too bold a persuasion, and I doubt not
126 you sustain what y’are worthy of by your attempt.
127 IACHIMO.
128 What’s that?
129 POSTHUMUS.
130 A repulse; though your attempt, as you call it, deserve more; a
131 punishment too.
132 PHILARIO.
133 Gentlemen, enough of this. It came in too suddenly; let it die as it
134 was born, and I pray you be better acquainted.
135 IACHIMO.
136 Would I had put my estate and my neighbour’s on th’ approbation of what
137 I have spoke!
138 POSTHUMUS.
139 What lady would you choose to assail?
140 IACHIMO.
141 Yours, whom in constancy you think stands so safe. I will lay you ten
142 thousand ducats to your ring that, commend me to the court where your
143 lady is, with no more advantage than the opportunity of a second
144 conference, and I will bring from thence that honour of hers which you
145 imagine so reserv’d.
146 POSTHUMUS.
147 I will wage against your gold, gold to it. My ring I hold dear as my
148 finger; ’tis part of it.
149 IACHIMO.
150 You are a friend, and therein the wiser. If you buy ladies’ flesh at a
151 million a dram, you cannot preserve it from tainting. But I see you
152 have some religion in you, that you fear.
153 POSTHUMUS.
154 This is but a custom in your tongue; you bear a graver purpose, I hope.
155 IACHIMO.
156 I am the master of my speeches, and would undergo what’s spoken, I
157 swear.
158 POSTHUMUS.
159 Will you? I shall but lend my diamond till your return. Let there be
160 covenants drawn between’s. My mistress exceeds in goodness the hugeness
161 of your unworthy thinking. I dare you to this match: here’s my ring.
162 PHILARIO.
163 I will have it no lay.
164 IACHIMO.
165 By the gods, it is one. If I bring you no sufficient testimony that I
166 have enjoy’d the dearest bodily part of your mistress, my ten thousand
167 ducats are yours; so is your diamond too. If I come off, and leave her
168 in such honour as you have trust in, she your jewel, this your jewel,
169 and my gold are yours: provided I have your commendation for my more
170 free entertainment.
171 POSTHUMUS.
172 I embrace these conditions; let us have articles betwixt us. Only, thus
173 far you shall answer: if you make your voyage upon her, and give me
174 directly to understand you have prevail’d, I am no further your enemy;
175 she is not worth our debate; if she remain unseduc’d, you not making it
176 appear otherwise, for your ill opinion and th’ assault you have made to
177 her chastity you shall answer me with your sword.
178 IACHIMO.
179 Your hand, a covenant! We will have these things set down by lawful
180 counsel, and straight away for Britain, lest the bargain should catch
181 cold and starve. I will fetch my gold and have our two wagers recorded.
182 POSTHUMUS.
183 Agreed.
184 [_Exeunt Posthumus and Iachimo._]
185 FRENCHMAN.
186 Will this hold, think you?
187 PHILARIO.
188 Signior Iachimo will not from it. Pray let us follow ’em.
189 [_Exeunt._]