Enter Posthumus. Here comes the Briton. Let him be so entertained
amongst you as suits, with gentlemen of your knowing, 30
to a stranger of his quality.—I beseech you all,
be better known to this gentleman, whom I commend
to you as a noble friend of mine. How worthy
he is I will leave to appear hereafter rather
than story him in his own hearing. 35
FRENCHMAN, to Posthumus Sir, we have known together
in Orleans.
POSTHUMUS Since when I have been debtor to you for
courtesies which I will be ever to pay and yet pay
still. 40 FRENCHMAN Sir, you o’errate my poor kindness. I was
glad I did atone my countryman and you. It had
been pity you should have been put together with
so mortal a purpose as then each bore, upon importance
of so slight and trivial a nature. 45 POSTHUMUS By your pardon, sir, I was then a young
traveler, rather shunned to go even with what I
heard than in my every action to be guided by others’
experiences. But upon my mended judgment—
if I offend not to say it is mended—my 50
quarrel was not altogether slight. FRENCHMAN Faith, yes, to be put to the arbitrament of
swords, and by such two that would by all likelihood
have confounded one the other or have fall’n
both. 55 IACHIMO Can we with manners ask what was the
difference? FRENCHMAN Safely, I think. ’Twas a contention in public,
which may without contradiction suffer the report.
It was much like an argument that fell out 60
last night, where each of us fell in praise of our
country mistresses, this gentleman at that time
vouching—and upon warrant of bloody affirmation—
his to be more fair, virtuous, wise, chaste,
constant, qualified, and less attemptable than any 65
the rarest of our ladies in France. | Posthumus introduces himself to the lads, and the conversation quickly turns to—what else?—women. |
IACHIMO That lady is not now living, or this gentleman’s
opinion by this worn out. POSTHUMUS She holds her virtue still, and I my mind. IACHIMO You must not so far prefer her ’fore ours of 70
Italy. POSTHUMUS Being so far provoked as I was in France,
I would abate her nothing, though I profess myself
her adorer, not her friend. | Iachimo thinks any woman can be seduced. Just name the time and place, and he's there. But Posthumus disagrees. Not his new bride: she's too virtuous and honest to ever cheat on him. |
IACHIMO As fair and as good—a kind of hand-in-hand 75
comparison—had been something too fair and too
good for any lady in Britain. If she went before
others I have seen, as that diamond of yours outlusters
many I have beheld, I could not but
believe she excelled many. But I have not seen the 80
most precious diamond that is, nor you the lady. POSTHUMUS I praised her as I rated her. So do I my
stone. IACHIMO What do you esteem it at? POSTHUMUS More than the world enjoys. 85 IACHIMO Either your unparagoned mistress is dead, or
she’s outprized by a trifle. POSTHUMUS You are mistaken. The one may be sold or
given, or if there were wealth enough for the purchase
or merit for the gift. The other is not a thing 90
for sale, and only the gift of the gods. IACHIMO Which the gods have given you? POSTHUMUS Which, by their graces, I will keep. | "Prove it," says Iachimo. He's convinced that there isn't a woman around who could refuse his charms. He'll head on over to England and seduce Imogen. Seriously, this dude is actually suggesting an international seduction plot. |
IACHIMO You may wear her in title yours, but you
know strange fowl light upon neighboring ponds. 95
Your ring may be stolen too. So your brace of unprizable
estimations, the one is but frail and the
other casual. A cunning thief or a that-way-accomplished
courtier would hazard the winning both of
first and last. 100 POSTHUMUS Your Italy contains none so accomplished
a courtier to convince the honor of my mistress, if
in the holding or loss of that, you term her frail. I
do nothing doubt you have store of thieves;
notwithstanding, I fear not my ring. 105 PHILARIO Let us leave here, gentlemen. POSTHUMUS Sir, with all my heart. This worthy signior,
I thank him, makes no stranger of me. We are
familiar at first. IACHIMO With five times so much conversation I 110
should get ground of your fair mistress, make her
go back even to the yielding, had I admittance and
opportunity to friend. POSTHUMUS No, no. IACHIMO I dare thereupon pawn the moiety of my 115
estate to your ring, which in my opinion o’ervalues
it something. But I make my wager rather against
your confidence than her reputation, and, to bar
your offense herein too, I durst attempt it against
any lady in the world. 120 POSTHUMUS You are a great deal abused in too bold a
persuasion, and I doubt not you sustain what
you’re worthy of by your attempt. IACHIMO What’s that? POSTHUMUS A repulse—though your attempt, as you 125
call it, deserve more: a punishment, too. PHILARIO Gentlemen, enough of this. It came in too
suddenly. Let it die as it was born, and, I pray you,
be better acquainted. IACHIMO Would I had put my estate and my neighbor’s 130
on th’ approbation of what I have spoke. POSTHUMUS What lady would you choose to assail? IACHIMO Yours, whom in constancy you think stands
so safe. I will lay you ten thousand ducats to your
ring that, commend me to the court where your 135
lady is, with no more advantage than the opportunity
of a second conference, and I will bring from
thence that honor of hers which you imagine so
reserved. POSTHUMUS I will wage against your gold, gold to it. 140
My ring I hold dear as my finger; ’tis part of it. | If Iachimo succeeds, he'll take Posthumus's fancy ring (the one from Imogen). He'll also acquire mad bragging rights. Posthumus is confident enough to take that bet. His terms: if Iachimo strikes out with Imogen, then he'll have to pay Posthumus 10,000 ducats.
Challenge accepted.
|
IACHIMO You are a friend, and therein the wiser. If you
buy ladies’ flesh at a million a dram, you cannot
preserve it from tainting. But I see you have some
religion in you, that you fear. 145 POSTHUMUS This is but a custom in your tongue. You
bear a graver purpose, I hope. IACHIMO I am the master of my speeches and would
undergo what’s spoken, I swear. POSTHUMUS Will you? I shall but lend my diamond till 150
your return. Let there be covenants drawn between
’s. My mistress exceeds in goodness the hugeness
of your unworthy thinking. I dare you to this
match. Here’s my ring. PHILARIO I will have it no lay. 155 IACHIMO By the gods, it is one!—If I bring you no sufficient
testimony that I have enjoyed the dearest
bodily part of your mistress, my ten thousand
ducats are yours; so is your diamond too. If I come
off and leave her in such honor as you have trust 160
in, she your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold are
yours, provided I have your commendation for my
more free entertainment. POSTHUMUS I embrace these conditions. Let us have
articles betwixt us. Only thus far you shall answer: 165
if you make your voyage upon her and give me directly
to understand you have prevailed, I am no
further your enemy; she is not worth our debate. If
she remain unseduced, you not making it appear
otherwise, for your ill opinion and th’ assault you 170
have made to her chastity, you shall answer me
with your sword. IACHIMO Your hand; a covenant. (They shake hands.)
We will have these things set down by lawful counsel,
and straight away for Britain, lest the bargain 175
should catch cold and starve. I will fetch my gold
and have our two wagers recorded. POSTHUMUS Agreed. Iachimo and Posthumus exit. FRENCHMAN Will this hold, think you? PHILARIO Signior Iachimo will not from it. Pray, let us 180
follow ’em.
They exit. | As the men leave to write down the terms of their wager with a lawyer,
the Frenchmen and Philario talk about what just happened. They let us in
on a secret about Iachimo: he's not one to let go of things. Uh-oh. |