Yours, whom you are so certain will stay loyal.
I bet you ten thousand ducats against your ring that, if you
give me an introduction to the court where your lady is, with
just two meetings with her I will be able to lead her astray
from that honour of hers which you think is so unbreakable.
POSTHUMUS.
I will wage against your gold, gold to it. My ring I hold dear as my finger; 'tis part of it.
I'll bet the same amount of gold against your gold. My
ring is as dear to me as my finger; they are inseparable.
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.
I feel you agree with me, and so are being cautious. However
precious you think a woman is, you can't stop her from
going to the bad. But I see you have some superstition about it.
POSTHUMUS.
This is but a custom in your tongue; you bear a graver purpose, I hope.
This is all just chatter; I hope that you will
back up what you say.
IACHIMO.
I am the master of my speeches, and would undergo what's spoken, I swear.
I mean what I say, and I swear
I would do what I said.
POSTHUMUS.
Will you? I Shall but lend my diamond till 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.
Will you? I shall just lend you my diamond until
your return. Let's have a contract drawn up between us. The
goodness of my mistress outweighs the enormity of your
unworthy thoughts. I'll make this bet with you: here's my ring.
PHILARIO.
I will have it no lay.
I don't think this is a wager.
IACHIMO.
By the gods, it is one. If I bring you no sufficient testimony that I have enjoy'd 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 honour as you have trust in, she your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold are yours- provided I have your commendation for my more free entertainment.
By the gods, it is one. If I don't bring you sufficient
evidence that I have enjoyed the sweetest parts of your mistress'
body, my ten thousand ducats are yours; and you get your diamond
back too. If I fail, and leave her with the honour you believe in
intact, she, your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold or yours–
provided you give me references so I get a good welcome.
POSTHUMUS.
I embrace these conditions; let us have articles betwixt us. Only, thus far you shall answer: if you make your voyage upon her, and give me directly to understand you have prevail'd, I am no further your enemy- she is not worth our debate; if she remain unseduc'd, you not making it appear otherwise, for your ill opinion and th' assault you have made to her chastity you shall answer me with your sword.
I agree to these conditions; let's have the contracts
drawn up. However, I will say this: if you do succeed
and give me certain proof that you have won,
I won't be your enemy any longer–she won't be worth our
arguing over; if she remains unseduced, and you can't prove
differently, you we'll have to fight a duel with me
for your rudeness and the attack you have made on her chastity.
IACHIMO.
Your hand- a covenant! We will have these things set down by lawful counsel, and straight away for Britain, lest the bargain should catch cold and starve. I will fetch my gold and have our two wagers recorded.
Give me your hand–it's a bet! We will have these things
properly written down by lawyers, and I'll go to Britain at once,
striking while the iron's hot. I will fetch my gold
and have our bets written down.
POSTHUMUS.
Agreed.
Exeunt POSTHUMUS and IACHIMO
Agreed.
FRENCHMAN.
Will this hold, think you?
Do you think they will follow through on this?
PHILARIO.
Signior Iachimo will not from it. Pray let us follow 'em.
Exeunt
Signor Iachimo won't back down. Come on, let's follow them.
Enter QUEEN, LADIES, and CORNELIUS
QUEEN.
Whiles yet the dew's on ground, gather those flowers;
Make haste; who has the note of them?
Go and pick those flowers while the dew is still on the ground;
be quick; who has the list?
LADY.
I, madam.
I have, madam.
QUEEN.
Dispatch.
Exeunt LADIES
Now, Master Doctor, have you brought those drugs?
Hurry up.
Now, Master Doctor, have you brought those drugs?
CORNELIUS.
Pleaseth your Highness, ay. Here they are, madam.
[Presenting a box]
But I beseech your Grace, without offence-
My conscience bids me ask- wherefore you have
Commanded of me these most poisonous compounds
Which are the movers of a languishing death,
But, though slow, deadly?
I have, your Highness. Here they are, madam.
[Offering her a box]
But I beg your Grace, without wanting to cause offence–
my conscience makes me ask–why have you
asked me for these very poisonous preparations
which can bring about a slow death,
slow acting but deadly?
QUEEN.
I wonder, Doctor,
Thou ask'st me such a question. Have I not been
Thy pupil long? Hast thou not learn'd me how
To make perfumes? distil? preserve? yea, so
That our great king himself doth woo me oft
For my confections? Having thus far proceeded-
Unless thou think'st me devilish- is't not meet
That I did amplify my judgment in
Other conclusions? I will try the forces
Of these thy compounds on such creatures as
We count not worth the hanging- but none human-
To try the vigour of them, and apply
Allayments to their act, and by them gather
Their several virtues and effects.
I'm surprised, Doctor,
that you ask me such a question. Haven't I been
your pupil for a long time? Haven't you taught me how
to make perfume? To distil? To preserve? Even so
that our great king himself has often asked me
for my creations? Having learnt this much–
unless you think I'm evil–isn't it right
that I should extend my knowledge
with other experiments? I will try the strength
of these preparations on insignificant
creatures–not on humans–
to see how well they work, and to test
cures for them, and in that way I will learn
their different powers and virtues.
CORNELIUS.
Your Highness
Shall from this practice but make hard your heart;
Besides, the seeing these effects will be
Both noisome and infectious.
Your Highness
will only make yourself hardhearted through doing this;
besides, the effects that you create will be
both unpleasant and infectious.
QUEEN.
O, content thee.
Enter PISANIO
&nbs
p; [Aside] Here comes a flattering rascal; upon him
Will I first work. He's for his master,
An enemy to my son.- How now, Pisanio!
Doctor, your service for this time is ended;
Take your own way.
Oh, relax.
[Aside] Here comes an obsequious rascal; I'll try
these things on him first. He's on his master's side,
he's an enemy to my son.–Hello there, Pisanio!
Doctor, that's all I need from you for now;
off you go.
CORNELIUS.
[Aside] I do suspect you, madam;
But you shall do no harm.
I have my suspicions of you, madam;
but you shall do no harm.
QUEEN.
[To PISANIO] Hark thee, a word.
Listen, I want a word.
CORNELIUS.
[Aside] I do not like her. She doth think she has
Strange ling'ring poisons. I do know her spirit,
And will not trust one of her malice with
A drug of such damn'd nature. Those she has
Will stupefy and dull the sense awhile,
Which first perchance she'll prove on cats and dogs,
Then afterward up higher; but there is
No danger in what show of death it makes,
More than the locking up the spirits a time,
To be more fresh, reviving. She is fool'd
With a most false effect; and I the truer
So to be false with her.
I don't trust her. She thinks she has
strange slow acting poisons. I know what she's like,
and I won't trust someone as unpleasant as her
with such dangerous drugs. The ones I've given her
will bring unconsciousness for a while,
and perhaps she'll first try them on cats and dogs,
then afterwards on bigger creatures; but there is
no danger in the imitation of death it produces,
it just knocks the subject out for a while, so they
then awake refreshed. She has been fooled
with these false things; and I am the more honest
for being false with her.
QUEEN.
No further service, Doctor,
Until I send for thee.
I don't need you any more, Doctor,
until I send for you.
CORNELIUS.
I humbly take my leave.
Exit
I humbly take my leave.
QUEEN.
Weeps she still, say'st thou? Dost thou think in time
She will not quench, and let instructions enter
Where folly now possesses? Do thou work.
When thou shalt bring me word she loves my son,
I'll tell thee on the instant thou art then
As great as is thy master; greater, for
His fortunes all lie speechless, and his name
Is at last gasp. Return he cannot, nor
Continue where he is. To shift his being
Is to exchange one misery with another,
And every day that comes comes comes to
A day's work in him. What shalt thou expect
To be depender on a thing that leans,
Who cannot be new built, nor has no friends
So much as but to prop him?
[The QUEEN drops the box. PISANIO takes it up]
Thou tak'st up
Thou know'st not what; but take it for thy labour.
It is a thing I made, which hath the King
Five times redeem'd from death. I do not know
What is more cordial. Nay, I prithee take it;
It is an earnest of a further good
That I mean to thee. Tell thy mistress how
The case stands with her; do't as from thyself.
Think what a chance thou changest on; but think
Thou hast thy mistress still; to boot, my son,
Who shall take notice of thee. I'll move the King
To any shape of thy preferment, such
As thou'lt desire; and then myself, I chiefly,
That set thee on to this desert, am bound
To load thy merit richly. Call my women.
Think on my words. Exit PISANIO
A sly and constant knave,
Not to be shak'd; the agent for his master,
And the remembrancer of her to hold
The hand-fast to her lord. I have given him that
Which, if he take, shall quite unpeople her
Of leigers for her sweet; and which she after,
Except she bend her humour, shall be assur'd
To taste of too.
Re-enter PISANIO and LADIES
So, so. Well done, well done.
The violets, cowslips, and the primroses,
Bear to my closet. Fare thee well, Pisanio;
Think on my words.
Exeunt QUEEN and LADIES
She's still weeping, you say? Do you think that in time
she will stop, and listen to sense
where she's now possessed by stupidity? Work on her.
When you bring me word that she loves my son,
I tell you that at that moment you will then be
as great as your master: greater, as
he has lost all his fortunes, and is under
sentence of death. He cannot come back, nor
can he remain where he is: to change his location
was just exchanging one misery for another,
and it will get worse every day.
What expectations can you have,
leaning on such a fragile support?
He can't strengthen his position, and he has no friends
to help him. [The Queen drops the box. Pisiano picks it up.]
You don't know what
you're picking up: but take it to help your work:
it's something I have made, which has saved the King
from death five times. I don't know anything
that has such a good effect. No, please take it;
it's a token of the good things
I intend for you in future. Tell your mistress what
her position is: say it as if it comes from you;
think what a chance you have now; but remember
who you are working for, that is, my son,
who will reward your efforts. I'll make the King
give you any sort of promotion
that you wish: and then I myself,
who put you in this position, will certainly
give you rich rewards. Call my women:
think about what I've said. [Exit Pisanio]
A cunning and loyal rascal.
He can't be shaken: he's working for his master,
he's continually reminding her of his lord
and their marriage vows. I have given him something
which, if he takes it, will strip her
of ambassadors for her lover: and after that,
unless she changes her mind, I can promise
she'll taste it as well.
Re-enter Pisanio and ladies
Here you are: well done, well done:
take the violets, cowslips and the primroses
to my bedroom. Goodbye, Pisanio;
think about what I've said.
PISANIO.
And shall do.
But when to my good lord I prove untrue
I'll choke myself- there's all I'll do for you.
Exit
I shall do.
But if I ever become disloyal to my good lord
I'll hang myself–that's all I'll do for you.
Enter IMOGEN alone
IMOGEN.
A father cruel and a step-dame false;
A foolish suitor to a wedded lady
That hath her husband banish'd. O, that husband!
My supreme crown of grief! and those repeated
Vexations of it! Had
I been thief-stol'n,
As my two brothers, happy! but most miserable
Is the desire that's glorious. Blessed be those,
How mean soe'er, that have their honest wills,
Which seasons comfort. Who may this be? Fie!
Enter PISANIO and IACHIMO
A cruel father and a deceitful stepmother;
a foolish wooer of a married lady
whose husband has been banished. Oh, that husband!
The worst of all my sorrows! It is eating
away at me! I wish I'd been kidnapped,
like my two lucky brothers! The greater the desire
the more miserable it is when it's thwarted. They are blessed,
however low they are, who can enjoy their honest desires,
that brings comfort. Who's this?Damn it!
PISANIO.
Madam, a noble gentleman of Rome
Comes from my lord with letters.
Madam, a noble gentleman from Rome
has brought letters from my lord.
IACHIMO.
Change you, madam:
The worthy Leonatus is in safety,
And greets your Highness dearly. [Presents a letter]
Take that frown off, madam:
good Leonatus is safe,
and sends your Highness his sweetest greetings.
IMOGEN.
Thanks, good sir.
You're kindly welcome.
Thank you, good sir.
You're very welcome.
IACHIMO.
[Aside] All of her that is out of door most rich!
If she be furnish'd with a mind so rare,
She is alone th' Arabian bird, and I
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 501