Posthumus

Fear it not, sir: I would I were so sure

To win the king as I am bold her honour

Will remain hers.

Philario

What means do you make to him?

Posthumus

Not any, but abide the change of time,

Quake in the present winter's state and wish

That warmer days would come: in these feared hopes,

I barely gratify your love; they failing,

I must die much your debtor.

Philario

Your very goodness and your company

o'erpays all I can do. By this, your king

Hath heard of great Augustus: Caius Lucius

Will do's commission throughly: and I think

He'll grant the tribute, send the arrearages,

Or look upon our Romans, whose remembrance

Is yet fresh in their grief.

Posthumus

I do believe,

Statist though I am none, nor like to be,

That this will prove a war; and you shall hear

The legion now in Gallia sooner landed

In our not-fearing Britain than have tidings

Of any penny tribute paid. Our countrymen

Are men more ordered than when Julius Caesar

Smiled at their lack of skill, but found their courage

Worthy his frowning at: their discipline,

Now wing-led with their courages, will make known

To their approvers they are people such

That mend upon the world. Enter IACHIMO.

Philario

See! Iachimo!

Posthumus

The swiftest harts have posted you by land;

And winds of all the corners kissed your sails,

To make your vessel nimble.

Philario

Welcome, sir.

Posthumus

I hope the briefness of your answer made

The speediness of your return.

Iachimo

Your lady

Is one of the fairest that I have looked upon.

Posthumus

And therewithal the best; or let her beauty

Look through a casement to allure false hearts

And be false with them.

Iachimo

Here are letters for you.

Posthumus

Their tenor good, I trust.

Iachimo

'Tis very like.

Philario

Was Caius Lucius in the Britain court

When you were there?

Iachimo

He was expected then,

But not approached.

Posthumus

All is well yet.

Sparkles this stone as it was wont? or is't not

Too dull for your good wearing?

Iachimo

If I have lost it,

I should have lost the worth of it in gold.

I'll make a journey twice as far, to enjoy

A second night of such sweet shortness which

Was mine in Britain, for the ring is won.

Posthumus

The stone's too hard to come by.

Iachimo

Not a whit,

Your lady being so easy.

Posthumus

Make not, sir,

Your loss your sport: I hope you know that we

Must not continue friends.

Iachimo

Good sir, we must,

If you keep covenant. Had I not brought

The knowledge of your mistress home, I grant

We were to question further: but I now

Profess myself the winner of her honour,

Together with your ring; and not the wronger

Of her or you, having proceeded but

By both your wills.

Posthumus

If you can make't apparent

That you have tasted her in bed, my hand

And ring is yours; if not, the foul opinion

You had of her pure honour gains or loses

Your sword or mine, or masterless leave both

To who shall find them.

Iachimo

Sir, my circumstances,

Being so near the truth as I will make them,

Must first induce you to believe: whose strength

I will confirm with oath; which, I doubt not,

You'll give me leave to spare, when you shall find

You need it not.

Posthumus

Proceed.

Iachimo

First, her bedchamber, —

Where, I confess, I slept not, but profess

Had that was well worth watching — it was hanged

With tapestry of silk and silver; the story

Proud Cleopatra, when she met her Roman,

And Cydnus swelled above the banks, or for

The press of boats or pride: a piece of work

So bravely done, so rich, that it did strive

In workmanship and value; which I wondered

Could be so rarely and exactly wrought,

Since the true life on't was —

Posthumus

This is true;

And this you might have heard of here, by me,

Or by some other.

Iachimo

More particulars

Must justify my knowledge.

Posthumus

So they must,

Or do your honour injury.

Iachimo

The chimney

Is south the chamber, and the chimney-piece

Chaste Dian bathing: never saw I figures

So likely to report themselves: the cutter

Was as another nature, dumb; outwent her,

Motion and breath left out.

Posthumus

This is a thing

Which you might from relation likewise reap,

Being, as it is, much spoke of.

Iachimo

The roof o' the chamber

With golden cherubins is fretted: her andirons —

I had forgot them — were two winking Cupids

Of silver, each on one foot standing, nicely

Depending on their brands.

Posthumus

This is her honour!

Let it be granted you have seen all this — and praise

Be given to your remembrance — the description

Of what is in her chamber nothing saves

The wager you have laid.

Iachimo

Then, if you can, Showing the bracelet.

Be pale: I beg but leave to air this jewel; see!

And now 'tis up again: it must be married

To that your diamond; I'll keep them.

Posthumus

Jove!

Once more let me behold it: is it that

Which I left with her?

Iachimo

Sir — I thank her — that:

She stripped it from her arm; I see her yet;

Her pretty action did outsell her gift,

And yet enriched it too: she gave it me, and said

She prized it once.

Posthumus

May be she plucked it off

To send it me.

Iachimo

She writes so to you, doth she?

Posthumus

O, no, no, no! 'tis true. Here, take this too; Gives the ring.

It is a basilisk unto mine eye,

Kills me to look on't. Let there be no honour

Where there is beauty; truth, where semblance; love,

Where there's another man: the vows of women

Of no more bondage be, to where they are made,

Than they are to their virtues; which is nothing.

O, above measure false!

Philario

Have patience, sir,

And take your ring again; 'tis not yet won:

It may be probable she lost it; or

Who knows if one her women, being corrupted,

Hath stol'n it from her?

Posthumus

Very true;

And so, I hope, he came by't. Back my ring:

Render to me some corporal sign about her,

More evident than this; for this was stolen.

Iachimo

By Jupiter, I had it from her arm.

Posthumus

Hark you, he swears; by Jupiter he swears.

'Tis true: — nay. keep the ring — 'tis true: I am sure

She would not lose it: her attendants are

All sworn and honourable: — they induced to steal it!

And by a stranger! No, he hath enjoyed her:

The cognizance of her incontinency

Is this: she hath bought the name of whore thus dearly.

There, take thy hire; and all the fiends of hell

Divide themselves between you!

Philario

Sir, be patient:

This is not strong enough to be believed

Of one persuaded well of —

Posthumus

Never talk on't;

She hath been colted by him.

Iachimo

If you seek

For further satisfying, under her breast —

Worthy the pressing — lies a mole, right proud

Of that most delicate lodging: by my life,

I kissed it; and it gave me present hunger.

To feed again, though full. You do remember

This stain upon her?

Posthumus

Ay, and it doth confirm

Another stain, as big as hell can hold,

Were there no more but it.

Iachimo

Will you hear more?

Posthumus

Spare your arithmetic: never count the turns;

Once, and a million!

Iachimo

I'll be sworn —

Posthumus

No swearing.

If you will swear you have not done't, you lie;

And I will kill thee, if thou dost deny

Thou'st made me cuckold.

Iachimo

I'll deny nothing.

Posthumus

O, that I had her here, to tear her limb-meal!

I will go there and do't, i' the court, before

Her father. I'll do something — Exit.

Philario

Quite besides

The government of patience! You have won:

Let's follow him, and pervert the present wrath

He hath against himself.

Iachimo

With all my heart. Exeunt.