My honour would not let ingratitude So much besmear it. Pardon me, good lady;For, by these blessed candles of the night, Had you been there, I think you would have begg'd The ring of me to give the worthy doctor. PORTIA Let not that doctor e'er come near my house:
Since he hath got the jewel that I loved, And that which you did swear to keep for me, I will become as liberal as you;I'll not deny him any thing I have, No, not my body nor my husband's bed:
Know him I shall, I am well sure of it:
Lie not a night from home; watch me like Argus:
If you do not, if I be left alone, Now, by mine honour, which is yet mine own, I'll have that doctor for my bedfellow. NERISSA And I his clerk; therefore be well advised How you do leave me to mine own protection. GRATIANO Well, do you so; let not me take him, then;For if I do, I'll mar the young clerk's pen. ANTONIO I am the unhappy subject of these quarrels. PORTIA Sir, grieve not you; you are welcome notwithstanding. BASSANIO Portia, forgive me this enforced wrong;And, in the hearing of these many friends, I swear to thee, even by thine own fair eyes, Wherein I see myself-- PORTIA Mark you but that!
In both my eyes he doubly sees himself;
In each eye, one: swear by your double self, And there's an oath of credit. BASSANIO Nay, but hear me:
Pardon this fault, and by my soul I swear I never more will break an oath with thee. ANTONIO I once did lend my body for his wealth;Which, but for him that had your husband's ring, Had quite miscarried: I dare be bound again, My soul upon the forfeit, that your lord Will never more break faith advisedly. PORTIA Then you shall be his surety. Give him this And bid him keep it better than the other. ANTONIO Here, Lord Bassanio; swear to keep this ring. BASSANIO By heaven, it is the same I gave the doctor! PORTIA I had it of him: pardon me, Bassanio;For, by this ring, the doctor lay with me. NERISSA And pardon me, my gentle Gratiano;For that same scrubbed boy, the doctor's clerk, In lieu of this last night did lie with me. GRATIANO Why, this is like the mending of highways In summer, where the ways are fair enough:
What, are we cuckolds ere we have deserved it? PORTIA Speak not so grossly. You are all amazed:
Here is a letter; read it at your leisure;It comes from Padua, from Bellario:
There you shall find that Portia was the doctor, Nerissa there her clerk: Lorenzo here Shall witness I set forth as soon as you And even but now return'd; I have not yet Enter'd my house. Antonio, you are welcome;And I have better news in store for you Than you expect: unseal this letter soon;There you shall find three of your argosies Are richly come to harbour suddenly:
You shall not know by what strange accident I chanced on this letter. ANTONIO I am dumb. BASSANIO Were you the doctor and I knew you not? GRATIANO Were you the clerk that is to make me cuckold? NERISSA Ay, but the clerk that never means to do it, Unless he live until he be a man. BASSANIO Sweet doctor, you shall be my bed-fellow:
When I am absent, then lie with my wife. ANTONIO Sweet lady, you have given me life and living;For here I read for certain that my ships Are safely come to road. PORTIA How now, Lorenzo!
My clerk hath some good comforts too for you. NERISSA Ay, and I'll give them him without a fee.
There do I give to you and Jessica, From the rich Jew, a special deed of gift, After his death, of all he dies possess'd of. LORENZO Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way Of starved people. PORTIA It is almost morning, And yet I am sure you are not satisfied Of these events at full. Let us go in;And charge us there upon inter'gatories, And we will answer all things faithfully. GRATIANO Let it be so: the first inter'gatory That my Nerissa shall be sworn on is, Whether till the next night she had rather stay, Or go to bed now, being two hours to day:
But were the day come, I should wish it dark, That I were couching with the doctor's clerk.
Well, while I live I'll fear no other thing So sore as keeping safe Nerissa's ring.
Exeunt
