IACHIMO As fair and as good–a kind of hand-in-hand
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 outlustres
many I have beheld. I could not but believe she
excelled many: but I have not seen the most
precious diamond that is, nor you the lady.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS I praised her as I rated her: so do I my stone.
IACHIMO What do you esteem it at?
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS More than the world enjoys.
IACHIMO Either your unparagoned mistress is dead, or she’s
outprized by a trifle.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS You are mistaken: the one may be sold, or given, if
there were wealth enough for the purchase, or merit
for the gift: the other is not a thing for sale,
and only the gift of the gods.
IACHIMO Which the gods have given you?
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS Which, by their graces, I will keep.
IACHIMO You may wear her in title yours: but, you know,
strange fowl light upon neighbouring ponds. 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.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS Your Italy contains none so accomplished a courtier
to convince the honour 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.
PHILARIO Let us leave here, gentlemen.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS 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 should get
ground of your fair mistress, make her go back, even
to the yielding, had I admittance and opportunity to friend.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS No, no.
IACHIMO I dare thereupon pawn the moiety of my 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
offence herein too, I durst attempt it against any
lady in the world.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS 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 LEONATUS A repulse: though your attempt, as you 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 neighbour’s on the
approbation of what I have spoke!
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS 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 lady is,
with no more advantage than the opportunity of a
second conference, and I will bring from thence
that honour of hers which you imagine so reserved.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS I will wage against your gold, gold to it: my ring
I hold dear as my finger; ’tis part of it.
IACHIMO You are afraid, 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.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS 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 LEONATUS 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.
PHILARIO I will have it no lay.
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 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.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS 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 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 the assault you
have made to her chastity you shall answer me with
your sword.
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.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS Agreed.
Exeunt POSTHUMUS LEONATUS and IACHIMO
Frenchman Will this hold, think you?
PHILARIO Signior Iachimo will not from it.
Pray, let us follow ’em.
Exeunt
Scene 5
Britain. A room in Cymbeline’s palace.
Enter QUEEN, Ladies, and CORNELIUS
QUEEN Whiles yet the dew’s on ground, gather those flowers;
Make haste: who has the note of them?
First Lady I, madam.
QUEEN Dispatch.
Exeunt Ladies
Now, master doctor, have you brought those drugs?
CORNELIUS Pleaseth your highness, ay: here they are, madam:
Presenting a small box
But I beseech your grace, without offence,–
My conscience bids me ask–wherefore you have
Commanded of me those most poisonous compounds,
Which are the movers of a languishing death;
But though slow, 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.
CORNELIUS Your highness
Shall from this practise but make hard your heart:
Besides, the seeing these effects will be
Both noisome and infectious.
QUEEN O, content thee.
Enter PISANIO
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.
CORNELIUS [Aside]
I do suspect you, madam;
But you shall do no harm.
QUEEN [To PISANIO]
Hark thee, a word.
CORNELIUS [Aside]
I do not like her. She doth think she has
Strange lingering 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.
QUEEN No further service, doctor,
Until I send for thee.
CORNELIUS I humbly take my leave.
Exit
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 to decay
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 takest 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 prethee, 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