Imo. Then wav'd his handkerchief? Pis. And kiss'd it, madam. Imo. Senseless linen, happier therein than I! And that was all? Pis. No, madam; for so long Imo. Thou shouldst have made him As little as a crow, or less, ere left To after-eye him. Pis. Madam, so I did. 12 16 Imo. I would have broke mine eye-strings, crack'd them, but To look upon him, till the diminution Of space had pointed him sharp as my needle, Pis. With his next vantage. Ty But, good Pisanio, 20 20 Be assur'd, madam, Imo. I did not take my leave of him, but had Most pretty things to say; ere I could tell him How I would think on him at certain hours 24 Such thoughts and such, or I could make him swear 28 The shes of Italy should not betray Mine interest and his honour, or have charg'd him, At the sixth hour of morn, at noon, at midnight, To encounter me with orisons, for then 32 I am in heaven for him; or ere I could 36 Tyrfan/nous) Lady. Enter a Lady. The queen, madam, Desires your highness' company. Imo. Those things I bid you do, get them dispatch'd. I will attend the queen. Pis. 40 Madam, I shall. Exeunt. Scene Four [Rome. A Room in Philario's House] Enter Philario, Iachimo, a Frenchman, a Dutchman, and a Spaniard. Iach. Believe it, sir, I have seen him in Britain; he was then of a crescent note, expected to prove so worthy as since he hath been allowed the name of; but I could then have 4 looked on him without the help of admiration, though the catalogue of his endowments had been tabled by his side and I to peruse him by items. Phi. You speak of him when he was less furnished than now he is with that which makes him both without and within. 32 encounter: meet orisons: prayers 35 charming: having in them a charm to preserve him 8 34-37 Cf. n. 7 tabled: set down in a list makes: establishes 2 crescent note: growing reputation 5 admiration: wonder 10 furnished: equipped French. I have seen him in France: we had 12 very many there could behold the sun with as firm eyes as he. Iach. This matter of marrying his king's daughter, wherein he must be weighed rather 16 by her value than his own,-words him, I doubt not, a great deal from the matter. French. And then, his banishment. Iach. Ay, and the approbation of those that 20 weep this lamentable divorce under her colours are wonderfully to extend him; be it but to fortify her judgment, which else an easy battery might lay flat, for taking a beggar without less 24 quality. But how comes it, he is to sojourn with you? How creeps acquaintance? Phi. His father and I were soldiers together; to whom I have been often bound for no less 28 than my life. Here comes the Briton: let him be so entertained amongst you as suits, with gentlemen of your knowing, to a stranger of his quality. Enter Posthumus. 32 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 36 hearing. French. Sir, we have known together in Orleans. Post. Since when I have been debtor to you 40 for courtesies, which I will be ever to pay and yet pay still. French. Sir, you o'er-rate my poor kindness. I was glad I did atone my countryman and you; 44 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. 48 Post. By your pardon, sir, I was then a young traveller; rather shunned to go even with what I heard than in my every action to be guided by others' experiences; but, upon my mended judg- 52 ment,-if I offend not to say it is mended, my quarrel was not altogether slight. French. Faith, yes, to be put to the arbitrement of swords, and by such two that would by 56 all likelihood have confounded one the other, or have fallen both. Iach. Can we, with manners, ask what was the difference? 60 French. Safely, I think. 'Twas a contention in public, which may, without contradiction, suffer the report. It was much like an argument that fell out last night, where each of us fell 64 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 68 attemptable, than any the rarest of our ladies in France. 41 ever to pay: ever under obligation to pay 47 importance: matter 57 confounded: destroyed 50-52 rather 62, 63 which 65 country mistresses: ladies of our own countries 66, 67 upon . affirmation; cf. n. 68 constant-qualified: endowed with constancy 69 attemptable: liable to seduction 44 atone: reconcile experiences; cf. n. report; cf. n. Iach. That lady is not now living, or this gentleman's opinion by this worn out. Post. She holds her virtue still and I my mind. Iach. You must not so far prefer her 'fore ours of Italy. Post. Being so far provoked as I was in France, I would abate her nothing, though I profess myself her adorer, not her friend. 72 76 Iach. As fair and as good-a kind of hand- 80 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 84 not but believe she excelled many; but I have not seen the most precious diamond that is, nor you the lady. Post. I praised her as I rated her; so do I 88 my stone. Iach. What do you esteem it at? Post. More than the world enjoys. Iach. Either your unparagoned mistress is 92 dead, or she's outprized by a trifle. Post. 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 96 is not a thing for sale, and only the gift of the gods. Iach. Which the gods have given you? Post. Which, by their graces, I will keep. Iach. You may wear her in title yours, but, you know, strange fowl light upon neighbouring 78 abate: depreciate 88 rated her: estimated her value 95, 96 or . . . or: either . . . or 100 80 hand-in-hand: equal 91 enjoys: possesses |