The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (822 page)

you're implying by calling her frail. I've no doubt you have

plenty of thieves here; despite that, I'm not worried about my ring.

PHILARIO.

Let us leave here, gentlemen.

Let's go from here, gentlemen.

POSTHUMUS.

Sir, with all my heart. This worthy signior, I thank him, makes no stranger of me; we are familiar at first.

Sir, certainly. This worthy gentleman,

I thank him, doesn't treat me like a stranger; he's familiar from the start.

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.

With five times as much talk I could press home

my advantage on your fair mistress; I could make her retreat

until she gave up, if I only got a chance to talk to her.

POSTHUMUS.

No, no.

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.

I would bet my inheritance against your ring on this,

which in my opinion rather overvalues it. But I

am making the bet against your confidence, meaning

no insult to her reputation; and to save you being offended

also, I would back myself to do this with any lady in the world.

POSTHUMUS.

You are a great deal abus'd in too bold a persuasion, and I doubt not you sustain what y'are worthy of by your attempt.

You are deluding yourself in thinking you

could manage this, and I'm sure if you tried

you would get what you deserve.

IACHIMO.

What's that?

What's that?

POSTHUMUS.

A repulse; though your attempt, as you call it, deserve more- a punishment too.

Rejection; though your attempt, as you call it,

would 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.

Gentlemen, that's enough. You flared up too

quickly; let the quarrel vanish as quickly, and I beg you to

get to know each other better.

IACHIMO.

Would I had put my estate and my neighbour's on th' approbation of what I have spoke!

I wish I'd bet my estate and my neighbour's on

my being able to do what I said!

POSTHUMUS.

What lady would you choose to assail?

What lady would you make your attempt on?

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 reserv'd.

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.