Post.
Fear it not, sir: I would I were so sure
To win the king as I am bold her honour
Will remain hers.

Phi.
What means do you make to him?

Post.
Not any; but abide the change of time;
Quake in the present winter's state ^note, and wish
That warmer days would come: in these fear'd hopes ^note,
I barely gratify your love; they failing,
I must die much your debtor.

Phi.
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 ^note commission throughly: and I think
He'll grant the tribute, send the arrearages ^note,

Or ^note look upon our Romans, whose remembrance
Is yet fresh in their grief.

Post.
I do believe,
Statist though I am none, nor like to be,
That this will prove a war; and you shall hear
The legions ^note now in Gallia sooner landed
In our not-fearing ^note Britain than have tidings
Of any penny tribute paid. Our countrymen
Are men ^note more order'd than when Julius Cæsar
Smiled at their lack of skill, but found their courage
Worthy his frowning at: their discipline,
Now mingled ^note with their courages ^note, will ^note make known
To their approvers they are people such ^note
That mend upon the world. Enter Iachimo.

Phi.
See! Iachimo! ^note

Post.
The swiftest ^note harts ^note have posted you by land,
And winds of all the corners kiss'd your sails,
To make your vessel nimble.

Phi. ^note
Welcome, sir.

Post. ^note
I hope the briefness of your answer made
The speediness of your return.

Iach.
Your lady
Is one of the ^note fairest ^note that ^note I have ^note look'd upon.

Post.
And therewithal the best, or let her beauty
Look through ^note a casement to allure false hearts

And be false with them.

Iach.
Here are letters for you.

Post.
Their tenour ^note good, I trust.

Iach.
'Tis very like.

Phi. ^note
Was Caius Lucius in the Britain ^note court
When you were there?

Iach.
He was expected then,
But not ^note approach'd.

Post.
All is well yet ^note. ^note
Sparkles this stone as it was wont? or is't not
Too dull for your good wearing?

Iach.
If I had lost it, ^note
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.

Post.
The stone's ^note too hard to come by.

Iach.
Not a whit,
Your lady being so easy.

Post.
Make not ^note, sir,
Your loss your sport: I hope you know that we
Must not continue friends.

Iach.
Good sir, we must,
If you keep covenant. Had I not brought
The knowledge of your mistress home, I grant
We were to question farther ^note: but I now
Profess myself the winner of her honour,
Together with your ring, and not the wronger
Of her or you, having ^note proceeded but
By both your wills.

Post.
If you can make't apparent

That you ^note have tasted her in bed, my hand
And ring is ^note yours: if not, the foul opinion
You had of her pure ^note honour gains or loses
Your sword or mine, or masterless leaves ^note both
To who shall ^note find them.

Iach.
Sir, my circumstances,
Being so near the truth as I will make them,
Must first induce you to believe ^note: 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.

Post.
Proceed. ^note

Iach.
First, her bedchamber,—
Where, I confess, I slept not, but profess
Had that was well worth watching,—it was hang'd
With tapestry of silk and silver ^note; the story
Proud Cleopatra, when she met her Roman,
And ^note Cydnus ^note swell'd above the banks ^note, 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 wonder'd
Could be so rarely and exactly wrought,
Since the true life on't ^note was— ^note

Post.
This ^note is true ^note;
And this you might have heard of here, by me,
Or by some other.

Iach.
More particulars
Must justify my knowledge.

Post.
So they must,
Or do your honour injury.

Iach.
The chimney
Is south the chamber; and the chimney-piece,
Chaste Dian bathing: never saw I figures
So likely ^note to report themselves: the cutter ^note
Was as another nature, dumb ^note; outwent ^note her,
Motion and breath left out.

Post.
This is a thing
Which you might from relation likewise reap,
Being, as it is, much spoke of.

Iach.
The roof o' the chamber
With golden cherubins ^note is ^note fretted: her ^note andirons—
I had forgot them—were two winking ^note Cupids
Of silver, each on one foot standing, nicely
Depending on their brands.

Post.
This is her honour ^note! ^note
Let it be ^note granted you have seen all this,—and praise
Be given ^note to your remembrance—the description
Of what is in her chamber nothing saves
The wager you have laid.

Iach.
Then, if you can, [Showing ^note the bracelet.
Be pale: I ^note 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.

Post.
Jove! ^note
Once more let me behold it: is it that
Which I left with her?

Iach.
Sir,—I thank her—that:
She stripp'd it from her arm; I see her yet;
Her pretty action did ^note outsell her gift
And yet enrich'd it too ^note: she gave it me
And said she prized it once. ^note

Post.
May be ^note she pluck'd it off
To send it me.

Iach.
She writes so to you, doth she?

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

Phi.
Have patience, sir,
And take your ring again; 'tis not yet won:
It may be probable she lost it, or
Who knows if ^note one of her ^note women, being ^note corrupted,
Hath stol'n ^note it from her? ^note

Post.
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 stol'n ^note.

Iach.
By Jupiter, I had it from her arm.

Post.
Hark you, he swears; by Jupiter he swears.
'Tis true:—nay, keep the ring—'tis true: I am ^note sure
She would ^note not lose ^note it: her attendants are
All sworn and ^note honourable:—they induced to steal it!
And by a stranger!—No, he hath enjoy'd her:
The cognizance of her incontinency
Is this: she hath bought the name of whore thus dearly. ^note
There, take thy hire; and all the fiends of hell
Divide themselves between you!

Phi.
Sir, be patient:
This is not strong enough to be believed
Of one persuaded well of— ^note

Post.
Never talk on't;
She hath been colted by him.

Iach.
If you seek
For further satisfying, under her breast—
Worthy the ^note pressing—lies a mole, right proud
Of that most delicate lodging: by my life,
I kiss'd it, and it gave me present hunger
To feed again, though full. You do remember
This stain upon her?

Post.
Ay, and it doth confirm
Another stain, as big as hell can hold,
Were there no more but it.

Iach.
Will you hear more?

Post.
Spare your arithmetic ^note; never count ^note the turns;
Once, and a million ^note!

Iach.
I'll be sworn— ^note

Post.
No swearing.
If you will swear you have not done't you lie,
And I will kill thee if thou dost deny
Thou'st ^note made me cuckold.

Iach.
I'll deny nothing.

Post.
O, that I had her here ^note, to tear her limb-meal!
I will go there and do't; i' ^note the court; before
Her father. I'll do something— ^note [Exit.

Phi.
Quite besides
The ^note government of patience! You have won:
Let's follow him and pervert ^note the present wrath
He hath against himself.

Iach.
With all my heart. [Exeunt. ^note

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