issa.
"You swore to me, when I gave it to you, that you would keep it till
the hour of death; and now you say you gave it to the lawyer's clerk.
I know you gave it to a woman." "By this hand," replied Gratiano, "I
gave it to a youth, a kind of boy, a little scrubbed boy no higher
than yourself; he was clerk to the young counsellor that by his wise
pleading saved Anthonio's life: this prating boy begged it for a fee,
and I could not for my life deny him." Portia said, "You were to
blame, Gratiano, to part with your wife's first gift. I gave my lord
Bassanio a ring, and I am sure he would not part with it for all the
world." Gratiano in excuse for his fault now said, "My lord Bassanio
gave his ring away to the counsellor, and then the boy, his clerk,
that took some pains in writing, he begged my ring."

Portia, hearing this, seemed very angry, and reproached Bassanio for
giving away her ring; and she said, Nerissa had taught her what to
believe, and that she knew some woman had the ring. Bassanio was very
unhappy to have so offended his dear lady, and he said with great
earnestness, "No, by my honour, no woman had it, but a civil doctor,
who refused three thousand ducats of me, and begged the ring, which
when I denied him, he went displeased away. What could I do, sweet
Portia? I was so beset with shame for my seeming ingratitude, that I
was forced to send the ring after him. Pardon me, good lady; had you
been there, I think you would have begged the ring of me to give the
worthy doctor."

"Ah!" said Anthonio, "I am the unhappy cause of these quarrels."

Portia bid Anthonio not to grieve at that, for that he was welcome
notwithstanding; and then Anthonio said, "I once did lend my body for
Bassanio's sake; and but for him to whom your husband gave the ring
I should have now been dead. I dare be bound again, my soul upon the
forfeit, your lord will never more break his faith with you." "Then
you shall be his surety," said Portia; "give him this ring, and bid
him keep it better than the other."

When Bassanio looked at this ring, he was strangely surprised to find
it was the same he gave away; and then Portia told him, how she was
the young counsellor, and Nerissa was her clerk; and Bassanio found to
his unspeakable wonder and delight, that it was by the noble courage
and wisdom of his wife that Anthonio's life was saved.

And Portia again welcomed Anthonio, and gave him letters which by
some chance had fallen into her