Words cannot tell— Gaze on her once again—I never will— Never—no never: unless thou wilt promise That I for ever, ever, may behold her. NATHAN. How should I take this? TEMPLAR (_falling suddenly upon his neck_). Nathan—O my father! NATHAN. Young man! TEMPLAR (_quitting him as suddenly_). Not son?—I pray thee, Nathan—ha! NATHAN. Thou dear young man! TEMPLAR. Not son?—I pray thee, Nathan, Conjure thee by the strongest bonds of nature, Prefer not those of later date, the weaker.— Be it enough to thee to be a man! Push me not from thee! NATHAN. Dearest, dearest friend!— TEMPLAR. Not son? Not son? Not even—even if Thy daughter’s gratitude had in her bosom Prepared the way for love—not even if Both wait thy nod alone to be but one?— You do not speak? NATHAN. Young knight, you have surprised me. TEMPLAR. Do I surprise thee—thus surprise thee, Nathan, With thy own thought? Canst thou not in my mouth Know it again? Do I surprise you? NATHAN. Ere I know, which of the Stauffens was your father? TEMPLAR. What say you, Nathan?—And in such a moment Is curiosity your only feeling? NATHAN. For see, once I myself well knew a Stauffen, Whose name was Conrade. TEMPLAR. Well, and if my father Was bearer of that name? NATHAN. Indeed? TEMPLAR. My name Is from my father’s, Conrade. NATHAN. Then thy father Was not my Conrade. He was, like thyself, A templar, never wedded. TEMPLAR. For all that— NATHAN. How? TEMPLAR. For all that he may have been my father. NATHAN. You joke. TEMPLAR. And you are captious. Boots it then To be true-born? Does bastard wound thine ear? The race is not to be despised: but hold, Spare me my pedigree; I’ll spare thee thine. Not that I doubt thy genealogic tree. O, God forbid! You may attest it all As far as Abraham back; and backwarder I know it to my heart—I’ll swear to it also. NATHAN. Knight, you grow bitter. Do I merit this? Have I refused you ought? I’ve but forborne To close with you at the first word—no more. TEMPLAR.