_Ner_. It is your music, madam, of the house. _Por_. Nothing is good, I see, without respect;[116] Methinks it sounds much sweeter than by day. _Ner_. Silence bestows that virtue on it, madam. [_Music ceases_. _Por_. How many things by season season'd are To their light praise, and true-perfection!-- _Lor_. That is the voice, Or I am much deceiv'd, of Portia. _Por_. He knows me, as the blind man knows the cuckoo, By the bad voice. _Lor_. Dear lady, welcome home. _Por_. We have been praying for our husbands' welfare, Which speed, we hope, the better for our words. Are they return'd? _Lor_. Madam, they are not yet; But there is come a messenger before, To signify their coming. _Por_. Go in, Nerissa; Give order to my servants, that they take No note at all of our being absent hence; Nor you, Lorenzo;--Jessica, nor you. [_A trumpet sounds_. _Lor_. Your husband is at hand; I hear his trumpet: We are no tell-tales, madam; fear you not. _Enter_ BASSANIO, ANTONIO, GRATIANO, _and their Followers_. _Por_. You are welcome home, my lord. _Bas_. I thank you, madam: give welcome to my friend.-- This is the man, this is Antonio, To whom I am so infinitely bound. _Por_. You should in all sense be much bound to him, For, as I hear, he was much bound for you. _Ant_. No more than I am well acquitted of. _Por_. Sir, you are very welcome to our house: It must appear in other ways than words, Therefore, I scant this breathing courtesy.[117] [GRATIANO _and_ NERISSA _seem to talk apart_. _Gra_. By yonder moon, I swear you do me wrong; In faith, I gave it to the judge's clerk: Would he were hang'd that had it, for my part, Since you do take it, love, so much at heart. _Por_. A quarrel, ho, already? What's the matter? _Gra_. About a hoop of gold, a paltry ring That she did give to me; whose posy was For all the world, like cutler's poetry[118] Upon a knife, '_Love me, and leave me not_.' _Ner_. What talk you of the posy, or the value? You swore to me, when I did give it you, That you would wear it till the hour of death: And that it should lie with you in your grave; Though not for me, yet for your vehement oaths, You should have been respective,[119] and have kept it. Gave it a judge's clerk!--but well I know, The clerk will ne'er wear hair on's face that had it. _Gra_. He will, an if he live to be a man. _Ner_. Ay, if a woman live to be a man. _Gra_. Now, by this hand, I gave it to a youth,-- kind of boy; a little scrubbed boy,[120] No higher than thyself, the judge's clerk; A prating boy, that begg'd it as a fee; I could not for my heart deny it him.