Who, then conceiving, did in eaning time Fall parti-colour'd lambs, and those were Jacob's. And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not. Ant. This was a venture, sir, that Jacob serv'd for; A thing not in his power to bring to pass, But sway'd and fashion'd by the hand of heaven. Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams? Shy. I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast:But note me, signior. Ant. Mark you this, Bassanio, Is like a villain with a smiling cheek; O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath! Shy. Three thousand ducats,—'tis a good round sum. Still have I borne it with a patient shrug; A cur can lend three thousand ducats?" or Say this, "Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last; Ant. I am as like to call thee so again, Who if he break, thou mayst with better face Shy. Bass. This were kindness. This kindness will I show. Go with me to a notary, seal me there In such a place, such sum or sums as are Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken Ant. Content, in faith: I'll seal to such a bond, Bass, You shall not seal to such a bond for me: I'll rather dwell in my necessity. Ant. Why, fear not, man; I will not forfeit it: Within these two months, that's a month before This bond expires, I do expect return Of thrice three times the value of this bond. Shy. O father Abraham, what these Christians are, Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect A pound of man's flesh taken from a man Ant. Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond. And I will go and purse the ducats straight; I will be with you. Hie thee, gentle Jew. [Exit Shylock. Ant. [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I. Belmont. A room in PORTIA's house. Flourish of cornets. Enter the Prince of Morocco and his train; PORTIA, NERISSA, and other of her attendants. Mor. Mislike me not for my complexion, The shadow'd livery of the burnish'd (5) sun, To whom I am a neighbour and near bred. Bring me the fairest creature northward born, Where Phoebus' fire scarce thaws the icicles, And let us make incision for your love, To prove whose blood is reddest, his or mine. Have lov'd it too: I would not change this hue, And hedg'd me by his wit, to yield myself For my affection. Mor. Even for that I thank you: And so may I, blind fortune leading me, And die with grieving. Por. You must take your chance; And either not attempt to choose at all, Or swear before you choose,-if you choose wrong, Never to speak to lady afterward In way of marriage: therefore be advis'd. Mor. Nor will not. Come, bring me unto my chance. Por. First, forward to the temple: after dinner Your hazard shall be made. Laun. Certainly my conscience will serve me to run from this Jew my master. The fiend is at mine elbow, and tempts me, saying to me, "Gobbo, Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot," or "good Gobbo," or "good Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs, take the start, run away." My conscience says, "No; take heed, honest Launcelot; take heed, honest Gobbo," or, as aforesaid, "honest Launcelot Gobbo; do not run; scorn running with thy heels." Well, the most courageous (6) fiend bids me pack: "Via!" says the fiend; "away!" says the fiend; "for the heavens, rouse up a brave mind," says the fiend, "and run." Well, my conscience, hanging about the neck of my heart, says very wisely to me, "My honest friend Launcelot, being an honest man's son,"-or rather an honest woman's son ;-for, indeed, my father did something smack, something grow to, he had a kind of taste;—well, my conscience says, "Launcelot, budge not." "Budge," says the fiend. "Budge not," says my conscience. Conscience, say I, you counsel well; fiend, say I, you counsel well to be ruled by my conscience, I should stay with the Jew my master, who (God bless the mark!) is a kind of devil; and, to run away from the Jew, I should be ruled by the fiend, who, saving your reverence, is the devil himself. Certainly the Jew is the very devil incarnation; and, in my conscience, my conscience is but a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel me to stay with the Jew. The fiend gives the more friendly counsel: I will run, fiend; my heels are at your commandment; I will run. |