with their determination; which is, indeed, to return to their home, and to trouble you with no more suit; unless you may be won by some other sort than your father's imposition, depending on the caskets. Por. If I live to be as old as Sibylla, I will die as chaste as Diana, unless I be obtained by the manner of my father's will: I am glad this parcel of wooers are so reasonable; for there is not one among them but I dote on his very absence, and I pray God grant them a fair departure. Ner. Do you not remember, lady, in your father's time, a Venetian, a scholar, and a soldier, that came hither in company of the Marquis of Montferrat? Por. Yes, yes, it was Bassanio; as I think, 80 was he called. Ner. True, madam; he, of all the men that ever my foolish eyes looked upon, was the best deserving a fair lady. Por. I remember him well; and I remem ber him worthy of thy praise.-How now! what news? Enter a Servant. Serv. The four strangers seek for you, madam, to take their leave and there is a forerunner come from a fifth, the prince of Mo rocco; who brings word, the prince, his master, will be here to-night.et Pot Por. If I could bid the fifth welcome with so good heart as I can bid the other four farewell, I should be glad of his approach: if he have the condition of a saint, and the complexion of a devil, I had rather he should shrive me than wive me. Come, Nerissa.Sirrah, go before.-Whiles we shut the gate upon one wooer, another knocks at the door. [Exeunt. SCENE III, Venice. A public Place. Enter BASSANIO and SHYLOCK. Shy. Three thousand ducats,-well. Bass. Ay, sir, for three months. Shy. For three months,-well. Bass. For the which, as I told you, Anto nio shall be bound... Shy Antonio shall become bound,-well. Bass. Your answer to that... Shy. Ho, no, no, no, no;-my meaning, in saying he is a good man, is to have you understand me, that he is sufficient: yet his means are in supposition: he hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies; I understand moreover upon the Rialto, he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England, and other ventures the hath squander'd abroad: But ships are but boards, sailors but 9ml ** *Temper, qualities. men: there be land-rats, and water rats, water-thieves, and land-thieves; I mean, pirates; and then, there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks: The man is, notwithstanding, sufficient ;-three thousand ducats ;-I think, I may take his bond. Bass. Be assured you may. Shy. I will be assured, I may; and, that I may be assured, I will, bethink me: May I speak with Antonio? Bass. If it please you to dine with us. Shy. Yes, to smell pork; to eat of the habitation which your prophet, the Nazarite, conjured the devil into: I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you. What news on the Rialto?-Who is he comes here? Enter ANTONIO.. Bass. This is signior Antonio. Shy. [Aside.] How like a fawning publican I hate him for he is a christian : Bass.as Shylock, do you hear? Shy. I am debating of my present store; ⚫ months Your worship was the last man in our mouths. Ant. Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow, By taking, nor by giving of excess, Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend, Ay, ay, three thousand ducats." me so. This Jacob from our holy Abraham was + Wants which admit no longer delay. + Informed. 7 rest? (As his wise mother wrought in his behalf,) This was a way to thrive, and he was blest; A thing not in his power to bring to pass, Was this inserted to make interest good? Ant. Three months from twelve, then let me see the A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last; You spurn'd me such a day; another time You call'd me-dog; and for these cour. I'll lend you thus much monies. [tesies . Nature. Ant. I am as like to call thee so again, To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too. If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not As to thy friends; (for when did friendship take A breed for barren metal of his friend?) But lend it rather to thine enemy; Who if he break, thou may'st with better Exact the penalty. [face Shy. Why, look you, how you storm! I would be friends with you, and have your love, [with, Forget the shames that you have stain'd me Supply your present wants, and take no doit Of usance for my monies, and you'll not hear This is kind I offer. [me: Ant. This were kindness. Shy. This kindness will I show:Go with me to a notary, seal me there Your single bond; and, in a merry sport, If you repay me not on such a day, In such a place, such sum, or sums, as are Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit Be nominated for an equal pound Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken In what part of your body pleaseth me. Ant. Content, in faith; I'll seal to such a bond, And say, there is much kindness in the Jew, Bass. You shall not seal to such a bond for tians are; Whose own hard dealings teaches them sus- SCENE 1. ACT II. Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey, Por. Never to speak to lady afterward Por. First, forward to the temple; after SCENE II. Venice. A Street. Enter LAUNCELOT GOBBO. 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 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. Enter old GOBBO, with a Basket. Gob. Master, young man, you, I pray you; which is the way to master Jew's? Laun. [Aside.] O heavens, this is my true begotten father! who, being more than sandblind, high-gravel blind, knows me not:-I will try conclusions ý with him. Gob. Master young gentleman, I pray you, which is the way to master Jew's? Laun. Turn up on your right hand, at the next turning, but, at the next turning of all, on your left; marry, at the very next turning, turn of no hand, but turn down indirectly to the Jew's house. Gob. By God's sonties, 'twill be a hard way to hit. Can you tell me whether one Launcelot, that dwells with him, dwell with him, or no? Laun. Talk you of young master Launcelot?-Mark me now; [aside.] now will I raise the waters:-Talk you of young master Launcelot ? Allusion to the eastern custom for lovers to testify their passion by cutting themselves in their mistresses' sight. + Terrified. Not precipitate. Experiments. Gob. No master, sir, but a poor man's son; his father, though I say it, is an honest exceeding poor man, and, God be thanked, well to live. Laun. Well, let his father be what he will, we talk of young master Launcelot. Gob. Your worship's friend, and Launcelot, sir. Laun. But I pray you ergo, old man, ergo, I beseech you; Talk you of young master Launcelot? Gob. Of Launcelot, an't please your mastership. Laun. Ergo, master Launcelot; talk not of master Launcelot, father; for the young gentleman (according to fates and destinies, and such odd sayings, the sisters three, and such branches of learning,) is, indeed, deceased; or, as you would say, in plain terms, gone to heaven. Gob. Marry, God forbid! the boy was the very staff of my age, my very prop. Laun. Do I look like a cudgel, or a hovelpost, a staff, or a prop?-Do you know me, father? Gob. Alack the day, I know you not, young gentleman: but, I pray you, tell me, is my boy, (God rest his soul!) alive, or dead? Laun. Do you not know me, father? Gob. Alack, sir, I am sand-blind, I know you not. Luun. Nay, indeed, if you had your eyes, you might fail of the knowing me: it is a wise father, that knows his own child. Well, old man, I will tell you news of your son: Give me your blessing: truth will come to light; murder cannot be hid long, a man's son may; but, in the end, truth will out. Gob. Pray you, sir, stand up; I am sure, you are not Launcelot, my boy. Laun. Pray you, let's have no more fooling about it, but give me your blessing; I am Launcelot, your boy that was, your son that is, your child that shall be. Gob. I cannot think, you are my son." Laun. I know not what I shall think of that: but I am Launcelot, the Jew's man ; and, I am sure, Margery, your wife, is my mother. Gob. Her name is Margery, indeed: I'll be sworn, it thou be Launcelot, thou art mine own flesh and blood. Lord, worshipp'd might he be! what a beard hast thou got! thou hast got more hair on thy chin, than Dobbin iny thill-horse has on his tail. Laun. It should seem then, that Dobbin's tail grows backward; I am sure he had more hair on his tail, than I have on my face, when I last saw him. Gob. Lord, how art thou changed! How dost thou and thy master agree? I have brought him a present; How 'gree you now? Luun. Well, well; but, for nine own part, as I have set up my rest to run away, so I will not rest till I have run some ground: * Shaft-horse. my master's a very Jew: Give him a present! give him a halter: I am famish'd in his service; you may tell every finger I have with my ribs. Father, I am glad you are come; give me your present to one master Bassanio, who, indeed, gives rare new liveries; if I serve not him, I will run as far as God has any ground. O rare fortune! here comes the man;-to him, father; for I am a Jew, if I serve the Jew any longer. Enter BASSANIO, with LEONARDO, and other Followers. Bass. You may do so;-but let it be so hasted, that supper be ready at the farthest by five of the clock: See these letters deliver❜d; pnt the liveries to making; and desire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging. Laun. To him, father. [Exit a Servant. Gob. God bless your worship! Bass. Gramercy; Wouldst thou aught with me? Gob. Here's my son, sir, a poor boy,—— Laun. Not a poor boy, sir, but the rich Jew's man; that would, sir, as my father shall specify, Gob. He hath a great infection, sir, as one would say, to serve Laun. Indeed, the short and the long is, I serve the Jew, and I have a desire, as my father shall specify, Gob. His master and he, (saving your wor. ship's reverence,) are scarce cater-cousins : Laun. To be brief, the very truth is, that the Jew having done me wrong, doth cause me, as my father, being I hope an old man, shall frutify unto you,— Gob. I have here a dish of doves, that I would bestow upon your worship; and my suit is, Laun. In very brief, the suit is impertinent to myself, as your worship shall know by this honest old man; and, though I say it, though old man, yet, poor man, my father. Bass. One speak for both;-What would you? Laun. Serve you, sir. Gob. This is the very defect of the matter, sir. Bass. I know thee well, thou hast obtain'd thy suit: Shylock, thy master, spoke with me this day, Laun. The old proverb is very well parted between my master Shylock and you, sir; you have the grace of God, sir, and he hath enough. Bass. Thou speak'st it well: Go, father with thy son: Take leave of thy old master, and inquire [To his Followers. More guarded than his fellows': See it done. Laun., Father, in:-1 cannot get a service, no ;-I have ne'er a tongue in my head. Well; [Looking on his palm.] if any man in Italy have a fairer table, which doth offer to swear upon a book. I shall have good fortune; Go to, here's a simple line of life! here's a small trifle of wives: Alas, fifteen wives is nothing; eleven widows, and nine maids, is a simple coming-in for one man: and then, to 'scape drowning thrice; and to be in peril of my life with the edge of a feather-bed;-here are simple 'scapes! Well, if fortune be a woman, she's a good wench for this gear.--Father, come; I'll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling of an eye. [Exeunt LAUN. and old GOBBO. Bass. I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this; [stow'd, These things being bought, and orderly beReturn in haste, for I do feast to night My best-esteem'd acquaintance; hie thee, go. Leon. My best endeavours shall be done Enter GRATIANO. Gra. Where is your master? Leon. herein. Yonder, sir, he walks. [Exit LEONARDO. Gra. Signior Bassanio,- Gra. I have a suit to you. Bass. Why, then you must :-But hear thee, Gratiano; [voice; Thou art too wild, too rude, and bold of Parts, that become thee happily enough, And in such eyes as ours appear not faults; But where thou art not known, why, there they show Something too liberal ;-pray thee, take pain I be misconstrued in the place I go to, Gra. Signior Bassanio, hear me : If I do not put on a sober habit, Talk with respect, and swear but now and then, Wear prayer-books in my pocket, look deinurely; [eyes Nay more, while grace is saying, hood mine Gra. And I must to Lorenzo, and the rest; Eut we will visit you at supper-time. [Exeunt. The palm of the hand extended. serious demeanour. O SCENE III. The same. A Room in Shylock's House. Enter JESSICA and LAUNCELOT. Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil, Jes. I am sorry, thou wilt leave my father so; Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness: But fare thee well; there is a ducat for thee. And, Launcelot, soon at supper shalt thou see Lorenzo, who is thy new master's guest: Give him this letter; do it secretly, And so farewell; I would not have my father See me talk with thee. Most beautiful pagan,-most sweet Jew! If Alack, what heinous sin is it in me, SCENE IV. The same. A Street. Enter GRATIANO, LORENZO, SALARINO, and SALANIO. Lor. Nay, we will slink away in supperDisguise us at my lodging, and return [time; All in an hour. bearers. Gra. We have not made good preparation. Salar. We have not spoke us yet of torch[order❜d; Sulan. 'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly And better, in my mind, not undertook. Lor. 'Tis now but four a-clock; we have To furnish us:[two hours Enter LAUNCELOT, with a letter. Friend Launcelot, what's the news? Laun. An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to signify. Lor. I know the hand: in faith, 'tis a fair And whiter than the paper it writ on, [hand; Is the fair hand that writ. Gra. Love-news, in faith. Laun. By your leave, sir. Lor. Whither goest thou? Laun. Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to sup to-night with my new master the Christian. [Jessica, Lor. Hold here, take this :-tell gentle I will not fail her ;-speak it privately; goGentlemen, [Exit LAUNCELOT. Will you prepare you for this masque to-night? I am provided of a torch-bearer. Salar. Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it [straight. Meet me, and Gratiano, At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence. Salar. 'Tis good we do so. [Exeunt SALAR. and SALAN. Gra. Was not that letter from fair Jessica ? + Gross, licentious. Show of staid and Carriage, deportment. |