Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

ACT II.

SCENE I.-VENICE.(A) EXTERIOR OF SHYLOCK'S HOUSE.

Enter LAUNCELOT GOBBO.

Lau. 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 (Heaven 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 a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel me to stay with the Jew. The fiend gives the more

1 for the heavens ;] This expression is simply "a pretty oath.' It occurs in Ben Jonson and Decker.

friendly counsel: I will run, fiend; my heels are at your commandment, I will run. [As he is going out in haste

Enter OLD GOBBO, with a basket.

Gob. Master, young man. you, I pray you; which is the way to master Jew's?

[ocr errors]

Lau. (aside.) O heavens, this is my true-begotten father! who, being more than sand-blind, high-gravel blind, knows me not: I will try conclusions with him.

3

Gob. Master young gentleman, I pray you which is the way to master Jew's?

Lau. Turn upon 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. Twill be a hard way to hit. Can you tell me whether one Launcelot that dwells with him, dwell with him, or no?

Lau. Talk you of young master Launcelot?-mark me, now (aside.)-now will I raise the waters. Talk you of young master Launcelot ?

Gob. No master, sir: but a poor man's son: his father, though I say it, is an honest exceeding poor man, and, Heaven be thanked, well to live.

Lau. Well, let his father be what he will, we talk of young master Launcelot.

Gob. Of Launcelot, an't please your mastership.

Lau. Ergo, master Launcelot; talk not of master Launcelot, father; for the young gentleman (according to fates

2

sand-blind, high-gravel blind,] Having an imperfect sight, as if there was sand in the eye.-Gravel-blind, a coinage of Launcelot's, is the exaggeration of sand-blind.

3 I will try conclusions] Experiments.

4 turn down indirectly to the Jew's house.] This perplexed direction is given to puzzle the enquirer.

5

now will I raise the waters.] Id est, make him weep.

we talk of young master Launcelot.

Gobbo. Of Launcelot, an't please your mastership.

Id est, plain Launcelot, and not, as you term him, master Launcelot.

and destinies, and such odd sayings, the sisters three, and such branches of learning), is, indeed, deceased; or, as you would in plain terms, gone to heaven.

d say Gob. Marry, Heaven forbid! the boy was the very staff of my age, my very prop.

Lau. Do I look like a cudgel, or a hovel-post, 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 (rest his soul!) alive or dead?

Lau. Do you not know me, father?

Gob. Alack! sir, I am sand-blind, I know you not,

Lau. 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: (kneels.) 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.

Lau. 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.

Lau. 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 if thou be Launcelot, thou art mine own flesh and blood. What a beard hast thou got: thou hast got more hair on thy chin than Dobbin, my phill-horse,' has on his tail.

Lau. It should seem, then, that Dobbin's tail grows backward; I am sure he had more hair of his tail than I have of 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. Lau. (rises.) Give him a present! give him a halter: I

7 - phill horse,] The horse in the shafts o The term is best understood in the Midland Co

[ocr errors]

am famished 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 Heaven 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 STEPHANO.

Bas. See these letters deliver'd; put the liveries to making; and desire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging. [Exit a SERVANT.

Lau. To him, father.

Gob. Heaven bless your worship!

Bas. Gramercy! Would'st thou aught with me?
Gob. Here's my son, sir, a poor boy-

Lau. 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,

serve

to

Lau. Indeed, the short and the long is, I serve the Jew, and have a desire as my father shall specify.

Gob. His master and he (saving your worship's rever ence) are scarce cater-cousins.

Lau. 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

Lau. 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. Bas. One speak for both. What would you?

Lau. Serve you, sir.

Gob. That is the very defect of the matter, sir.
Bas. I know thee well; thou hast obtain'd thy suit:
Shylock, thy master, spoke with me this day,
And hath preferr'd thee, if it be preferment,

8

the suit is impertinent] Launcelot is a blunderer, as well as one who can "play upon a word" here he means pertinent.

To leave a rich Jew's service, to become

The follower of so poor a gentleman.

Lau. The old proverb is very well parted between my master, Shylock, and you, sir; you have the grace of Heaven, sir, and he hath enough.

Bas. Thou speak'st it well. Go, father, with thy son:Take leave of thy old master, and inquire My lodging out:-give him a livery.

[To his Followers.

More guarded than his fellows': See it done.

Lau. Father, in :-(Exit OLD GOBBO.) I 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 ;10 which doth offer to swear upon a book I shall have good fortune! Go to, here's a simple line of life!12 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,13 here are simple 'scapes! Well, if fortune be a woman she's a good wench for this gear. I'll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling of an eye. [Exit LAUNCELOT.

Bas. I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this;
These things being bought and orderly bestow'd,
Return in haste, for I do feast to-night

My best-esteem'd acquaintance: hie thee, go.
Leo. My best endeavours shall be done herein.

Enter GRATIANO.

Gra. Where is your master?

Leo.

Yonder, sir, he walks.
[Exit LEONARDO

[ocr errors]

10

11

-a livery more guarded] More ornamented.

-a fairer table ;] Table is the palm of the hand.

-I shall have good fortune !] The palm which offers to swears that the owner shall have good fortune, is a fair table to be proud of.

12 -here's a simple line of life!] In allusion to the lines on the palm of his hand.

13

-in peril of my life with the edge of a feather-bed,] A cant phrase to signify the danger of marrying.

« AnteriorContinuar »