Shy. Antonio shall become bound, well. Shy. Three thousand ducats, for three months, and Antonio bound. Bass. Your answer to that. Shy. Antonio is a good man. Bass. Have you heard any imputation to the contrary? 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 he hath, squander'd abroad: But ships are but boards, sailors but men: there be land-rats, and water-rats, water-thieves, and landthieves; 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: 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. Three months from twelve, then let me see the rate. A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last ; Ant. I am as like to call thee so again, Shy. [Aside.] How like a fawning publican he But lend it rather to thine enemy; looks! I hate him for he is a Christian : But more, for that, in low simplicity, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. Bass. Shylock, do you hear? Shy. I am debating of my present store; Of full three thousand ducats: What of that? Ant. Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow, By taking, nor by giving of excess, Yet to supply the ripe wants of my friend, 8 Wants which admit no longer delay. Who if he break, thou may'st with better face Shy. Why, look you, how you storm! Ant. This were kindness. This kindness will I show: 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 A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man, Ant. Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond. Shy. Then meet me forthwith at the notary's; Give him direction for this merry bond, And I will go and purse the ducats straight; See to my house, left in the fearful guard Of an unthrifty knave; and presently I will be with you. Ant. Hie thee, gentle Jew. This Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind. Bass. I like not fair terms, and a villain's mind. Ant. Come on: in this there can be no dismay, My ships come home a month before the day. [Exit. [Exeunt. Flourish of Cornets. A Room in Portia's 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 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 2 for your love, To prove whose blood is reddest, his, or mine. I tell thee, lady, this aspect of mine Hath fear'd the valiant; by my love, I swear, The best regarded virgins of our clime Have lov'd it too: I would not change this hue, Except to steal your thoughts, my gentle queen. Por. In terms of choice I am not solely led By nice direction of a maiden's eyes: Besides, the lottery of my destiny Bars me the right of voluntary choosing: But, if my father had not scanted me, And hedg'd me by his wit, to yield myself His wife, who wins me by that means I told you, Yourself, renowned prince, then stood as fair, As any comer I have look'd on yet. For my affection. Mor. Even for that I thank you; Therefore, I pray you, lead me to the caskets, To try my fortune. By this scimitar, — That slew the Sophy, and a Persian prince, That won three fields of sultan Solyman, I would out-stare the sternest eyes that look, Out-brave the heart most daring on the earth, Pluck the young sucking cubs from the she bear, Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey, To win thee, lady: But, alas the while! If Hercules, and Lichas, play at dice Which is the better man, the greater throw May turn by fortune from the weaker hand : So is Alcides beaten by his page; And so may I, blind fortune leading me, Miss that which one unworthier may attain, 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, 2 Allusion to the Eastern custom for lovers to testify their passion by cutting themselves in their mistresses' sight. ' Terrified. 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. Mor. Good fortune then! [Cornets. To make me bless't or cursed'st among men. SCENE II. - Venice. A Street. Enter LAUNCELOT GOBBO. [Exeunt. 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; 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, 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 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 sand-blind, high-gravel blind, knows me not: — I will try conclusions with him. Gob. Master, young gentleman, I pray you, which is the way to master Jew's? 4 Experiments. Laun. Turn up on your right hand, at the next| nio, who, indeed, gives rare new liveries; if I turning, but, at the next turning of all, on your serve not him, I will run as far as there is any left; marry, at the very next turning, turn of no ground.. O rare fortune! here comes the man ;hand, but turn down indirectly to the Jew's house. to him, father; for I am a Jew, if I serve the Jew Gob. 'Twill be a hard way to hit. Can you tell any longer. me whether one Launcelot, that dwells with him, dwell with him, or no? 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. 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 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 alive or dead? Laun. Do you not know me, father? Gob. Alack, sir, I am sand-blind, I know you not. Laun. 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, 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 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? Laun. Well, well; but for mine own part, as I have set up my rest to run away, so I will not rest till I have run some ground: 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 Bassa 5 Shaft-horse. Enter BASSANIO, with LEONARDO, and other 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; put the liveries to making; and desire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging. [Exit a Servant. Laun. To him, father Bass. Gramercy; Wouldst thou aught with me? 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 worship'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 an 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 grace, sir, and he hath enough. Bass. Thou speak'st it well: Go, father, with thy son: Take leave of thy old master, and enquire [To his Followers. More guarded 6 than his fellows': See it done. Laun. Father, in :-I cannot get a service, no; -I have ne'er a tongue in my head. Well, father, come; I'll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling of an eye. [Exeunt LAUNCELOT and old GOBBO. Bass. I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this; Gra. Where is your master? Gra. Signior Bassanio, Yonder. sir, he walks. [Exit LEONARDO. Ornamented. Bass. Why, then you must ; - I be misconstrued in the place I go to, Gra. Signior Bassanio, hear me : Like one well studied in a sad ostent 8 To please his grandam, never trust me more. By what we do to-night. Bass. Gra. And I must to Lorenzo, and the rest; SCENE III. [Exeunt. A Room in Shylock's House. Enter JESSICA and LAUNCELOT. Laun. Adieu! tears exhibit my tongue. To furnish us: Salar. Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight. Lor. Meet me, and Gratiano, [Exeunt SALAR. and SALAN. [Exeunt. [Eait. But wherefore should I go? I am not bid for love; they flatter me: Shy. So do I his. - I Laun. And they have conspired together, will not say, you shall see a masque; but if you do, then it was not for nothing that my nose fell a bleeding on Black-Monday last, at six o'clock i'the morning. Shy. What are there masques? Hear you me, Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drum, swear I have no mind of feasting forth to-night: But I will go. Go you before me, sirrah; - Say, I will come. Enter GRATIANO and SALARINO, masked. Gra. This is the pent-house, under which Lorenzo Desir'd us to make stand. Salar. His hour is almost past. Gra. And it is marvel he out-dwells his hour, For lovers ever run before the clock. Salar. O, ten times faster Venus' pigeons fly To seal love's bonds new made, than they are wont, To keep obliged faith unforfeited! Jes. Here, catch this casket, it is worth the pains. I am glad 'tis night, you do not look on me, For I am much asham'd of my exchange : But love is blind, and lovers cannot see The pretty follies that themselves commit: For if they could, Cupid himself would blush To see me thus transformed to a boy. Lor. Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer. Jes. What, must I hold a candle to my shames? They in themselves, good sooth, are too too light. Why, 'tis an office of discovery, love; And I should be obscur'd. Lor. Even in the lovely garnish of a boy. But come at once; For the close night doth play the run-away, And we are staid for at Bassanio's feast. Ant. Fye, fye, Gratiano! where are all the rest? I have sent twenty out to seek for you. Gra. I am glad on't; I desire no more delight, Gra. That ever holds: Who riseth from a feast, Than to be under sail, and gone to-night. [Exeunt. With that keen appetite that he sits down? Salar. Here comes Lorenzo; - more of this hereafter, Lor. Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode; Not I, but my affairs, have made you wait; |