SCENE IV.-Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. Enter PORTIA, NERISSA, LORENzo, Jessica, and BALTHAZAR. Lor. Madam, although I speak it in your presence, You have a noble and a true conceit Of godlike amity; which appears most strongly Por. I never did repent for doing good, Until her husband and my lord's return: And there we will abide. I do desire you Not to deny this imposition; Lor. Madam, with all my heart, I shall obey you in all fair commands. Por. My people do already know my mind, So fare you well, till we shall meet again. Lor. Fair thoughts and happy hours attend on you! Jes. I wish your ladyship all heart's content. Por. I thank you for your wish, and am well pleas'd To wish it back on you: fare you well, Jessica. Now, Balthazar, [Exeunt JEs. and LOR. As I have ever found thee honest, true, So let me find thee still: Take this same letter, In speed to Padua; see thou render this Into my cousin's hand, doctor Bellario; And, look, what notes and garments he doth give thee Which trades to Venice-waste no time in words, Balth. Madam, I go with all convenient speed. [Exit. Ner. Shall they see us? a Tranect. No other example is found of the use of this word in English, and yet there is little doubt that the word is correct. Tranare, and trainare, are interpreted by Florio not only as to draw, which is the common acceptation, but as to pass or swim over. Thus the tranect was most probably the towboat of the ferry. That they shall think we are accomplished That men shall swear I have discontinued school Ner. Why, shall we turn to men? Por. Fie! what a question 's that, If thou wert near a lewd interpreter ! But come, I'll tell thee all my whole device When I am in my coach, which stays for us At the park gate; and therefore haste away, For we must measure twenty miles to-day. SCENE V.The same. A Garden. Enter LAUNCELOT and JESSICA. [Exeunt. Laun. Yes, truly;-for, look you, the sins of the father are to be laid upon the children; therefore, I promise you I fear you. I was always plain with you, and so now I speak my agitation of the matter: There fore, be of good cheer; for, truly, I think, you are damned. There is but one hope in it that can do you any good; and that is but a kind of bastard hope neither. Jes. And what hope is that, I pray thee? Laun. Marry, you may partly hope that your father got you not, that you are not the Jew's daughter. Jes. That were a kind of bastard hope, indeed; so the sins of my mother should be visited upon me. Laun. Truly then I fear you are damned both by father and mother: thus when I shun Scylla, your father, I fall into Charybdis, your mother; well, you are gone both ways. Jes. I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me a Christian. Laun. Truly, the more to blame he: we were Christians enough before; e'en as many as could well live, one by another: This making of Christians will raise the price of hogs; if we grow all to be pork-eaters we shall not shortly have a rasher on the coals for money. Enter LORENZO. Jes. I'll tell my husband, Launcelot, what you say; here he comes. Lor. I shall grow jealous of you shortly, Launcelot, if you thus get my wife into corners. Jes. Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo. Launcelot and I are out: he tells me flatly, there is no mercy for me in heaven, because I am a Jew's daughter: and he says, you are no good member of the commonwealth; for, in converting Jews to Christians, you raise the price of pork. Lor. I shall answer that better to the commonwealth, than you can the getting up of the negro's belly; the Moor is with child by you, Launcelot. Laun. It is much, that the Moor should be more than reason but if she be less than an honest woman, she is, indeed, more than I took her for. Lor. How every fool can play upon the word! I think, the best grace of wit will shortly turn into silence; and discourse grow commendable in none only but parrots.-Go in, sirrah; bid them prepare for dinner. Laun. That is done, sir; they have all stomachs. Lor. Goodly Lord, what a wit-snapper are you! then bid them prepare dinner. Laun. That is done, too, sir: only, cover is the word. Lor. Will you cover then, sir? Laun. Not so, sir, neither; I know my duty. Lor. Yet more quarrelling with occasion! Wilt thou show the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant? I pray thee, understand a plain man in his plain meaning; go to thy fellows; bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner. Laun. For the table, sir, it shall be served in; for the meat, sir, it shall be covered; for your coming in to dinner, sir, why, let it be as humours and conceits shall govern. [Exit LAUN. Lor. O dear discretion, how his words are suited! The fool hath planted in his memory An army of good words; and I do know A many fools, that stand in better place, Garnish'd like him, that for a tricksy word Defy the matter. How cheer'st thou, Jessica? And now, good sweet, say thy opinion;How dost thou like the lord Bassanio's wife? Jes. Past all expressing: It is very meet The lord Bassanio live an upright life; For, having such a blessing in his lady, He finds the joys of heaven here on earth; And, if on earth he do not mean it, it Is reason he should never come to heaven. Why, if two gods should play some heavenly match, VOL. II. R |