Por. I remember him well; ar d I remember him wor thy of thy praise.

Enter BALTHAZAR, L. Por. How now! what news?

[Crosses to L. Bal. (L.) The four strangers seek for you, madam, to take their leave; and there is a fore-runner come from & fifth, the Prince of Morocco : who brings word, the prince, his master, will be here to-night.

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. Come, Nerissa.—Sirrah, go before.Whiles we shut the gate upon one wooer, another knocks at the door.

[Exeunt, L. Scene III.-A Street in Venice.

Enter Saylock and Bassanio, R.
Shy. (c.) Three thousand ducats,—well.
Bass. (R. C.) Ay, sir, for three months.
Shy. For three months ?-well.

Bass. For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall be bound.

Shy. Antonio shall become bound-well.

Bass. May you stead me? Will you pleasure me? Shall I know your answer ?

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. Oh, 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 Mexi. co, a fourth for England—and other ventures he hath, squandered abroad: but ships are but boards, sailors but 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, notwithBtanding, sufficient :-three thousand ducats ;-I think I may take his bond.

Bass. Be assured you may.

Shy. (R.) I will be assured, I may; and, that I inay be assured, I will bethink me: [Nodding significantly.) may I speak with Antonio ?

Bass. (c.) If it please you to dine with us.

Shy. (R. C.) 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? Bass. This is Signior Antonio.

Erit, L.
Shy. (L. c.) (Pointing 1.] How like a fawning publicar

he looks!
I hate him, for he is a Christian :
But more, for thai, in low simplicity,
He lends out money gratis, and brings down
The rate of usance here with us in Venice : (c.)
If I can catch him once upon the hip,
I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
He hates our sacred nation; (R.) and he rails,
Even there where merchants most do congregate,
On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,
Which he calls interest :-Cursed be my tribe,
If I forgive him!

Enter Bassanio and ANTONIO, L.
Bass. (L.) Shylock, do you hear ? [Ant. stands L.

Shy. (R.) I am debating of my present store ;
And, by the near guess of my memory,
I cannot instantly raise up

the

gross Of full three thousand ducats. What of that? Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe, Will furnish me. But soft : how many months Do you desire –To Ant., affecting not to have seen him

before.]—Rest you fair, good Signior; Your worship was the last man in our mouths.

Ant. Shylock-(c.) albeit I neither lend nor borrow, By taking, nor by giving of excess, Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend, I'll break a custum. Is he yet possessed How much you would ? [To Bass., who stands .

Shy. Ay, ay: three thousand ducats.
Ant. (c.) And for three months.
Shy. I had forgot-three months, you told me so.

[To Bass. Well, then, your bond ;-[ To Ant.]—and let me see—c.)

but hear you ;
Methought you said, you neither lend, nor borrow,
Upon advantage.
Ant. I do never use it.

Shy. When Jacob grazed his uncle Laban's sheep-
This Jacob from our holy Abraham was
(As his wise mother wrought in his behalf,)
The third possessor; ay, he was the third.

Ant. And what of him? did he take interest?
Shy. No, not take interest ; not, as you

would

say, Directly interest: mark what Jacob did. When Laban and himself were compromised, That all the eanlings which were streaked and pied Should fall as Jacob's hire, The skilful shepherd peeled me certain wands, And, in the doing of the deed of kind, He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes ; Who, then conceiving, did in eaning time Fall party-coloured lambs, and those were Jacob's. This was a way to thrive, and he was blest; And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not. [Crosses to R.

Ant. This was a venture, sir, that Jacob served for; A thing not in his power to bring to pass, But swayed and fashioned by the hand of Heaven: Was this inserted to make interest good ? Or is your gold and silver, ewes and rams ?

Shy. (R.) I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast.

Ant. [ Apart to Bass., L.] Mark you this, Bassanio, The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose. An evil soul, producing holy witness, Is like a villain with a smiling cheek; A goodly apple roiten at the heart : Oh, wiat a goodly outside falsehood hath! (Goes up stage, Shy. [Musing, r.] Three thousand ducais—’Tis a good

round sum. Three months from twelve, then let me see the rate.

Ant. Well, Shylock, shall we be beholden to you?

Shy. Slowly turning towards Ant. Signior Antonio,

many a time and oft,
In the Rialto you have rated me
About my moneys, and my usances :
Still have I borne it with a patient shrug;
For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe.
You call me-misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
And spit upon my Jewish gabardine,
And all for use of that which is mine own.

[Advanco8 nearer. Well, then, it now appears you need my help: Go to, then; you come to me, and you say,

Shylock, we would have moneys :" You say so;
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard,
And foot me, as you spurn a stranger cur
Over

your threshold : moneys is your suit.
What should I say to you ? Should I not say,
" Hath a dog money? Is it possible
A cur can lend three thousand ducats ?" or
Shall I bend low, and, in a bondman's key,
With 'bated breath, and whispering humbleness,
Say this-
“Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last;
You spurned me such a day; another time
You called me-dog; and for these courtesies
I'll lend you thus much moneys.”

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 friena ?)
But lend it rather to thine

enemy;
Who, if he break, thou may'st with better face
Exact the penalty.

Shy. (R. c.) Why, look you, how you storm!
I would be friends with you, and have your love,
Forget the shames that you have stained me with,
Supply your present wants, and take no doit
Of usance for my moneys, and you'll not hear me :
This is kind I offer.

Ant. This were kindness.
Shy. This kindness will I show :- (Crosses, R.

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 arə
Expressed 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 boud, And say, there is rauch kindness in the Jew.

Bass. You shall not seal to such a bond for me,
I'd 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.

[Ant. and Bass. reture, In Shy. (R.) Oh, father Abraham, what these Christians

are; Whose own hard dealing teaches them to suspect The thoughts of others !--Pray you, tell me this ;

(They advance. If he should break his day, what should I gain By the exaction of the forfeiture ? A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man, Is not so estimable, profitable neither, As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say, To buy his favour, I extend this friendship; If he will take it, so;

if

not, adieu ; And, for my love, I pray you wrong me not.

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. (Exit Shylock, R. This Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows

kind. Bass. (L.) I like not fair terms, and a villain s mind. Ant. (L.) Come on; in this there can be no dismay, My ships come home a month before the day. 'Exeunt,