Shy. Nay, that's true, that's very true: Go, Tubal, fee me an officer, bespeak him a fortnight before: I will have the heart of him, if he forfeit; for were he out of Venice, I can make what merchandize I will: Go, go, Tubal, and meet me at our synagogue; go, good Tubal; at our synagogue, Tubal. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. Enter BASSANIO, PORTIA, GRATIANO, NERISSA, and Por. I pray you, tarry; pause a day or two, But lest you should not understand me well, But if you do, you'll make me wish a sin, I speak too long; but 'tis to peize the time3; 3 to peize the time;] To peize, is to weigh, or balance; and figuratively, to keep in suspense, to delay. To eke it, and to draw it out in length, Bass. Let me choose; For, as I am, I live upon the rack. Por. Upon the rack, Bassanio? then confess What treason there is mingled with your love. Bass. None, but that ugly treason of mistrust, Which makes me fear the enjoying of my love: There may as well be amity and life 'Tween snow and fire, as treason and my love. Por. Ay, but, I fear, you speak upon the rack, Where men enforced do speak any thing. Bass. Promise me life, and I'll confess the truth. Por. Well then, confess and live. -Bass. Confess, and love, Had been the very sum of my confession: O happy torment, when my torturer Doth teach me answers for deliverance ! But let me to my fortune and the caskets. Por. Away then; I am lock'd in one of them; If do love me, you will find me out. Let musick sound, while he doth make his choice; Fading in musick: that the comparison May stand more proper, my eye shall be the stream, And what is musick then? then musick is With no less presence, but with much more love, Than young Alcides, when he did redeem The virgin tribute paid by howling Troy With no less presence,] With the same dignity of mien. To the sea-monster: I stand for sacrifice, Live thou, I live:- With much much more dismay Musick, whilst BASSANIO comments on the caskets to himself. Reply.t SONG. 1. Tell me, where is fancy bred, How begot, how nourished? 2. It is engender'd in the eyes, Let us all ring fancy's knell ; All. Ding, dong, bell. - Ding, dong, bell. Bass. So may the outward shows be least themselves, The world is still deceiv'd with ornament. In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt, Some mark of virtue on his outward parts. To be the dowry of a second head, The scull that bred them, in the sepulchre. The seeming truth which cunning times put on Nor none of thee, thou pale and common drudge Por. How all the other passions fleet to air, In measure rain thy joy, scant this excess; 8 valour's excrement,] i. e. what a little higher is called the beard of Hercules. 9 the guiled shore] i. e. the treacherous shore. Shakspeare in this instance, as in many others, confounds the participles. Guiled stands for guiling. "Paleness." MALONE. I feel too much thy blessing, make it less, Bass. What find I here? [Opening the leaden casket. Fair Portia's counterfeit?1 What demi-god Should sunder such sweet friends: Here in her hairs A golden mesh to entrap the hearts of men, Here's the scroll, The continent and summary of my fortune. You that choose not by the view, And claim her with a loving kiss. A gentle scroll;-Fair lady, by your leave: I come by note, to give, and to receive, [Kissing her. That thinks he hath done well in people's eyes, 1 Fair Portia's counterfeit ?] Counterfeit, which is at present used only in a bad sense, anciently signified a likeness, a resemblance, without comprehending any idea of fraud. |