The law hath yet another hold on you.
It is enacted in the laws of Venice,
If it be proved against an alien
That by direct or indirect attempts
He seek the life of any citizen,

The party 'gainst the which he doth contrive
Shall seize one half his goods; the other half
Comes to the privy coffer of the state;
And the offender's life lies in the mercy
Of the duke only, 'gainst all other voice.
In which predicament, I say, thou stand'st;
For it appears, by manifest proceeding,
That indirectly and directly too

Thou hast contrived against the very life
Of the defendant; and thou hast incurred.
The danger formerly by me rehearsed.
Down therefore and beg mercy of the duke.

345

35c

355

Gra. Beg that thou mayst have leave to hang thyself:

And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state,

Thou hast not left the value of a cord;

360

Therefore thou must be hanged at the state's charge.

Duke. That thou shalt see the difference of our spirits,

I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it:
For half thy wealth, it is Antonio's ;
The other half comes to the general state,
Which humbleness may drive unto a fine.

Por. Ay, for the state, not for Antonio.
Shy. Nay, take my life and all; pardon not that:
You take my house when you do take the prop
That doth sustain my house; you take my life
When you do take the means whereby I live.

365

370

Por. What mercy can you render him, Antonio? Gra. A halter gratis; nothing else, for God's sake. Ant. So please my lord the duke and all the court To quit the fine for one half of his goods,

I am content; so he will let me have

The other half in use, to render it,

375

Upon his death, unto the gentleman

That lately stole his daughter:

Two things provided more, that, for this favor,
He presently become a Christian;

380

The other, that he do record a gift,

Here in the court, of all he dies possessed,

Unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter.

385

what dost thou

Duke. He shall do this, or else I do recant
The pardon that I late pronounced here.
Por. Art thou contented, Jew?
say?

Shy. I am content.

Por.

Clerk, draw a deed of gift.

Shy. I pray you, give me leave to go from hence; I am not well: send the deed after me,

And I will sign it.

Duke.

Get thee gone, but do it.

Gra. In christening thou shalt have two godfathers: Had I been judge, thou shouldst have had ten more, To bring thee to the gallows, not the font.

390

[Exit Shylock.

Duke. Sir, I entreat you home with me to dinner.
Por. I humbly do desire your grace of pardon:

I must away this night toward Padua,

And it is meet I presently set forth.

Duke. I am sorry that your leisure serves you not.

395

Antonio, gratify this gentleman,

For, in my mind, you are much bound to him.

400

[Exeunt Duke and his train.

Bass. Most worthy gentleman, I and my friend
Have by your wisdom been this day acquitted
Of grievous penalties; in lieu whereof,
Three thousand ducats, due unto the Jew,
We freely cope your courteous pains withal.
Ant. And stand indebted, over and above,
In love and service to you evermore.

Por. He is well paid that is well satisfied;
And I, delivering you, am satisfied
And therein do account myself well paid:
My mind was never yet more mercenary.
I pray you, know me when we meet again:
I wish you well, and so I take my leave.

Bass. Dear sir, of force I must attempt you further:

Take some remembrance of us as a tribute,
Not as a fee: grant me two things, I pray you,

Not to deny me, and to pardon me.

Por. You press me far, and therefore I will yield.

405

410

: 415

[To Ant.] Give me your gloves, I'll wear them for your

sake;

420

[To Bass.] And, for your love, I'll take this ring from you: Do not draw back your hand; I'll take no more; And you in love shall not deny me this.

I will not shame myself to give you this.

Bass. This ring, good sir, alas, it is a trifle!

Por. I will have nothing else but only this;

And now methinks I have a mind to it.

425

Bass. There's more depends on this than on the value. The dearest ring in Venice will I give you,

And find it out by proclamation:

Only for this, I pray you, pardon me.

Por. I see, sir, you are liberal in offers:

You taught me first to beg; and now methinks

You teach me how a beggar should be answered.

430

Bass. Good sir, this ring was given me by my wife; 435 And when she put it on, she made me vow

That I should neither sell nor give nor lose it.

Por. That 'scuse serves many men to save their gifts. your wife be not a mad-woman,

An if

And know how well I have deserved the ring,

She would not hold out enemy forever,
For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you!

440

[Exeunt Portia and Nerissa.

Ant. My Lord Bassanio, let him have the ring:
Let his deservings and my love withal
Be valued 'gainst your wife's commandment.

Bass. Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him;
Give him the ring, and bring him, if thou canst,
Unto Antonio's house: away! make haste.

Come, you and I will thither presently;
And in the morning early will we both
Fly toward Belmont: come, Antonio.

445

[Exit Gratiano.

SCENE II. The same. A street.

Enter PORTIA and NERISSA.

450

[Exeunt

Por. Inquire the Jew's house out, give him this deed And let him sign it: we'll away to-night

And be a day before our husbands home:
This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.

Enter GRATIANO.

Gra. Fair sir, you are well o'erta'en:
My Lord Bassanio upon more advice

Hath sent you here this ring, and doth entreat
Your company at dinner.

Por.

That cannot be :

His ring I do accept most thankfully:

And so, I pray you, tell him: furthermore,

I pray you, show my youth old Shylock's house.
Gra. That will I do.

Ner.

5

Sir, I would speak with you. [Aside to Por.] I'll see if I can get my husband's ring, Which I did make him swear to keep forever.

Por. [Aside to Ner.] Thou mayst, I warrant. We shall have old swearing

That they did give the rings away to men;

But we'll outface them, and outswear them too.

15

[Aloud] Away! make haste: thou know'st where I will tarry.

19

Ner. Come, good sir, will you show me to this house?

[Exeunt.

ACT V.

SCENE I. Belmont. Avenue to PORTIA'S house.

Enter LORENZO and JESSICA.

Lor. The moon shines bright: in such a night as this,

When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees

And they did make no noise, in such a night
Troilus methinks mounted the Troyan walls