I do in birth deserve her, and in fortunes, What if I stray'd no further, but chose here?- To stop the foreign spirits; but they come, One of these three contains her heavenly picture. Was set in worse than gold. They have in England Lies all within.-Deliver me the key; Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may ! Por. There, take it, prince, and if my form lie there, Then I am yours. [He unlocks the golden casket. All that glisters is not gold, Many a man his life hath sold, Cold, indeed; and labour lost : Then, farewell, heat; and, welcome, frost.Portia, adieu! I have too griev'd a heart To take a tedious leave: thus losers part. [Exit. Por. A gentle riddance :-Draw the curtains, go Let all of his complexion choose me so. [Exeunt. SCENE VIII.-Venice. A street. larino and Salanio. Enter Sa Salar. Why man, I saw Bassanio under sail; With him is Gratiano gone along; And in their ship, I am sure, Lorenzo is not. Salan. The villain Jew with outcries rais'd the duke; Who went with him to search Bassanio's ship. Of double ducats, stol'n from me by my daughter! stones, Stol'n by my daughter!—Justice! find the girl! She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats! Salar. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him, Crying, his stones, his daughter, and his ducats. Salan. Let good Antonio look he keep his day, Or he shall pay for this. Salar. Marry, well remember'd: I reason'd' with a Frenchman yesterday; Who told me,-in the narrow seas, that part The French and English, there miscarried A vessel of our country, richly fraught: I thought upon Antonio, when he told me ;" And wish'd in silence, that it were not his. Salan. You were best to tell Antonio what you hear; Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him. Salar. A kinder gentleman treads not the earth. I saw Bassanio and Antonio part: Bassanio told him, he would make some speed And for the Jew's bond, which he hath of me, Be merry, and employ your chiefest thoughts He wrung Bassanio's hand, and so they parted. And quicken his embraced heaviness+ Salar. (1) Conversed. Do we so. [Exeunt. (2) To slubber is to do a thing carelessly. (3) Shows, tokens. The heaviness he is fond of SCENE IX.-Belmont. A room in Portia's Enter Nerissa, with a servant. house. Ner. Quick, quick, I pray thee, draw the cur tain straight; The prince of Arragon has ta'en his oath, Flourish of cornets. Enter the prince of Arragon, Portia, and their trains. Por. Behold, there stand the caskets, noble prince: If you choose that wherein I am contain'd, Straight shall our nuptial rites be solemniz'd; But if you fail, without more speech, my lord, You must be gone from hence immediately. Ar. I am enjoin'd by oath to observe three things: First, never to unfold to any one Which casket 'twas I chose; next, I fail Of the right casket, never in my life To woo a maid in way of marriage; lastly, If I do fail in fortune of my choice, Immediately to leave you and be gone. Por. To these injunctions every one doth swear, That comes to hazard for my worthless self. Ar. And so have I address'd' me: Fortune now To my heart's hope!-Gold, silver, and base lead. Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath: You shall look fairer, ere I give, or hazard. What says the golden chest? ha! let me see :- Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach; (1) Prepared. (2) Power. (3) Agree with. Why, then to thee, thou silver treasure-house; Without the stamp of merit! Let none presume O, that estates, degrees, and offices, Were not deriv'd corruptly! and that clear honour Por. Too long a pause for that which you find Ar. What's here? the portrait of a blinking idiot, Presenting me a schedule? I will read it. How much unlike art thou to Portia ? How much unlike my hopes, and my deservings? Is that my prize? are my deserts no better? Ar. What is here? Such have but a shadow's bliss: There be fools alive, I wis, (1) Know. |