Gob. Of Launcelot, an 't please your mastership. : Laun. Ergo, master Launcelot talk not of master Launcelot, father; for the young gentleman (according to fates and destinies, and such odd sayings, the sisters three, and such branches of learning) is, indeed, deceased; or, as you would say, in plain terms, gone to heaven. Gob. Marry, God forbid! The boy was the very staff of my age, my very prop. Laun. Do I look like a cudgel, or a hovel-post; a staff, or a prop ?-Do you know me, father? Gob. Alack the day, I know you not, young gentleman! but, I pray you, tell me, is my boy (God rest his soul !) alive or dead? Laun. Do you not know me, father? Gob. Alack, sir, I am sand-blind; I know you not. Laun. Nay, indeed, if you had your eyes, you might fail of the knowing me: it is a wise father that knows his own child. tell you news of your son. truth will come to light; long, a man's son may; but, in the end, truth will out. Well, old man, I will Give me your blessing: murder cannot be hid Gob. Pray you, sir, stand up: I am sure you are not Launcelot, my boy. Laun. Pray you, let's have no more fooling about it, but give me your blessing. I am Launcelot, your boy that was, your son that is, your child that shall be. Gob. I cannot think you are my son. Laun. 1 know not what I shall think of that but I am Launcelot, the Jew's man; and, I am sure, Margery, your wife, is my mother. Gob. Her name is Margery, indeed. I'll be sworn, if thou be Launcelot, thou art mine own flesh and blood. Lord worshipped might he be! what a beard hast thou got! Thou hast got more hair on thy chin, than Dobbin my phill-horse 1 has on his tail. Laun. It should seem then, that Dobbin's tail grows backward; I am sure, he had more hair on his tail, than I have on my face, when I last saw him. Gob. Lord, how art thou changed! How dost thou and thy master agree? I have brought him a present. How 'gree you now? Laun. Well, well; but, for mine own part, as I have set up my rest2 to run away, so I will not rest till I have run some ground. My master's a very Jew. Give him a present! give him a halter: I am famished in his service; you may tell every finger I have with my ribs. Father, I am glad you are come; give me your present to one master Bassanio, who, indeed, gives rare new liveries: if I serve not ‣ him, I will run as far as God has any ground.—O rare fortune! here comes the man :-to him, father; for I am a Jew, if I serve the Jew any longer. For thill-horse, i. e. shaft-horse. Am firmly resolved. Enter BASSANIO, with LEONARDO, and other followers. Bas. You may do so;—but let it be so hasted, that supper be ready at the farthest by five of the clock. See these letters delivered; put the liveries to making; and desire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging. [Exit Servant. Laun. To him, father. Gob. God bless your worship! Bas. Gramercy!1 Wouldst thou aught with me? Gob. Here's my son, sir, a poor boy, Laun. Not a poor boy, sir, but the rich Jew's man; that would, sir, as my father shall specify,— Gob. He hath a great infection, sir, as one would say, to serve Laun. Indeed, the short and the long is, I serve the Jew, and I have a desire, as my father shall specify, Gob. His master and he (saving your worship's reverence) are scarce cater-cousins.2 Laun. To be brief, the very truth is, that the Jew having done me wrong, doth cause me, as my father, being I hope an old man, shall frutify unto you, Gob. I have here a dish of doves, that I would bestow upon your worship; and my suit is, Laun. In very brief, the suit is impertinent to ■ Contraction for grant me mercy!' 2 A corruption of quatre-cousins, distant relatives. myself, as your lordship shall know by this honest old man; and, though I say it, though old man, yet, poor man, my father. Bas. One speak for both.—What would you? Gob. This is the very defect of the matter, sir. Bas. I know thee well; thou hast obtain'd thy suit: Shylock, thy master, spoke with me this day, Laun. The old proverb is very well parted between my master Shylock and you, sir; you of God, sir, and he hath enough. have the grace Bas. Thou speak'st it well. Go, father, with thy son: Take leave of thy old master, and inquire My lodging out.-Give him a livery [to his followers. More guarded 1 than his fellows': see it done. Laun. Father, in.—I cannot get a service, no ;I have ne'er a tongue in my head.-Well; [looking on his palm.] if any man in Italy have a fairer table,2 which doth offer to swear upon a book.-I shall have good fortune. Go to; here's a simple line of life! here's a small trifle of wives! Alas, fifteen wives is nothing; eleven widows, and nine maids, is 1 Ornamented. ? Table is the palm of the hand extended. a simple coming-in for one man: and then, to 'scape drowning thrice; and to be in peril of my life with the edge of a feather-bed ;—here are simple 'scapes! Well, if Fortune be a woman, she's a good wench for this gear. Father, come; I'll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling of an eye. [Exeunt Launcelot and old Gobbo. Bas. I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this. These things being bought, and orderly bestow'd, Return in haste, for I do feast to-night My best-esteem'd acquaintance: hie thee; go. Gra. You must not deny me; I must go with you to Belmont. Bas. Why, then you must.-But hear thee, Gratiano: Thou art too wild, too rude, and bold of voice ;— And in such eyes as ours appear not faults: But where thou art not known, why, there they show |
