Gra. Signior Bassanio, Bass. Gratiano! Gra. I have a suit to you. Bass. You have obtain❜d it. Gra. You must not deny me; I must go with you to Belmont. Bass. Why, then you must;-But hear thee, Thou art too wild, too rude, and bold of voice;- I be misconstrued in the place I go to, Gra. Signior Bassanio, hear me: If I do not put on a sober habit, Gra. Nay, but I bar to-night; you shall not No, that were pity; I would entreat you rather to put on Your boldest suit of mirth, for we have friends That purpose merriment: But fare you well, I have some business. [Exeunt. Gra. And I must to Lorenzo, and the rest; But we will visit you at supper-time. SCENE III.-The same. A room in Shylock's house. Enter Jessica and Launcelot. Jes. I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so; Our house is helf, and thou, a merry devil, Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness; But fare thee well; there is a ducat for thee. And, Launcelot, soon at supper shalt thou see Lorenzo, who is thy new master's guest: Give him this letter; do it secretly, And so farewell; I would not have my father See me talk with thee. Laun. Adieu!-tears exhibit my tongue.-Most beautiful Pagan,-most sweet Jew! If a Christian do not play the knave, and get thee, I am much deceived: But, adicu! these foolish drops do somewhat drown my manly spirit, adieu! [Exit. Jes. Farewell, good Launcelot.Alack, what heinous sin is it in me, To be asham'd to be my father's child! But though I am a daughter to his blood, I am not to his manners: 0 Lorenzo, If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife; Become a Christian, and thy loving wife. SCENE IV.-The same. A street. Enter Gratiano, Lorenzo, Salarino, and Salanio. Lor. Nay, we will slink away in supper-time; Disguise us at my lodging, and return' All in an hour. [Erit. Gra. We have not made good preparation. Salar. We have not spoke us yet of torchbearers. (1) Gross, licentious. (2) Show of staid and serious demeanour. Laun. By your leave, sir. Laun. Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to sup to-night with my new master the Christian. Lor. Hold here, take this :-tell gentle Jessica, I will not fail her ;-speak it privately; go.Gentlemen, [Exit Launcelot, Will you prepare you for this masque to-night? am provided of a torch-bearer. I Salar. Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight. Salan. And so will I. Lor. Meet me, and Gratiano, At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence. [Exeunt Salar. and Salan. Gra. Was not that letter from fair Jessica? Lor. I must needs tell thee all: She hath directed, How I shall take her from her father's house; What gold, and jewels, she is furnish'd with; What page's suit she hath in readiness. If e'er the Jew, her father, come to heaven, SCENE V.-The same. Before Shylock's house. Shy. Well, thou shalt see, thy eyes shall be thy judge, The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio:- Laun. Enter Jessica. Jes. Call you? What is your will? Shy. I am bid forth to supper, Jessica; There are my keys :-But wherefore should I go; Laun. I beseech you, sir, go; my young master doth expect your reproach. Shy. So do I his. Laun. And they have conspired together,—I will not say, you shall see a masque; but if you do, (3) Carriage, deportment, (4) Invited. then it was not for nothing that my nose fell a bleed-Albeit I'll swear that I do know your tongue. ing on Black-Monday last, at six o'clock i'the Lor. Lorenzo, and thy love. morning, falling out that year on Ash-Wednesday was four year in the afternoon. Shy. What! are there masques? Hear you me, Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drum, Laun. Shy. The patch is kind enough; but a huge feeder, Snail-slow in profit, and he sleeps by day More than the wild cat; drones hive not with me; Therefore I part with him; and part with him To one that I would have him help to waste His borrow'd purse.-Well, Jessica, go in ; Perhaps, I will return immediately; Do, as I bid you, [Exit. Shut doors after you: Fast bind, fast find; SCENE VI.-The same. [Exit. Jes. Lorenzo, certain; and my love, indeed; For who love I so much? And now who knows, But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours? Lor. Heaven, and thy thoughts, are witness that thou art. Jes. Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains. I am glad 'tis night, you do not look on me, For I am much asham'd of my exchange: But love is blind, and lovers cannot see The pretty follies that themselves commit; For if they could, Cupid himself would blush To sec me thus transformed to a boy. Lor. Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer. Jes. What, must I hold a candle to my shames? They in themselves, good sooth, are too, too light. Why, 'tis an office of discovery, love; And I should be obscur'd. Lor. So are you, sweet, For the close night doth play the run-away, Enter Jessica, below. What, art thou come?-On, gentlemen, away, Salarino, masked. Gra. This is the pent-house, under which Lorenzo Desir'd us to make stand. Salar. His hour is almost past. Gra. And it is marvel he out-dwells his hour, For lovers ever run before the clock. Salar. O, ten times faster Venus' pigeons fly To seal love's bonds new made, than they are wont, To keep obliged faith unforfeited! Gra. That ever holds: Who riseth from a feast, With that keen appetite that he sits down? Where is the horse that doth untread again His tedious measures with the unbated fire That he did pace them first? All things that are, Are with more spirit chased than enjoy'd. How like a younker, or a prodigal, The scarfed bark puts from her native bay, Hugg'd and embraced by the strumpet wind! How like the prodigal doth she return, With over-weather'd ribs, and ragged sails, Lean, rent, and beggar'd by the strumpet wind! Enter Lorenzo. Salar. Here comes Lorenzo; more of this hereafter. Lor. Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode; Not I, but my affairs, have made you wait; Enter Jessica above, in boy's clothes. Jes. Who are you? Tell me, for more certainty, (1) Decorated with flags. Ant. Who's there? Ant. Fie, fie, Gratiano? where are all the rest? 'Tis nine o'clock; our friends all stay for you :No masque to-night; the wind is coine about, Bassanio presently will go aboard: I have sent twenty out to seek for you. Gra. I am glad on't; I desire no more delight, Than to be under sail, and gone to-night. Exe. SCENE VIL-Belmont. A room in Portia's house. Flourish of cornets. Enter Portia, with the prince of Morocco, and both their trains. Por. Go, draw aside the curtains, and discover The several caskets to this noble prince :Now make your choice. Mor. The first, of gold, who this inscription bears; Who chooseth me, shall gain what many men desire. The second; silver, which this promise carries ;Who chooseth me, shall gel as much as he deserves. The third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt ;Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath. How shall I know if I do choose the right? Por. The one of them contains my picture, prince; If you choose that, then I am yours withal. Mor. Some god direct my judgment! Let me sce, I will survey the inscriptions back again : What says this leaden casket? Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath. Must give-For what? for lead? hazard for lead? This casket threatens; Men, that hazard all, Do it in hope of fair advantages: upon; Then I am yours. [He unlocks the golden casket. All that glisters is not gold, Then, farewell, heat; and, welcome, frost.- 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 outèries rais'd the duke; Who went with him to search Bassanio's ship. Salar. He came too late, the ship was under sail : But there the duke was given to understand, That in a gondola were seen together Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica : Besides, Antonio certify'd the duke, They were not with Bassanio in his ship. Salan. I never heard a passion so confus'd, So strange, outrageous, and so variable, As the dog Jew did utter in the streets: My daughter!-O my ducats !-O my daughter! Fled with a Christian ?-O my Christian ducats! Justice! the law! my ducats, and my daughter! A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats, Of double ducats, stol'n from me by my daughter! And jewels; two stones, two rich and precious 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 Of his return; he answer'd-Do not so, Slubbers not business for my sake, Bassanio, But stay the very riping of the time; And for the Jew's bond, which he hath of me, Let it not enter in your mind of love: Be merry, and employ your chiefest thoughts To courtship, and such fair ostents of love As shall conveniently become you there: And even there, his eye being big with tears, Turning his face, he put his hand behind him, And with affection wondrous sensible He wrung Bassanio's hand, and so they parted. Salan. I think, he only loves the world for him. I pray thee let us go, and find him out, And quicken his embraced heaviness With some delight or other. Salar. Do we so. [Exeunt. SCENE IX.-Belmont. A room in Portia's house. Enter Nerissa, with a servant. Ner. Quick, quick, I pray thee, draw the cur tain straight; The prince of Arragon has ta'en his oath, Por. Behold, there stand the caskets, noble prince: (5) Shows, tokens. (6) The heaviness he is fond of, First, never to unfold to any one Ar. And so have I address'd' me: Fortune now Without the stamp of merit! Let none presume O, that estates, degrees, and offices, O these deliberate fools! when they do choose, Serv. Where is my lady? Por. Here; what would my lord? Por. No more, I pray thee; I am half afeard, ACT III. Were not deriv'd corruptly! and that clear honour SCENE I.-Venice. A street. Enter Salanio, Were purchas'd by the merit of the wearer! Por. Too long a pause for that which you find there. Ar. What's here? the portrait of a blinking idiot, How much unlike my hopes, and my deservings? Ar. What is here? The fire seven times tried this; With one fool's head I came to woo, [Exeunt Arragon, and train. Por. Thus hath the candle sing'd the moth. (1) Prepared. (2) Power. (5) Agree with. and Salarino. Salan. Now, what news on the Rialto? Antonio hath a ship of rich lading wreck'd on the Salar. Why, yet it lives there uncheck'd, that narrow seas; the Goodwins, I think they call the place; a very dangerous flat, and fatal, where the if my gossip report be an honest woman of her word. carcases of many a tall ship lie buried, as they say, Salan. I would she were as lying a gossip in that, lieve she wept for the death of a third husband: as ever knapp'd ginger, or made her neighbours becrossing the plain high-way of talk,-that the good But it is true,-without any slips of prolixity, or Antonio, the honest Antonio,-O that I had a title good enough to keep his name company!Salar. Come, the full stop. Salan. Ha,-what say'st thou?-Why the end is, he hath lost a ship. losses! Salan. Let me say amen betimes, lest the devil cross my prayer; for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. 192 MERCHANT OF VENICE. Tub. Your daughter spent in Genoa, as I heard, Shy. I say, my daughter is my flesh and blood. Salar. There is more difference between thy flesh one night, fourscore ducats. Shy. Thou stick'st a dagger in me:-I shall and hers, than between jet and ivory; more between your bloods, than there is between red wine never see my gold again: Fourscore ducats at a and rhenish:-But tell us, do you hear whether sitting! fourscore ducats! Antonio have had any loss at sea or no? Shy. I am very glad of it; I'll plague him; I'll torture him; I am glad of it. Tub. There came divers of Antonio's creditors Shy. There I have another bad match: a bank-in my company to 'Venice, that swear he cannot rupt, a prodigal, who dares scarce show his head on choose but break. the Rialto;-a beggar, that used to come so smug upon the mart;-let him look to his bond: he was wont to call me usurer;-let him look to his bond: he was wont to lend money for a Christian courtesy;-let him look to his bond. Salar. Why, I am sure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh; What's that good for? Tub. One of them showed me a ring, that he had of your daughter for a monkey. Shy. Out upon her! Thou torturest me, Tubal: it was my turquoise; I had it of Leah, when I was a bachelor: I would not have given it for a wilderShy. To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothingness of monkies. Tub. But Antonio is certainly undone. else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced Shy. Nay, that's true, that's very true; Go, Tu me, and hindered me of half a million; laughed at he forfeit; my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, bal, fee me an officer, bespeak him a fortnight bethwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated fore: I will have the heart of him, mine enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew: for were he out of Venice, I can make what merHath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, chandise I will; Go, go, Tubal, and meet me at dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with our synagogue; go, good Tubal; at our synathe same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject gogue, Tubal. A room in Portia's to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and sum house. Enter Bassanio, Portia, Gratiano, Nemer, as a Christian is? if you prick us, do we not rissa, and attendants. The caskets are set out. bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you Por. I pray you, tarry; pause a day or two, poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? if we are like you in the Before you hazard; for, in choosing wrong, rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong lose your company; therefore, forbear a while. a Christian, what is his humility? revenge; If a There's something tells me (but it is not love,) Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance I would not lose you; and you know yourself, The Hate counsels not in such a quality: SCENE II.-Belmont. [Exeunt. be by Christian example? why, revenge. Enter a Servant. Serv. Gentlemen, my master Antonio is at his Salan. Here comes another of the fribe; a third cannot be matched, unless the devil himself turn [Exeunt Salan. Salar, and Servant. Shy. How now, Tubal, what news from Genoa? hast thou found my daughter? Jew. Tub. I often came where I did hear of her, but cannot find her. (And yet a maiden hath no tongue but thought,) Bass. Let me choose; Shy. Why there, there, there, there! a diamond I speak too long; but 'tis to peize the time; gone, cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfort! To cke it, and to draw it out in length, The curse never fell upon our nation till now; ITo stay you from election. never felt it till now:-two thousand ducats in that; and other precious, precious jewels.-I would, my For, as I am, I live upon the rack. Por. Upon the rack, Bassanio? then confess mingled with your love. daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her car! 'would she were hears'd at my foot, and What treason there Bass. None, but that ugly treason of mistrust, the ducats in her coffin! No news of them ?-Why, so:-and I know not what's spent in the search: Which makes me fear the enjoying of my love: Why, thou loss upon loss! the thief gone with so There may as well be amity and life much, and so much to find the thief; and no satis-Tween snow and fire, as treason and my love. faction, no revenge: nor no ill luck stirring, but what lights o' my shoulders; no sighs, but o' my breathing; no tears, but o' my shedding. Tub. Yes, other men have ili luck too; Antonio, Shy. What, what, what? ill luck, ill luck? Shy. I thank God, I thank God:-Is it true? is Tub. I spoke with some of the sailors that escaped the wreck. Shy. I thank thee, good Tubal;-Good news, good news: ha! ha-Where? in Genoa ? Por. Ay, but I fear, you speak upon the rack, (1) A precious stone, (2) Delay. |