to consent to marry him, and his page (the forlorn Julia) was standing beside them in great anxiety of mind, fearing lest the great service which Proteus had just done to Silvia should win her to show him some favor, they were all strangely surprised with the sudden ap-440 pearance of Valentine, who, having heard his robbers had taken a lady prisoner, came to console and relieve her.

Proteus was courting Silvia, and he was so much ashamed of being caught by his friend that he was all at once seized with penitence and remorse; and he 445 expressed such a lively sorrow for the injuries he had done to Valentine that Valentine, whose nature was noble and generous even to a romantic degree, not only forgave and restored him to his former place in his friendship, but in a sudden flight of heroism he said, 450 "I freely do forgive you; and all the interest I have in Silvia I give it up to you." Julia, who was standing beside her master as a page, hearing this strange offer, and fearing Proteus would not be able, with this newfound virtue, to refuse Silvia, fainted, and they were all 455 employed in recovering her; else would Silvia have been offended at being thus made over to Proteus, though she could scarcely think that Valentine would long persevere in this overstrained and too generous act of friendship. When Julia recovered from the fainting-fit, she 460 said, “I had forgot, my master ordered me to deliver this ring to Silvia." Proteus, looking upon the ring, saw that it was the one he gave to Julia in return for that which he received from her, and which he had sent by the supposed page to Silvia. "How is this?" 465 said he; "this is Julia's ring; how came you by it, boy?" Julia answered, "Julia herself did give it me, and Julia herself hath brought it hither."

Proteus, now looking earnestly upon her, plainly perceived that the page Sebastian was no other than the 470 lady Julia herself; and the proof she had given of her constancy and true love so wrought in him that his love for her returned into his heart, and he took again his own dear lady, and joyfully resigned all pretensions to the lady Silvia to Valentine, who had so well deserved 475

her.

Proteus and Valentine were expressing their happiness in their reconciliation, and in the love of their faithful ladies, when they were surprised with the sight of the Duke of Milan and Thurio, who came there in 480 pursuit of Silvia.

Thurio first approached, and attempted to seize Silvia, saying, "Silvia is mine." Upon this Valentine said to him in a very spirited manner: "Thurio, keep back; if once again you say that Silvia is yours, you shall em- 485 brace your death. Here she stands; take but possession of her with a touch! I dare you but to breathe upon my love." Hearing this threat, Thurio, who was a great coward, drew back, and said he cared not for her, and that none but a fool would fight for a girl who 490 loved him not.

1

The duke, who was a very brave man himself, said now, in great anger, "The more base and degenerate ' in you to take such means for her as you have done, and leave her on such slight conditions." Then, turning 495 to Valentine, he said: "I do applaud your spirit, Valentine, and think you worthy of an empress's love. You shall have Silvia, for you have well deserved her." Valentine then, with great humility, kissed the duke's hand, and accepted the noble present which he had made him 500 1 Degraded, mean.

of his daughter with becoming thankfulness; taking occasion of this joyful minute to entreat the good-humored duke to pardon the thieves with whom he had associated in the forest, assuring him that, when reformed and restored to society, there would be found among them 505 many good and fit for great employment; for the most of them had been banished, like Valentine, for state offences rather than for any black crimes they had been guilty of. To this the ready duke consented; and now nothing remained but that Proteus, the false friend, was 510 ordained, by way of penance for his love-prompted faults, to be present at the recital of the whole story of his loves and falsehoods before the duke; and the shame of the recital to his awakened conscience was judged sufficient punishment; which being done, the 515 lovers, all four, returned back to Milan, and their nuptials were solemnized in presence of the duke, with high triumphs and feasting.

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.

SHYLOCK the Jew lived at Venice; he was a usurer, who had amassed an immense fortune by lending money at great interest to Christian merchants. Shylock, being a hard-hearted man, exacted the payment of the money he lent with such severity that he was much dis- 5 liked by all good men, and particularly by Antonio,' a young merchant of Venice; and Shylock as much hated Antonio, because he used to lend money to people in distress, and would never take any interest for the money he lent; therefore there was great enmity between this 10

1 An-tō'-ni-o.

covetous Jew and the generous merchant Antonio. Whenever Antonio met Shylock on the Rialto' (or Exchange), he used to reproach him with his usuries and hard dealings; which the Jew would bear with seeming patience, while he secretly meditated revenge.

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Antonio was the kindest man that lived, the bestconditioned, and had the most unwearied spirit in doing courtesies; indeed, he was one in whom the ancient Roman honor more appeared than in any that drew breath in Italy. He was greatly beloved by all his 20 fellow-citizens; but the friend who was nearest and dearest to his heart was Bassanio,' a noble Venetian, who, having but a small patrimony, had nearly exhausted his little fortune by living in too expensive a manner for his slender means, as young men of high rank with 25 small fortunes are too apt to do. Whenever Bassanio wanted money, Antonio assisted him; and it seemed as if they had but one heart and one purse between them.

One day Bassanio came to Antonio, and told him that he wished to repair his fortune by a wealthy mar- 30 riage with a lady whom he dearly loved, whose father, that was lately dead, had left her sole heiress to a large estate; and that, in her father's lifetime, he used to visit at her house, when he thought he had observed this lady had sometimes from her eyes sent speechless 35 messages that seemed to say he would be no unwelcome suitor; but, not having money to furnish himself with an appearance befitting the lover of so rich an heiress, he besought Antonio to add to the many favors he had shown him by lending him three thousand ducats.*

1 Ri-al'-to.

2 Best in nature or disposition.

3 Băs-sa-ni-o (second a as in ah).
4 Duc'-ats; coins worth about a dollar.

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