these foolish drops do something drown my manly spirit: adieu !

JES. Farewell, good Launcelot. Alack, what heinous sin is it in me,

[Exit LAUNCELOT.

To be ashamed to be my father's child!
But though I am a daughter to his blood,
I am not to his manners. O Lorenzo,
If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife,
Become a Christian and thy loving wife.

SCENE IV. The same: A street.

20

[Exit.

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.

GRA. We have not made good preparation.

SALAR. We have not spoke us yet of torch-bearers. SALAN. 'Tis vile unless it may be quaintly ordered, And better, in my mind, not undertook.

LOR. 'Tis now but four a-clock, we have two hours To furnish us.

Enter LAUNCELOT with a letter.

Friend Launcelot, what's the news? LAUN. And it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to signify.

[Giving a letter. LOR. I know the hand: in faith, 'tis a fair hand,

And whiter than the paper it writ on

Is the fair hand that writ.

GRA.

Love-news, in faith.

LAUN. By your leave, sir.

LOR. Whither goest thou?

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: [Exit LAUNCELOT.

Go, gentlemen,

Will you prepare you for this masque to-night?

I am provided of a torch-bearer.

SALAR. Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight.
SALAN. And so will I.

LOR,

Meet me and Gratiano

20

At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence.

SALAR. 'Tis good we do so.

30

[Exeunt SALARINO and SALANIO. 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 furnished with, What page's suit she hath in readiness. If e'er the Jew her father come to Heaven, It will be for his gentle daughter's sake; And never dare misfortune cross her foot, Unless she do it under this excuse, That she is issue to a faithless Jew.

Come, go with me, peruse this as thou goest :
Fair Jessica shall be my torch-bearer.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V. The same. Before SHYLOCK's house. Enter SHYLOCK and LAUNCELOT.

SHY. Well, thou shalt see, thy eyes shall be thy judge, The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio; What, Jessica! thou shalt not gormandise As thou hast done with me; what, Jessica! And sleep and snore, and rend apparel out. Why, Jessica, I say!

LAUN.

Why, Jessica!

SHY. Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call. LAUN. Your worship was wont to tell me I could do nothing without bidding.

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?
I am not bid for love; they flatter me :

But yet I'll go in hate, to feed upon

The prodigal Christian. Jessica, my girl,

Look to my house. I am right loath to go:
There is some ill a brewing towards my rest,
For I did dream of money-bags to-night.

ΙΟ

LAUN. I beseech you, sir, go: my young master doth expect your reproach.

SHY. So do I his.

20

LAUN. And they have conspired together, I will not say you shall see a masque; but if you do, then it was not for nothing that my nose fell a bleeding on Black-Monday last, at six a-clock i' th' morning, falling out that year on Ash-Wednesday was four year in th' afternoon.

30

SHY. What, are there masques? Hear you me, Jessica, Lock up my doors, and when you hear the drum, And the vile squealing of the wry-necked fife, Clamber not you up to the casements then, Nor thrust your head into the public street To gaze on Christian fools with varnished faces : But stop my house's ears, I mean my casements, Let not the sound of shallow foppery enter My sober house. By Jacob's staff I swear, I have no mind of feasting forth to-night: But I will go Go you before me, sirrah, Say, I will come.

LAUN. I will go before, sir.--Mistress, look out at window, for all this;

There will come a Christian by,

Will be worth a Jewess' eye.

40

[Exit.

SHY. What says that fool of Hagar's offspring? ha! JES. His words were Farewell, mistress; nothing else. 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 borrowed purse. Well, Jessica, go in,
Perhaps I will return immediately.

50

Do as I bid you; shut doors after you :

Fast bind, fast find;

A proverb never stale in thrifty mind.

[Exit.

JES. Farewell; and if my fortune be not crost,

I have a father, you a daughter, lost.

[Exit.

SCENE VI. The same.

Enter GRATIANO and SALARINO, masqued.

GRA. This is the penthouse under which Lorenzo Desired us to make stand.

SALAR.

His hour is almost past.

GRA. And it is marvel he outdwells 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 enjoyed.

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 :

When you shall please to play the thieves for wives
I'll watch as long for you then. Approach;
Here dwells my father Jew. Ho, who's within?

Enter JESSICA above, in boy's clothes.

JES. Who are you? Tell me for more certainty, Albeit I'll swear that I do know your tongue.

LOR. Lorenzo, and thy love.

JES. Lorenzo, certain; and my love, indeed,

For who love I so much? And now who knows

But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours?

ΙΟ

20

LOR. Heaven and thy thoughts are witness that thou art. JES. Here, catch this casket: it is worth the pains.

I am glad 't is night, you do not look on me,

For I am much ashamed 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 see 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, 't is an office of discovery, love,

And I should be obscured.

LOR.

So are you, sweet,

Even in the lovely garnish of a boy.

30

But come at once;
For the close night doth play the runaway,
And we are stayed for at Bassanio's feast.

JES. I will make fast the doors, and gild myself
With some moe ducats, and be with you straight.

40

[Exit from above.

GRA. Now, by my hood, a Gentile, and no Jew.
LOR. Beshrew me, but I love her heartily;
For she is wise, if I can judge of her,
And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true,
And true she is, as she hath proved herself;
And therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true,
Shall she be placed in my constant soul.

Enter JESSICA.

What, art thou come? On, gentlemen; away!
Our masquing mates by this time for us stay.

50

[Exit with JESSICA and SALARINO.

Enter ANTONIO.

ANT. Who's there?

GRA. Signior Antonio?

ANT. Fie, fre, Gratiano, where are all the rest?
'Tis nine a-clock, our friends all stay for you :
No masque to-night; the wind is come 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.

60

[Exeunt.

SCENE VII. Belmont. An apartment in PORTIA'S

house.

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 get as much as he deserves.
This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt,