SCENE III.-The same. A Room in Shylock's House. Enter JESSICA and LAUNCELOT. Jes. I am sorry, thou wilt leave my father so; And so farewell: I would not have my father 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, adieu! these foolish drops do somewhat drown my manly spirit; adieu! Jes. Farewell, good Launcelot. Alack, what heinous sin is it in me, [Exit. [Exit. Gra. We have not made good preparation. Salar. We have not spoke as yet of torch-bearers. Salan. 'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly order'd; And better, in my mind, not undertook. Lor. 'Tis now but four o'clock; we have two hours To furnish us; Enter LAUNCELOT, with a letter. Friend Launcelot, what's the news? Laun. An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to signify. 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. Love-news, in faith. Gra. 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; go.Gentlemen, [Exit LAUNCELOT. you prepare you for this masque to-night? I am provided of a torch-bearer. Will 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. Salar. Tis good we do so. [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. The prodigal Christian.-Jessica, my girl, 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, then it was not for nothing that my nose fell a bleeding on Black-Monday last, at six o'clock i'the morning, falling out that year on Ash-Wednesday, was four year in the afternoon. [sica: Shy. What: are there masques? Hear you me, JesLock up my doors; and when you hear the drum, And the vile squeaking of the wry-neck'd fife, Clamber not you up to the casements then, Nor thrust your head into the public street, To gaze on Christian fools with varnish'd 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, 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; [aside. There will come a Christian by, Will be worth a Jewess' eye. [Exit LAUN. Shy. What says that fool of Hagar's offspring, ha? Jes. His words were, Farewell, mistress; nothing else. SCENE VI.-The same. Enter GRATIANO and SALARINO, masqued. 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 here after. Lor. Sweet friends, your patience for my long Not I, but my affairs, have made you wait: [abode: 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; But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours? [thou art. Lor. Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer. For the close night doth play the run-away, Jes. I will make fast the doors, and gild myself With some more ducats, and be with you straight. [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 prov'd herself; And therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true, Shall she be placed in my constant soul. Enter JESSICA, below. What, art thou come ?-On, gentleman, away; Our masquing mates by this time for us stay. [Exit, with JESSICA and SALARINO. Enter ANTONIO. Ant. Who's there? Gra. Signior Antonio? Ant. Fye, fye, Gratiano! where are all the rest? "Tis nine o'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. [Exeunt. SCENE VII. Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. Flourish of Cornets. Enter PoRTIA, with the PRINCE 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 ;— 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 see, Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath. A golden mind stoops not to shows of dross; One of these three contains her heavenly picture, A coin, that bears the figure of an angel All that glisters is not gold, Cold, indeed; and labour lost: Then, farewell, heat; and, welcome, frost. Salar. Why man, I saw Bassanio under sail; Of double ducats, stol'n from me by my daughter! Salar. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him, If Por. Behold, there stand the caskets, noble prince; 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 enjoined by oath to observe three things; First, never to unfold to any one Which casket 'twas I chose; next, if 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 I will not choose what many men desire, O, that estates, degrees, and offices, Por. Too long a pause for that which you find | as ever knapp'd ginger, or made her neighbours be there. The fire seven times tried this; So begone, sir, you are sped. Still more fool I shall appear By the time I linger here: With one fool's head I came to woo, [Exeunt ARRAGON and Train. Ner. The ancient saying is no heresy ; Hanging and wiving goes by destiny. Serv. Where is my lady? Por. Here; what would my lord? To wit, besides commends, and courteous breath, Por. No more, I pray thee; I am half afeard, ACT III. [Exeunt. SCENE I.-Venice. A Street. Enter SALANIO and SALARIno. Salan. Now, what news on the Rialto? Salar. Why, yet it lives there uncheck'd, that Antonio hath a ship of rich lading wreck'd on the narrow seas; the Goodwins, I think they call the place; a very dangerous flat, and fatal, where the carcases of many a tall ship lie buried, as they say, if my gossip report be an honest woman of her word. Salan. I would she were as lying a gossip in that, lieve she wept for the death of a third husband: But it is true,-without any slips of prolixity, or crossing the plain high-way of talk,-that the good Antonio, the honest Antonio,--O that I had a title good enough to keep his name company!— Salar. Come, the fuli stop. Salan. Ha,-what say'st thou ?-Why the end is, he hath lost a ship. Salar. I would it might prove the end of his losses! Salan. Let me say amen betimes, lest the devil cross my prayer; for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. Enter SHYLOCK. How now, Shylock? what news among the merchants? Shy. You knew, none so well, none so well as you, of my daughter's flight. Salar. That's certain; I, for my part, knew the tailor that made the wings she flew withal. Salan. And Shylock, for his own part, knew the bird was fledg'd; and then it is the complexion of them all to leave the dam. Shy. She is damn'd for it. Salar. That's certain, if the devil may be her judge. Shy. My own flesh and blood to rebel! Salan. Out upon it, old carrion! rebels it at these years? Shy. I say, my daughter is my flesh and blood. Salar. There is more difference between thy flesh and hers, than between jet and ivory; more between your bloods, than there is between red wine and rhenish: But tell us, do you hear whether Antonio have had any loss at sea or no? Shy. There I have another bad match: a bank. rupt, a prodigal, who dare scarce shew his head on 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? Shy. To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me of half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew: Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? if you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? if we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? revenge; If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? why, revenge. The villany you teach me, I will execute; and it shall go hard, but I will better the instruction. Enter a Servant. Serv. Gentlemen, my master Antonio is at his house, and desires to speak with you both. Salar. We have been up and down to seek him. Enter TUBAL. Salan. Here comes another of the tribe; a third |