Shy. Why there, there, there, there! a diamond gone, cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfort! The curse never fell upon our nation till now; I never felt it till now: -two thousand ducats in that; and other precious, precious jewels. — I would, my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear! 'would she were hears'd at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin! No news of them?-Why, so: - - and I know not what's spent in the search: Why, thou loss upon loss! the thief gone with so much, and so much to find the thief; and no satisfaction, no revenge: nor no ill luck stirring, but How now, Shylock? what news among the mer- what lights o' my shoulders; no sighs, but o' my chants? 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. Shy. My own flesh and blood to rebel! 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 bankrupt, a prodigal, who dare scarce show 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? breathing; no tears, but o' my shedding. Tub. Yes, other men have ill luck too; Antonio, as I heard in Genoa, Shy. What, what, what? ill luck, ill luck? Shy. Is it true? is it true? Shy. Thou stick'st a dagger in me : — - I shall never see my gold again: Fourscore ducats at a sitting! fourscore ducats. Tub. There came divers of Antonio's creditors in my company to Venice, that swear he cannot choose but break. Shy. I am very glad of it: I'll plague him; I'll torture him; I am glad of it. 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 torquoise; I had it of Leah, when I was a bachelor: I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys. Tub. But Antonio is certainly undone. 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, Shy. Nay, that's true, that's very true: Go, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the Tubal, fee me an officer, bespeak him a fortnight same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to before: I will have the heart of him, if he forfeit ; the same diseases, healed by the same means, for were he out of Venice, I can make what merwarmed and cooled by the same winter and sum-chandize I will; Go, go, Tubal, and meet me at mer, as a Christian is? if you prick us, do we not our synagogue; go, good Tubal; at our synableed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you gogue, Tubal. 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 Enter BASSANIO, PORTIA, GRATIANO, NERISSA, and be by Christian example? why, revenge. The villainy 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 cannot be matched, unless the devil himself turn Jew. [Exeunt SALAN. SALAR. and Servant. Shy. How now, Tubal, what news from Genoa? hast thou found my daughter? Tub. I often came where I did hear of her, but cannot find her. [Exeunt. SCENE II. - Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. Attendants. The caskets are set out. Mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours, Bass. not I. Let me choose; For, as I am, I live upon the rack. Por. Upon the rack, Bassanio? then confess What treason there is mingled with your love. Bass. None, but that ugly treason of mistrust, Which makes me fear the enjoying of my love: There may as well be amity and life 'Tween snow and fire, as treason and my love. Por. Ay, but, I fear, you speak upon the rack, Where men enforced do speak any thing. Bass. Promise me life, and I'll confess the truth. Obscures the show of evil? In religion, The scull that bred them, in the sepulchre. Had been the very sum of my confession : To a most dangerous sea; the beauteous scarf Por How all the other passions fleet to air, What find I here? You that choose not by the view, A gentle scroll; Fair lady, by your leave; I come by note, to give and to receive. 8 Curled. [Kissing her. 9 Treacherous. Like one of two contending in a prize, Ner. Madam, it is, so you stand pleas'd withal. Bass. Our feast shall be much honour'd in your Gra. But who comes here? Lorenzo, and his infidel. Por. You see me, lord Bassanio, where I stand, What, my old Venetian friend, Salerio? Such as I am though, for myself alone, I would not be ambitious in my wish, To wish myself much better; yet, for you, A thousand times more fair, ten thousand times That only to stand high on your account, Is sum of something; which, to term in gross, Bass. Madam, you have bereft me of all words, By a beloved prince, there doth appear Ner. My lord and lady, it is now our time, That have stood by, and seen our wishes prosper, To cry, good joy; Good joy, my lord and lady! Gra. My lord Bassanio, and my gentle lady, Bass. With all my heart, so thou canst get a wife. To have her love, provided that your fortune Achiev'd her mistress. 1 Blended. Lor. I thank your honour: - For my part, my lord, My purpose was not to have seen you here; But meeting with Salerio by the way, He did entreat me, past all saying nay, To come with him along. And I have reason for it. Bass. I did, my lord, Signior Antonio I pray you, tell me how my good friend doth Gra. Nerissa, cheer yon' stranger; bid her welcome. Sale. Would you had won the fleece that he hath lost! Por. There are some shrewd contents in yon' same paper, That steal the colour from Bassanio's cheek: Of any constant man. What, worse and worse?— O sweet Portia, Bass. Here are a few of the unpleasant'st words, That ever blotted paper! Gentle lady, When I did first impart my love to you, I freely told you, all the wealth I had Ran in my veins, I was a gentleman; And then I told you true: and yet, dear lady, Rating myself at nothing, you shall see How much I was a braggart: When I told you My state was nothing, I should then have told you That I was worse than nothing; for, indeed, I have engag'd myself to a dear friend, Engag'd my friend to his mere enemy, To feed my means. Here is a letter, lady; The paper as the body of my friend, And every word in it a gaping wound, Issuing life-blood. But is it true, Salerio? Have all his ventures fail'd? What, not one hit? From Tripolis, from Mexico, and England, From Lisbon, Barbary, and India? And not one vessel 'scape the dreadful touch Sale. The present money to discharge the Jew, Jes. When I was with him, I have heard him swear, Por. Is it your dear friend, that is thus in trouble? The ancient Roman honour more appears, Por. What sum owes he the Jew? What, no more? Pay him six thousand, and deface the bond; Bass. [Reads.] Sweet Bassanio, my ships have all miscarried, my creditors grow cruel, my estate is very low, my bond to the Jew is forfeit; and since, in paying it, it is impossible I should live, all debts are cleared between you and I, if I might but see you at my death: notwithstanding, use your pleasure: if your love do not persuade you to come, let not my letter. Por. O love, despatch all business, and be gone. Bass. Since I have your good leave to go away, I will make haste: but till I come again, No bed shall e'er be guilty of my stay, No rest be interposer 'twixt us twain. But, since I am a dog, beware my fangs : Ant. I pray thee, hear me speak. Shy. I'll have my bond; I will not hear thee speak: I'll have my bond; and therefore speak no more. I'll not be made a soft and dull-ey'd fool, To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield To Christian intercessors. Follow not; I'll have no speaking; I'll have my bond. (Exit SHYLOCK. Salan. It is the most impenetrable cur, That ever kept with men. Ant. | Many that have at times made moan to me Salan. I am sure the duke Will never grant this forfeiture to hold. Ant. The duke cannot deny the course of law; For the commodity that strangers have With us in Venice, if it be denied, Will much impeach the justice of the state; Since that the trade and profit of the city Consisteth of all nations. Therefore, go: These griefs and losses have so 'bated me, That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh To-morrow to my bloody creditor. Well, gaoler, on: - Pray God, Bassanio come To see me pay his debt, and then I care not! [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. Enter PORTIA, NERISSA, LORENZO, JESSICA, and BALTHAZAR. Lor. Madam, although I speak it in your pre sence, You have a noble and a true conceit Por. I never did repent for doing good, There is a monastery two miles off, And there we will abide. SCENE V. A Garden. I do desire you, As I have ever found thee honest, true, And, look what notes and garments he doth give thee, Bring them, I pray thee, with imagin'd speed Por. Come on, Nerissa; I have work in hand, That you yet know not of: we'll see our husbands, Por. They shall, Nerissa; but in such a habit, That they shall think we are accomplished With what we lack. I'll hold thee any wager, When we are both accoutred like young men, I'll prove the prettier fellow of the two, And wear my dagger with the braver grace; And speak, between the change of man and boy. But come, I'll tell thee all my whole device, When I am in my coach, which stays for us At the park gate; and therefore haste away, For we must measure twenty miles to-day. [Exeunt. Enter LORENZO, JESSICA, and LAUNCELOT. Lor. Go in, sirrah; bid them prepare for dinner. Laun. That is done sir; they have all stomachs. Lor. What a wit-snapper are you! then bid them prepare dinner Laun. That is done too sir; only, cover is the word. Lor. Will you cover then, sir? Laun. Not so, sir, neither; I know my duty. Lor. Yet more quarrelling with occasion! Wilt thou show the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant? I pray thee, understand a plain man in his plain meaning: go to thy fellows; bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner. Laun. For the table, sir, it shall be served in ; for the meat, sir, it shall be covered; for your coming in to dinner, sir, why, let it be as humours and conceits shall govern. [Exit LAUNCELOT. Lor. O dear discretion, how his words are suited! The fool hath planted in his memory An army of good words; And I do know A many fools, that stand in better place, Garnish'd like him, that for a tricksy word Defy the inatter. How cheer'st thou, Jessica ? And now, good sweet, say thy opinion, How dost thou like the lord Bassanio's wife? Jes. Past all expressing: It is very meet, The lord Bassanio live an upright life; For, having such a blessing in his lady, He finds the joys of heaven here on earth; And, if on earth he do not mean it, it Is reason he should never come to heaven. Why, if two gods should play some heavenly match. And on the wager lay two earthly women, And Portia one, there must be something else Pawn'd with the other; for the poor rude world Hath not her fellow. |