To mitigate the justice of thy plea; Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice Por. Is he not able to discharge the money? That malice bears down truth. And I beseech you, To do a great right do a little wrong; And curb this cruel devil of his will. Por. It must not be; there is no power in Venice Can alter a decree established: "Twill be recorded for a precedent; And many an error, by the same example, Shy. A Daniel come to judgment! yea, a Daniel ! O wise young judge, how do I honor thee! No, not for Venice. Por. Why, this bond is forfeit ; Nearest the merchant's heart :-Be merciful; Shy. When it is paid according to the tenor.- Hath been most sound: I charge you by the law, Por. Why then, thus it is. Hath full relation to the penalty, Which here appeareth due upon the bond. Shy. 'Tis very true: O wise and upright judge! How much more elder art thou than thy looks! Por. Therefore, lay bare your bosom. Shy. Ay, his breast: So says Shy. I have them ready. Por. Have by some surgeon, Shylock, on your charge, To stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death. Shy. Is it so nominated in the bond? Por. It is not so express'd; But what of that? "Twere good you do so much for charity. Shy. I cannot find it; 'tis not in the bond. Por. Come, merchant, have you any thing to say? To let the wretched man out-live his wealth, Say, how I loved you, speak me fair in death; Bass. Antonio, I am married to a wife, Here to this devil, to deliver you. Por. Your wife would give you little thanks for that If she were by, to hear you make the offer. Gra. I have a wife, whom, I protest I love; I would she were in heaven, so she could Entreat some power to change this currish Jew. Ner. 'Tis well you offer it behind her back; The wish would make else an unquiet house. Shy. These be the Christian husbands: I have a daughter; 'Would, any of the stock of Barrabas Had been her husband, rather than a Christian! We trifle time; I pray thee, pursue sentence. Por. A pound of that same merchant's flesh is thine, The court awards it, and the law doth give it. Shy. Most rightful judge! Por. And you must cut this flesh from off his breast; Shy. Most learned judge !—A sentence; come, prepare. Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh; One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods Unto the state of Venice. Gra. O upright judge !—Mark, Jew;—O learned judge! Por. Thyself shall see the act; For, as thou urgest justice, be assur'd, Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desir'st. Gra. O learned judge!-Mark, Jew;-a learned judge! And let the Christian go. Bass. Por. Soft; Here is the money. The Jew shall have all justice ;-soft ;-no haste ;— Gra. O Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge! Of one poor scruple: nay, if the scale do turn Thou diest, and all thy goods are confiscate. Now, infidel, I have thee on the hip. Por. Why doth the Jew pause? take thy forfeiture. [Aside Por. Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture, To be so taken at thy peril, Jew. Shy. Why then the devil give him good of it: I'll stay no longer question. Por. Tarry, Jew, The law hath yet another hold on you. It is enacted in the laws of Venice,- The party, 'gainst the which he doth contrive, The danger formerly by me rehears'd. Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the duke. Gra. Beg that thou may'st have leave to hang thysel": And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state, Thou hast not left the value of a cord; Therefore, thou must be hang'd at the state's charge. Duke. That thou shalt see the difference of our spirit, I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it: Por. Ay, for the state; not for Antonio. Shy. Nay, take my life and all, pardon not that: Por. What mercy can you render him, Antonio? To quit the fine for one half of his goods; I am content, so he will let me have The other half in use,-to render it, Upon his death, unto the gentleman Two things provide:l more,-That for this favor, He presently become a Christian; The other, that he do record a gift, Here in the court, of all he dies possess'd Unto his son Lorenzo, and his daughter. Duke. He shall do this; or else I do recant Por. Art thou contented, Jew, what dost thou say? Por. Clerk, draw a deed of gift. Shy. I pray you give me leave to go from hence: I am not well; send the deed after me, And I will sign it. Duke. Get thee gone, but do it. Gra. In christening, thou shalt have two godfathers; Duke. Sir, I entreat you home with me to dinner. I must away this night toward Padua, Duke. I am sorry, that your leisure serves not. For, in my mind, you are much bound to him. [Exit SHYLOCK. [Exeunt DUKE, Magnificoes, and Train. The interest of the Play ends with the delivery of Antonio, and the punishment of Shylock; the fifth Act is occupied in explanations which naturally follow between the leading characters, growing out of the disguises assumed by Portia and Nerissa. |