tleman: but, I pray you, tell me, is my boy, (God | Shylock, thy master, spoke with me this day, rest his soul!) alive or dead? Laun. Do you not know me, father? Gob. Pray you, sir, stand up; I am sure, you are not Launcelot, my boy. And hath preferr'd thee, if it be preferment, Laun. The old proverb is very well parted between my master Shylock and you, sir; you have the grace of God, sir, and he hath enough. Bass. Thou speak'st it well; Go, father, with thy son: Take leave of thy old master, and enquire Laun. Pray you, let's have no more fooling about-I have ne'er a tongue in my head.-Well; [lookit, but give me your blessing; I am Launcelot, your boy that was, your son that is, your child that shall be. Gob. I cannot think, you are my son. Laun. I know not what I shall think of that: but I am Launcelot, the Jew's man: and, I am sure, Margery, your wife, is my mother. Gob. Her name is Margery, indeed: I'll be sworn, if thou be Launcelot, thou art mine own flesh and blood. Lord worshipp'd might he be! what a beard hast thou got thou hast got more hair on thy chin, than Dobbin my thill-horse has on his tail. Laun. It should seem then, that Dobbin's tail grows backward; I am sure he had more hair on his tail, than I have on my face, when I last saw him. Gob. Lord, how art thou changed! How dost thou and thy master agree? I have brought him a present; How 'gree you now? Laun. Well, well; but, for mine own part, as I have set up my rest to run away, so I will not rest till I have run some ground: my master's a very Jew; Give him a present! give him a halter: I am famish'd in his service; you may tell every finger I have with my ribs. Father, I am glad you are come; give me your present to one master Bassanio, who, indeed, gives rare new liveries; if I serve not him, I will run as far as God has any ground. O rare fortune! here comes the man ;to him, father; for I am a Jew, if I serve the Jew any longer. Enter Bassanio, with Leonardo, and other Bass. You may do so :-but let it be so hasted, that supper be ready at the farthest by five of the clock: See these letters deliver'd; put the liveries to making; and desire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging. [Exit a Servant. Laun. To him, father. Gob. God bless your worship! Bass. Gramercy; Would'st thou aught with me? Gob. Here's my son, sir, a poor boy,Laun. Not a poor boy, sir, but the rich Jew's man; that would, sir, as my father shall specify, Gob. He hath a great infection, sir, as one would say, to serve. Laun. Indeed, the short and the long is, I serve the Jew, and I have a desire, as my father shall specify, Gob. His master and he, (saving your worship's reverence,) are scarce cater-cousins: Laun, To be brief, the very truth is, that the Jew having done me wrong, doth cause me, as my father, being I hope an old man, shall frutify unto you, Gob. I have here a dish of doves, that I would bestow upon your worship; and my suit is, Laun. In very brief, the suit is impertinent to myself, as your worship shall know by this honest old man; and, though I say it, though old man, yet, poor man, my father. Bass. One speak for both;-What would you? Gob. This is the very defect of the matter, sir. ing on his palm.] if any man in Italy have a fairer table, which doth offer to swear upon a book.-I shall have good fortune; Go to, here's a simple line of life! here's a small trifle of wives: Alas, fifteen wives is nothing; eleven widows, and nine maids, is a simple coming in for one man: and then, to 'scape drowning thrice; and to be in peril of my life with the edge of a feather-bed ;-here are simple 'scapes! Well, if fortune be a woman, she's a good wench for this gear.-Father, come; I'll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling of an eye. [Exeunt Launcelot and Old Gobbo. Gra. Where is your master? Gra. Signior Bassanio, Gra. I have a suit to you. Yonder, sir, he walks. [Exit Leonardo. You have obtain'd it. Gra. You must not deny me; I must go with you to Belmont. Bass. Why, then you must;-But hear thee, Thou art too wild, too rude, and bold of voice ;- Something too liberal :-pray thee take pain Gra. Signior Bassanio, hear me : If I do not put on a sober habit, Bass. I would entreat you rather to put on me Gra. And I must to Lorenzo, and the rest ; But we will visit you at supper-time. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-The same. A Room in Shylock's House. Enter Jessica and Launcelot. Jes. I am sorry, thou wilt leave my father so; Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil, Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness. But fare thee well: there is a ducat for thee. And so farewell; I would not have my father Laun. Adieu !-tears exhibit my tongue.- A Street. [Exit. SCENE IV.-The same. 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 order'd; And better, in my mind, not undertook. Lor. 'Tis now but four o'clock; we have two To furnish us ;[hours 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. 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; go.Gentlemen, [Exit Launcelot. 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, 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; [Exeunt. 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. Laun. I beseech you, sir, go; my young master 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. Shy. What; are there masques? Hear you me, Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drum, Laun. Shy. The patch is kind enough; but a huge Snail-slow in profit, and he sleeps by day [feeder, 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; Do, as I bid you, [Exit. Shut doors after you: Fast bind, fast find; SCENE VI.-The same. Enter Gratiano and Salarino, masqued. [Exit.. Gra. This is the pent-house, under which LoDesir'd us to make stand. [renzo 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 hereafter. Lor. Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode; Not I, but my affairs, have made you wait: Enter Jessica, above, in boy's clothes. Jes. Who are you? Tell me, for more certainty, Jes. Lorenzo, certain; and my love, indeed; Lor. Heaven, and thy thoughts, are witness that thou art. Jes. Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains. Lor. Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer. Lor. So are you, sweet, For the close night doth play the run-away, Jes. I will make fast the doors, and gild myself Flourish of Cornets. Enter Portia, with the Prince of Morocco, and both their Trains. Por. Go, draw aside the curtains, and discover Mor. The first, of gold, who this inscription Who chooseth me, shall gain what many men desire. This casket threatens: Men, that hazard all, A golden mind stoops not to shows of dross; Was set in worse than gold. They have in England Lies all within.-Deliver me the key; Por. There, take it, prince, and if my form lie Then I am yours. [He unlocks the golden casket. A carrion death, within whose empty eye All that glisters is not gold, Cold, indeed; and labour lost: Then, farewell, heat; and, welcome, frost. Portia, adien! I have too griev'd a heart [Exit. Let all of his complexion choose me so. [Exeunt. Enter Salarino and Salanio. Salar. Why man, I saw Bassanio under sail; This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt;-With him is Gratiano gone along; Por. The one of them contains my picture, If you choose that, then I am yours withal. And in their ship, I am sure, Lorenzo is not. Who went with him to search Bassanio's ship. Mor. Some god direct my judgment! Let me see, But there the duke was given to understand, I will survey the inscriptions back again : What says this leaden casket? Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath. That in a gondola were seen together Salan. I never heard a passion so confus'd, Of double ducats, stol'n from me by my daughter! Salar. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him, Builds in the weather on the outward wall, O, that estates, degrees, and offices, Pick'd from the chaff and ruin of the times, Salan. You were best to tell Antonio what you Who chooseth me, shall get as much as he deserves: hear; Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him. Salor A kinder gentleman treads not the earth. And for the Jew's bond, which he hath of me, Be merry; and employ your chiefest thoughts He wrung Bassanio's hand, and so they parted. Do we so. [Exeunt. SCENE IX.-Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. Enter Nerissa, with a Servant. Ner. Quick, quick, I pray thee, draw the curtain straight; The prince of Arragon hath ta'en his oath, Flourish of Cornets. Enter the Prince of Arragon, Por. Behold, there stand the caskets, noble prince; If 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 enjoin'd 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 To my heart's hope !-Gold, silver, and base lead. Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath : You shall look fairer, ere I give, or hazard. What says the golden chest? ha! let me see :Who chooseth me, shall gain what many men desire. What many men desire. That many may be meant By the fool multitude, that choose by show, Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach; Which pries not to the interior, but, like the martlet, I will assume desert;-Give me a key for this, Por. Too long a pause for that which you find there. Ar. What's here? the portrait of a blinking idiot, Presenting me a schedule? I will read it. How much unlike art thou to Portia ? How much unlike my hopes, and my deservings? Who chooseth me, shall have as much as he deserves. Did I deserve no more than a fool's head? Is that my prize? are my deserts no better? Por. To offend, and judge, are distinct offices, And of opposed natures. Ar. What is here? 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, Sweet, adieu! I'll keep my oath, [Exeunt Arragon and Train. Ner. The ancient saying is no heresy ;- Serv. Where is my lady? A day in April never came so sweet, Por. No more, I pray thee; I am half afeard, [Exeunt. ACT III. 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, as ever knapp'd ginger, or made her neighbours believe 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 full stop. Salan. Ha,-what say'st thou ?-Why the is, he hath lost a ship. Salar. I would it might prove the end of losses! end his 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; 1, for my part, knew the tailor that made the wings she flew withal. Salan. And Shylock, for his own part, knew the bird was filedg'd; and then it is the complexion of them all to leave the dam. Shy. She is damn'd for it. I will execute: and it shall go hard, but I wil better the instruction. Enter a Servant. Serv. Gentlemen, my master Antonio is at his Salan. Here comes another of the tribe; a third Tub. I often came where I did hear of her, but cannot find her. 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 what lights o' my shoulders; no sighs, but o' my 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. I thank God, I thank God:-Is it true? is it true? Tub. I spoke with some of the sailors that escaped the wreck. Shy. I thank thee, good Tubal ;-Good news, good news: ha! ha!-Where? in Genoa ? Tub. Your daughter spent in Genoa, as I heard, Salar. That's certain, if the devil may be her one night, fourscore ducats! 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? I shall Shy. Thou stick'st a dagger in me: 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 turquoise; I had it of Leah, when I was bachelor: I would not have given it for a wilder 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 bondness of monkeys. 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? Tub. But Antonio is certainly undone. Shy. Nay, that's true, that's very true: Go, Tubal, fee me an officer, bespeak him a fortnight before: I will have the heart of him, if he forfeit ; for were he out of Venice, I can make what merchandize I will: Go, go, Tubal, and meet me at our synagogue; go, good Tubal; at our synagogue, [Exeunt. Attendants. The caskets are set out. 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 Tubal. at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, SCENE II.-Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. heated mine enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew: Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew Enter Bassanio, Portia, Gratiano, Nerissa, and hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same Por. I pray you, tarry; pause a day or two, weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed Before you hazard; for, in choosing wrong, by the same means, warmed and cooled by the I lose your company; therefore, forbear a while: same winter and summer, as a Christian is? if There's something tells me, (but it is not love,) you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do I would not lose you; and you know yourself," we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? Hate counsels not in such a quality: and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? if we But lest you should not understand me well, are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in (And yet a maiden hath no tongue but thought,) that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his I would detain you here some month or two, humility? revenge; If a Christian wrong a Jew, Before you venture for me. I could teach you, what should his sufferance be by Christian exam-How to choose right, but then I am forsworn; ple? why, revenge. The villainy, you teach me, So will I never be so may you miss me ; |