SCENE IV.-Belmont. A Room in Portia's House Enter PORTIA, NERISSA, LORENZO, JESSICA, and BALTHAZAR. Lor. Madam, although I speak it in your presence, You have a noble and a true conceit Of god-like amity, which appears most strongly But, if you knew to whom you shew this honour, The husbandry and manage of my house, I have toward heaven breathed a secret vow, Only attended by Nerissa here, Until her husband and my lord's return: And there we will abide. I do desire you, Not to deny this imposition; The which my love, and some necessity, Lor. Madam, with all my heart; I shall obey you in all fair commands. Por. My people do already know my mind, And will acknowledge you and Jessica In place of lord Bassanio and myself. So fare you well, till we shall meet again. Lor. Fair thoughts and happy hours attend on you! Jes. I wish your ladyship all heart's content. Por. I thank you for your wish, and am well pleased To wish it back on you: fare you well, Jessica. Now, Balthazar, [Exeunt Jessica and Lorenzo. As I have ever found thee honest, true, So let me find thee still: Take this same letter, In speed to Padua; see thou render this Into my cousin's hand, doctor Bellario; And, look, what notes and garments he doth give thee, Which trades to Venice-waste no time in words, [Exit. Por. Come on, Nerissa; I have work in hand, That you yet know not of: we'll see our husbands Before they think of us. Ner. Shall they see us? That men shall swear, I have discontinued school Ner. Why, shall we turn to men ?' Por. Fy! what a question's that, If thou wert near a lewd interpreter ? 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-da SCENE V. The same. A Garden. Enter LAUNCELOT and JESSICA. Laun. Yes, truly:-for, look you, the sins of the father are to be laid upon the children; therefore, I promise you, I fear you. I was always plain with you, and so now I speak my agitation of the matter: Therefore, be of good cheer; for, truly, I think, you are damned. There is but one hope in it that can do any good; and that is but a kind of bastard hope neither. Jes. And what hope is that, I pray thee? Laun. Marry, you may partly hope that your father got you not, that you are not the Jew's daughter. Jes. That were a kind of bastard hope, indeed; so the sins of my mother should be visited upon me. Laun. Truly then I fear you are damned both by father and mother: thus when I shun Scylla, your father, I fall into Charybdis, your mother: well, you are gone both ways. Jes. I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me a Christian. Laun. Truly, the more to blame he: we were Christians enough before; e'en as many as could well live, one by another. This making of Christians will raise the price of hogs; if we grow all to be pork-eaters, we shall not shortly have a rasher on the coals for money. Enter LORENZO. Jes. I'll tell my husband, Launcelot, what you say; here he comes. Lor. I shall grow jealous of you shortly, Launcelot, if you thus get my wife into corners. Jes. Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo: Launcelot and I are out. He tells me flatly, there is no mercy for me in heaven, because I am a Jew's daughter: and he says, you are no good member of the commonwealth; for, in converting Jews to Christians, you raise the price of pork. Lo. I shall answer that better to the commonwealth than you can the getting up of the negro's belly; the Moor is with child by you, Launcelot. Laun. It is much, that the Moor should be more than reason but if she be less than an honest woman, she is, indeed, more than I took her for. Lor. How every fool can play upon the word! I think, the best grace of wit will shortly turn into silence; and discourse grow commendable in none only but parrots.-Go in, sirrah; bid them prepare for dinner. Laun. That is done, sir; they have all stomachs. Lor. Goodly lord, what a wit-snapper are you! then bid them prepare dinner. Laun. That is done too, sir; only, cover is the Lor. Will you cover then, sir ? [word. Laun. Not so, sir, neither; I know my duty. Lor. Yet more quarrelling with occasion! Wilt thou shew 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 to dinner, sir, why, let it be as humours and conceits shall govern. [Exit. Lor. O dear discretion, how his words are suited! An army of good words: And I do know Defy the matter. How cheer'st thou, Jessica ? And Portia one, there must be something else Lor. Even such a husband Hast thou of me, as she is for a wife. Jes. Nay, but ask my opinion too of that. Lor. I will anon; first, let us go to dinner. Jes. Nay, let me praise you while I have a stomach. Then, howsoe'er thou speak'st, 'mong other things Jes. Well, I'll set you forth. ACT IV SCENE I.-Venice. A Court of Justice. Enter the DUKE, the Magnificoes ; ANTONIO, Duke. What, is Antonio here? Duke. I am sorry for thee; thou art come to answer From any dram of mercy. Ant. I have heard, Your grace hath ta'en great pains to qualify Ilis rigorous course; but since he stands obdurate, Out of his envy's reach, I do oppose My patience to his fury; and am arm'd The very tyranny and rage of his. Duke. Go one, and call the Jew into the court. Salan. He's ready at the door: he comes, my lord. Enter SHYLOCK. Duke. Make room, and let him stand before our face. Shylock, the world thinks, and I think so too, Thou 'It shew thy mercy, and remorse, more strange And where thou now exact'st the penalty, (Which is a pound of this poor merchant's flesh,) But, touch'd with human gentleness and love, Glancing an eye of pity on his losses, That have of late so huddled on his back; Enough to press a royal merchant down, And pluck commiseration of his state From brassy bosoms, and rough hearts of flint, We all expect a gentle answer, Jew. |