Go to, here’s a simple142 line of life,
here’s a small trifle143 of wives. Alas, fifteen wives is nothing!
Eleven widows and nine maids is a simple144 coming-in for one
man, and then to scape145 drowning thrice, and to be in peril
of my life with the edge of a feather-bed146. Here are simple
scapes147. Well, if Fortune be a woman, she’s a good wench for
this gear148. Father, come; I’ll take my leave of the Jew in the
twinkling.
Exit Clown [Lancelet with Old Gobbo]
BASSANIO I pray thee good Leonardo, think on this.
Gives a list
These things being bought and orderly bestowed151,
Return in haste, for I do feast152 tonight
My best-esteemed acquaintance. Hie thee, go.
LEONARDO My best endeavours shall be done herein154.
Enter Gratiano
GRATIANO Where’s your master?
LEONARDO Yonder, sir, he walks.
Exit
GRATIANO Signior Bassanio!
BASSANIO Gratiano!
GRATIANO I have a suit to you.
BASSANIO You have obtained it160.
GRATIANO You must not deny me. I must go with you to
Belmont.
BASSANIO Why then you must. But hear thee, Gratiano,
Thou art too wild, too rude164 and bold of voice,
Parts165 that become thee happily enough
And in such eyes as ours appear not faults;
But where they are not known, why, there they show167
Something too liberal168. Pray thee take pain
To allay169 with some cold drops of modesty
Thy skipping170 spirit, lest through thy wild behaviour
I be misconstered171 in the place I go to,
And lose my hopes.
GRATIANO Signior Bassanio, hear me:
If I do not put on a sober habit174,
Talk with respect and swear but175 now and then,
Wear prayer-books in my pocket, look demurely,
Nay more, while grace is saying177, hood mine eyes
Thus with my hat, and sigh and say ‘Amen’,
Covers his face
Use all the observance of civility,
Like one well studied in a sad ostent180
To please his grandam181, never trust me more.
BASSANIO Well, we shall see your bearing.
GRATIANO Nay, but I bar183 tonight. You shall not gauge me
By what we do tonight.
BASSANIO No, that were pity.
I would entreat you rather to put on
Your boldest suit of mirth, for we have friends
That purpose188 merriment. But fare you well.
I have some business.
GRATIANO And I must to Lorenzo and the rest,
But we will visit you at suppertime.
Exeunt
[Act 2 Scene 3]
running scene 6
Enter Jessica and the Clown [Lancelet]
JESSICA 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.
Gives money
And, Lancelet, soon at supper shalt thou see
Lorenzo, who is thy new master’s guest:
Give him this letter. Do it secretly.
Gives a letter
And so farewell. I would not have my father
See me talk with thee.
LANCELET Adieu! Tears exhibit10 my tongue, most beautiful
pagan, most sweet Jew! If a Christian did not play the knave
and get12 thee, I am much deceived; but adieu. These foolish
drops do somewhat drown my manly spirit. Adieu.
Exit
JESSICA Farewell, good Lancelet.
Alack, what heinous sin is it in me
To be ashamed to be my father’s child!
But though I am a daughter to his blood,
I am not to his manners18. O Lorenzo,
If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife19,
Become a Christian and thy loving wife.
Exit
[Act 2 Scene 4]
running scene 7
Enter Gratiano, Lorenzo, Salerio and Solanio
LORENZO Nay, we will slink away in1 suppertime,
Disguise us at my lodging and return
All in an hour.
GRATIANO We have not made good preparation.
SALERIO We have not spoke us yet of5 torchbearers.
SOLANIO ’Tis vile6, unless it may be quaintly ordered,
And better in my mind not undertook.
LORENZO ’Tis now but four of clock. We have two hours
To furnish us9.—Friend Lancelet, what’s the news?
Enter Lancelet, with a letter
LANCELET An10 it shall please you to break up this,
Gives him the letter
shall it seem to signify11.
LORENZO I know the hand12. In faith, ’tis a fair hand,
And whiter than the paper it writ on
Is the fair hand that writ.
GRATIANO Love-news, in faith.
LANCELET By your leave16, sir.
Starts to leave
LORENZO Whither goest thou?
LANCELET Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to sup18
tonight with my new master the Christian.
LORENZO Hold here, take this. Tell gentle Jessica
Gives money
I will not fail her. Speak it privately.
Go22, gentlemen,
Will you prepare you for this masque23 tonight?
I am provided of24 a torchbearer.
Exit Clown [Lancelet]
SALERIO Ay, marry, I’ll be gone about it straight.
SOLANIO And so will I.
LORENZO Meet me and Gratiano
At Gratiano’s lodging some28 hour hence.
SALERIO ’Tis good we do so.
Exit [Salerio with Solanio]
GRATIANO Was not that letter from fair Jessica?
LORENZO I must needs31 tell thee all. She hath directed
How I shall take her from her father’s house,
What gold and jewels she is furnished with,
What page’s suit she hath in readiness.
If e’er the Jew her father come to heaven,
It will be for his gentle36 daughter’s sake;
And never dare misfortune cross her foot37,
Unless she38 do it under this excuse,
That she39 is issue to a faithless Jew.
Come, go with me, peruse this as thou goest.
Gives the letter
Fair Jessica shall be my torchbearer.
Exeunt
[Act 2 Scene 5]
running scene 8
Enter [Shylock the] Jew and [Lancelet,] his man that was, the Clown
SHYLOCK Well, thou shall see, thy eyes shall be thy judge,
The difference of2 old Shylock and Bassanio.—
What, Jessica!—Thou shalt not gormandize3
As thou hast done with me—What, Jessica!—
And sleep and snore, and rend apparel out5—
Why, Jessica, I say!
LANCELET Why, Jessica!
SHYLOCK Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call.
LANCELET Your worship was wont9 to tell me
I could do nothing without bidding.
Enter Jessica
JESSICA Call you? What is your will?
SHYLOCK I am bid forth12 to supper, Jessica.
There are my keys. But wherefore13 should I go?
I am not bid for love, they flatter me.
But yet I’ll go in hate, to feed upon15
The prodigal16 Christian. Jessica, my girl,
Look to17 my house. I am right loath to go.
There is some ill18 a-brewing towards my rest,
For I did dream of money-bags tonight19.
LANCELET I beseech you, sir, go. My young master doth expect20
your reproach21.
SHYLOCK So do I his.
LANCELET An 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-bleeding25 on Black Monday last at
six o’clock i’th’morning, falling out that year on Ash
Wednesday was four year, in th’afternoon.
SHYLOCK What, are there masques? Hear you me, Jessica:
Lock up my doors, and when you hear the drum
And the vile squealing of the wry-necked30 fife,
Clamber not you up to the casements31 then,
Nor thrust your head into the public street
To gaze on Christian fools with varnished faces33,
But stop34 my house’s ears, I mean my casements.
Let not the sound of shallow fopp’ry35 enter
My sober house. By Jacob’s staff36, I swear,
I have no mind of37 feasting forth tonight,
But I will go. Go you before me, sirrah,
Say I will come.
LANCELET I will go before, sir.—Mistress, look out
Aside to Jessica
at window, for41 all this,
There will come a Christian by,
Will be worth a Jewès eye43.
[Exit Lancelet]
SHYLOCK What says that fool of Hagar’s offspring44, ha?
JESSICA His words were ‘Farewell mistress’, nothing else.
SHYLOCK The patch46 is kind enough, but a huge feeder,
Snail-slow in profit47, but he sleeps by day
More than the wild-cat. Drones48 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.
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