And find it out by proclamation:

Only for this, I pray you, pardon me.

PORTIA.

I see, sir, you are liberal in offers:

You taught me first to beg; and now methinks
You teach me how a beggar should be answer'd.

BASSANIO.

Good sir, this ring was given me by my wife;
And, when she put it on, she made me vow
That I should neither sell nor give nor lose it.

PORTIA.

That 'scuse serves many men to save their gifts.
An if your wife be not a mad-woman,
And know how well I have deserv'd this ring,
She would not hold out enemy for ever

For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you!

(The same business has passed, in dumb show between NERISSA and GRATIANO as between BASSANIO and PORTIA.)

ANTONIO.

My Lord Bassanio, let him have the ring:
Let his deservings, and my love withal,
Be valu'd 'gainst your wife's commandment.

BASSANIO.

(Pulling off ring, which he gives to ANTONIO.)

Give him the ring;

And in the morning early will we three

Fly toward Belmont: come, Antonio.

(EXEUNT BASSANIO, ANTONIO and GRATIANO, R. F. E. PORTIA and NERISSAbetween laughter and indignation-come down R., to look after them; then turn and EXEUNT R. U. E. as

CURTAIN.

END OF FOURTH ACT.

FIFTH ACT.

Scene, Belmont; A Garden to the House of PORTIA. Time, Toward Midnight.

Bright Moonlight, which is, for a short while, obscured by drifting clouds.

The entire Stage is backed by a Cyclorama which represents the night sky, studded with stars.

At Back is a wide Marble Stairway, leading down, backward from the Stage, to a lower level of Garden-of which the Shrubbery, &c., is visible.

At Right and Left of Stairway are curved Marble Seats, elevated above stagelevel. These are backed by Box Hedges which extend off-Stage, R. and L.

At R. and L. Tormentors there are Draperies, and on both sides, square Marble Pillars. Between these and the Seats (masked by the Hedges) spaces for En

trances.

In Center of Stage, near Front, an elevated Marble Sun Dial.

DISCOVERED, as the Curtains open, THE JESTER, seated C., upon base of Sun Dial his Bauble beside him upon the ground.

JESTER.

(Singing and accompanying himself upon Lute.) It was a lover and his lass,

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,

That o'er the green corn-field did pass

In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding:
Sweet lovers love the spring.

Between the acres of the rye,

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
These pretty country folks would lie,

In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding:
Sweet lovers love the spring.

(AS JESTER is finishing second stanza of Song, LORENZO and JESSICA ENTER, coming through opening down-Stage R. JESSICA carries in her arms many red and yellow Roses: JESTER, perceiving them, scrambles to his feet and gets silently to L. of Sun Dial, where, concealed by it, he crouches, watching them. The lovers advance; LORENZO stops JESSICA, laying a hand upon one of her arms; she turns to him; they are standing R. C.; they embrace, then kiss. JESTER, grimacing and laughing, darts forward from his concealment L. of Sun Dial; dances around them; then, still laughing, rushes off, L. F. E., to HOUSE.)

LORENZO.

(After watching JESTER off, turns; looks
toward Back, then, as he speaks, up-
ward toward Sky.)

The moon shines bright:-in such a night as this,
When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees,

And they did make no noise,-in such a night
Troilus methinks mounted the Trojan walls,
And sigh'd his soul toward the Grecian tents,
Where Cressid lay that night.

JESSICA.

In such a night

Did Thisbe fearfully o'ertrip the dew,
And saw the lion's shadow ere himself,
And ran dismay'd away.

(They are moving toward R.)

LORENZO.

In such a night

Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew,

And with an unthrift love did run from Venice
As far as Belmont.

JESSICA.

And in such a night

Did young Lorenzo swear he lov'd her well,
Stealing her soul with many vows of faith,
And ne'er a true one.

LORENZO.

And in such a night

Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew,
Slander her love, and he forgave it her.

JESSICA.

I would out-night you, did no body come;
But, hark, I hear the footing of a man.

(Music ceases.)

(ENTER, up Stairs C., at Back, STEPHANO.

As he comes on, RE-ENTER L. F. E., as