Gra. No, we shall ne'er win at that sport, and stake down.

But who comes here? Lorenzo, and his infidel?

What, and

my old Venetian friend, Solanio ?

Enter LORENZO, JESSICA, and SOLANIO, L.

Bass. [Crosses to Lor.] Lorenzo and Solanio, welcome hither,

If that the youth of my new interest here

Have power to bid you welcome :-by your leave,
I bid my very friends and countrymen,

Sweet Portia, welcome.

Por. So do I, my lord;

They are entirely welcome.

Lor. I thank your honour:-for my part, my lord, My purpose was not to have seen you here;

But meeting with Solanio by the way,

He did entreat me, past all saying nay,

To come with him along.

Sol. I did,

my lord,

And I have reason for it. Signior Antonio
Commends him to you.

[Gives Bassanio a letter; all retire but Bassanio and
Solanio.

Bass. Ere I ope his letter,

I pray you, tell me how my good friend doth.
Sol. Not sick, my lord, unless it be in mind
Nor well, unless in mind: his letter there
Will show you his estate.

Gra. Nerissa, cheer yon stranger; bid her welcome. Your hand, Solanio; what's the news from Venice? How doth that royal merchant, good Antonio?

I know he will be glad of our success:

We are the Jasons, we have won the fleece.

Sol. Would you had won the fleece that he hath lost!

[They retire up the Stage, R.

Por. There are some shrewd contents in that same pa

per,

That steal the colour from Bassanio's cheek:

Some dear friend dead; else nothing in the world
Could turn so much the constitution

Of any constant man. What, worse and worse?

[Crosses to him.

leave, Bassanio; I am half y urself,

I must freely have the half of anything this same paper brings you.

ss. Oh, sweet Portia,

e are a few of the unpleasant'st words,
ever blotted paper! Gentle lady,
en I did first impart my love to you,
ely told you, all the wealth I had
in my veins, I was a gentleman;
I then I told you true: and yet, dear lady,
ing myself at nothing, you shall see

w much I was a braggart. when I told you
state was nothing, I should then have told yɔu
at I was worse than nothing; for, indeed
ave engaged myself to a dear friend,
gaged my friend to his mere enemy,
feed my means. Here is a letter, lady;
e paper as the body of my friend,
and every word in it a gaping wound,
suing life-blood.—But is it true, Solanio?

[Solanio advances. ave all his ventures failed? What, not one hit? rom Tripolis, from Mexico, and England? nd not one vessel 'scape the dreadful touch f merchant-marring rocks?

Sol. (L.) Not one, my lord.

esides, it should appear, that if he had
he present money to discharge the Jew,
He would not take it. Never did I know
creature that did bear the shape of man,
o keen and greedy to confound a man:
He plies the Duke at morning and at night;
And doth impeach the freedom of the state,
f they deny him justice; twenty merchants,
The Duke himself, and the magnificoes
Of greatest port, have all persuaded with him;
But none can drive him from the envious plea
Of forfeiture, of justice, and his bond.

[Gratiano and Nerissa advance, R. Por. Is it your dear friend that is thus in trouble? Bass. The dearest friend to me, the kindest man,

The best conditioned and unwearied spirit

In doing courtesies; and one in whom
The ancient Roman honour more appears
Than any that draws breath in Italy.

Por. What sum owes he the Jew?
Bass. For me, three thousand ducats,
Por. What, no more?

Lorenzo advances L. of Bassanio.

Pay him six thousand, and deface the bond;
Double six thousand, and then treble that,
Before a friend of this description

Shall lose a hair through Bassanio's fault.
First, go with me to church and call me wife,
And then away to Venice to your friend;
For never shall you lie by Portia's side
With an unquiet soul. You shall have gold
Το pay the petty debt twenty times over:
When it is done, bring your true friend along:
My maid, Nerissa, and myself, meantime,
Will live as maids and widows. Come, away,
For you shall hence upon your wedding day.
But let me hear the letter of your friend.

Bass. [Reads.] "Sweet Bassanio, my ships have all miscarried, my creditors grow cruel, my estate is very low, my bond to the Jew is forfeit; and since, in paying it, it is impossible I should live, all debts are cleared between you and me. If I might but see you at my death: notwithstanding, use your pleasure: if your love do not persuade you to come, let not my letter."

Por. Oh, love, despatch all business, and be gone.
Bass. Since I have your good leave to go away,

I will make haste: but till I come again,

No bed shall e'er be guilty of my stay,
No rest be interposer 'twixt us twain.

SCENE III-A Street in Venice.

[Exeunt, R.

Enter SHYLOCK, ANTONIO, SALARINO, and GAOLer, l.

Shy. Gaoler, look to him;-tell not me of mercy;— This is the fool that lent out money gratis :-)

Gaoler, look to him.

Ant. Hear me yet, good Shylock.

Shy I'll have my bond; speak not against my bond;

ave sworn an oath that I will have

my

bond:

ou call'dst me dog, before thou had'st a cause; ■t, since I am a dog, beware my fangs :

he Duke shall grant me justice.—I do wonder.
nou naughty gaoler, that thou art so fond
o come abroad with him at his request.
Ant. I pray thee, hear me speak.

Shy. I'll have my bond; I will not hear thee speak : 11 have my bond; and therefore speak no more. ll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool,

"o shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield
To Christian intercessors. Follow not:
'll have no speaking;- I will have my bond.
Sala. It is the most impenetrable cur
That ever kept with men.

Ant. Let him alone;

I'll follow him no more with bootless prayers.
He seeks my life; his reason well I know:

I oft delivered from his forfeitures

Many that have at times made moan to me
Therefore he hates me.

Sala. I am sure, the Duke

Will never grant this forfeiture to hold

[Exit, R

Ant. The Duke cannot deny the course of law;
For the commodity that strangers have
With us in Venice, if it be denied,

Will much impeach the justice of the state;
Since that the trade and profit of the city
Consisteth of all nations. Therefore, go;
These griefs and losses have so 'bated me,
That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh
To-morrow to my bloody creditcr.—

[Crosses, L

Well, Gaoler, on:-Pray Heav'n Bassanio come

To see me pay this debt, and then I care not! [Exeunt, L.

SCENE IV.-Portia's House at Belmont.

Enter LORENZO, JESSICA, PORTIA, NERISSA, and BALT HAZAR, R.

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

In bearing thus the absence of your lord.

But if you knew to whom you show this hor pur,
How true a gentleman you send relief,

How dear a lover of my lord your husband,
I know you would be prouder of the work,
Than customary bounty can enforce you.
Por. I never did repent me doing good,
Nor shall not now:

This comes too near the praising of myself;
Therefore, no more of it: hear other things:
Lorenzo, I commit into your hands

The husbandry and manage of my house,
Until my lord's return: for mine own part,
I have toward heaven breathed a secret vow,
To live in prayer and contemplation,
Only attended by Nerissa here,

Until her husband and my lord's return:

There is a monastery two miles off,

And there we will abide. I do desire you

Not to deny this imposition;

The which my love, and some necessity,
Now lays upon you.

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 pleasea To wish it back on you: fare you well, Jessica.

Now, Balthazar,

[Exeunt Jessica and Lorenzo, .

[Balthazar advances, .

As I have ever found thee honest, true,

So let me find thee still: take this same letter,
And use thou all the endeavour of a man

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, Bring them, I pray thee, with imagined speed

Unto the tranect, to the common ferry