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.' [Exeunt.

460

SCENE III.

A Street in Venice. Enter SHYLOCK, SALANIO, AN.

THONIO, and the Gaoler, Shy. Gaoler, look to him;- Tell not me of

mercy;
This is the fool that lent out money gratis :-
Gaoler, look to himi.

Anth. Hear me yet, good. Shylock.
Shy. I'll have my bond ;' speak not against my

bond;
I have sworn an oată, that I will have my bond :
Thou call’dst me dog, before thou had'st a cause;
But, since I am a dog, beware my fangs :
The duke shall grant me justice.--I do wonder, 470
Thou naughty gaoler, that thou art so fond
To come abroad with him at his request.

Anth. I pray thee, hear me speak.
- Sly. I'll have my bond ; I will not hear thee

speak :
I'll have my bond; and therefore speak no more.
I'll not be made a soft and dull-ey'd fool,
To sbake the head, relent, and sigh, an 1 yield
To Christian intercessors. Follow not ;

I'll have no speaking ; I will have my bond.

[Exit SHYLOCK. Sal. It is the most impenetrable cur,

480 That ever kept with men.

Anth. Let liim alone;
I'll follow him no more with bootless prayers.
He seeks my life ; his reason well I know ;
I oft deliver'd from his forfeitures
Many that bave at times made moan to me,
Therefore he hates me.

Sal. I am sure, the duke
Will never grant this forfeiture to hold.

Anth. The duke cannot deny the course of law,
For the commodity that strangers have

491 With us in Venice; if it be deny'd, Will much impeach the justice of the state; Since that the trade and profit of the city Consistețh.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 creditor.--Well, gaoler, on :-Pray, God, Bassanio come To see me pay his debt, and then I care not ! 500

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

510

Belmont. Enter Portia, Nerissa, LORENZO, JES.

SICA, 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
In bearing thus the absence of your

lord.
But, if you knew to whom you shew this honour,
How true a gentleinan you send relief,
How dear a lover of

iny
lord

your husband, I know, you would be prouder of the work, Than customary bounty can enforce you.

Por. I never did repent for doing good,
Nor shall not now: for in companions
That do converse and waste the time together,
Whose souls do bear an equal yoke of love,
There must needs be a like proportion
Of lineaments, of manners, and of spirit;
Which makes ine think, that this Anthonio,
Being the bosom lover of iny lord,
Must needs be like my lord : If it be so,
How little is the cost I have bestow'd,
In purchasing the semblance of my

soul
From out the state of hellish cruelty ?
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,

520

Until my lord's return : for mine own part,
I have toward heaven breath'd a secret vow,
To live in prayer and contemplation,
Only attended by Nerissa here,
Until her husband and my lord's return : 530
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.
Lør. Madam, with all

my
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.

510 So fare you well, till we shall meet again.

Lor. Fair thoughts, and happy hours attend on

heart ;

you !

Jes. I wish your ladyship all heart's content.

Por. I thank you for your wish, and am well pleas'd To wish it back on you : fare you well, Jessica.-

- [ Exeunt JESSICA, and LORENZO. Now, Balthazar, 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

550 Into my cousin's hand, doctor Bellario ; And, look, what notes and garments, he doth give thee, нііі

Bring

Bring them, I pray thee, with imagin'd speed
Unto the traject, to the common ferry
Which trades to Venice :-waste no time in words,
But get thee gone; I shall be there before thee.
Balth. Madam, I go with all convenient speed.

[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.

560 Ner. Shall they see us ?

Por. They shall, Nerissa; but in such a habit, That they shall think we are accomplished With what we lack. I'll hold thee any wager, When we are both apparell'd like young men, I'll prove the prettier fellow of the two, And wear my dagger with the braver grace ; And speak, between the change of man and boy, With a reed voice; and turn two mincing steps Into a manly stride ; and speak of frays, 570 Like a fine bragging youth : and tell quaint lies, How honourable ladies sought iny love, Which I denying, they fell sick and dy'd; I could not do with all ;--then I'll repent, And wish, for all that, that I had not kill'd thein : And twenty of these puny lies I'll tell, That men shall swear, I have discontinued school Above a twelvemonth :-) have within my mind A thousand raw tricks of these bragging jacks, Which I will practise.

580 Ner. Why, shall we turn to men ?

Por.