Enter SALARINO and SALANIO. Salar. Why, man, I saw Bassanio under sail; With him is Gratiano gone along; And in their ship, I am sure, Lorenzo is not. Salan. The villain Jew with outcries raised the duke; Who went with him to search Bassanio's ship. Salar. He came too late; the ship was under sail; But there the duke was given to understand, That in a gondola were seen together Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica. my ducats!-0 my daughter! Fled with a Christian!-O my Christian ducats!Justice! The law! My ducats, and my daughter! A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats, Of double ducats, stolen from me by my daughter! And jewels; two stones, two rich and precious stones, Stolen by my daughter! Justice! Find the girl! She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats! Salar. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him, Crying, his stones, his daughter, and his ducats. Salan. Let good Antonio look he keep his day, Or he shall pay for this. Salar. Marry, well remembered. 1 Conversed. The French and English, there miscarried I thought upon Antonio, when he told me, Salan. You were best to tell Antonio what you hear; Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him. Salar. A kinder gentleman treads not the earth. Bassanio told him, he would make some speed He wrung Bassanio's hand, and so they parted. I And quicken his embraced heaviness With some delight or other. Salar. Do we so. [Exeunt. SCENE IX. Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. Enter NERISSA, with a Servant. Ner. Quick, quick, I pray thee, draw the curtain straight; The prince of Arragon hath ta'en his oath, And comes to his election presently. 1 To slubber is to do a thing carelessly. 2 Shows, tokens. Flourish of Cornets. Enter the Prince of Arragon, PORTIA, and their Por. Behold, there stand the caskets, noble prince. Ar. I am enjoined by oath to observe three things. First, never to unfold to any one Which casket 'twas I chose; next, if I fail Por. To these injunctions every one doth swear, That comes to hazard for my worthless self. Ar. And so have I addressed1 me. Fortune now To my heart's hope!-Gold, silver, and base lead. Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath. You shall look fairer, ere I give, or hazard. What says the golden chest? Ha! let me see.Who chooseth me, shall gain what many men desire. What many men desire. That many may be meant By the fool multitude, that choose by show, 2 Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach; Which pries not to the interior, but, like the martlet, Builds in the weather on the outward wall, 3 Even in the force and road of casualty. I will not choose what many men desire, 1 Prepared. 2 By and of, being synonymous, were used by our ancestors indifferently; Malone has adduced numerous instances of the use of by, in all of which, by substituting of, the sense is rendered clear to the modern reader. 3 Power. 4 To jump is to agree with. Tell me once more what title thou dost bear. Who chooseth me, shall get as much as he deserves; Without the stamp of merit? Let none presume O, that estates, degrees, and offices, Were not derived corruptly; and that clear honor Por. Too long a pause for that which you find there. Ar. What's here? the portrait of a blinking idiot, Presenting me a schedule. I will read it. How much unlike art thou to Portia ! How much unlike my hopes, and my deservings! Is that my prize? Are my deserts no better? Ar. What is here? The fire seven times tried this; Silvered o'er; and so was this. 1 The meaning is, how much meanness would be found among the great, and how much greatness among the mean. 2 Know. Take what wife you will to bed,1 Still more fool I shall appear Sweet, adieu! I'll keep my oath, Patiently to bear my wroath.2 [Exeunt Arragon, and Train. Por. Thus hath the candle singed the moth. O these deliberate fools! when they do choose, They have the wisdom by their wit to lose. Ner. The ancient saying is no heresy.— Hanging and wiving goes by destiny. Por. Come, draw the curtain, Nerissa. Enter a Servant. Serv. Where is my lady? Por. Here; what would my lord? Serv. Madam, there is alighted at your gate A young Venetian, one that comes before To wit, besides commends, and courteous breath, A day in April never came so sweet, Por. No more, I pray thee. I am half afeard, 1 The poet had forgotten that he who missed Portia was never to marry any other woman. 2 Wroath is used in some of the old writers for misfortune, and is often spelled like ruth. 3 Salutations. |