Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate Gra. O upright judge!-Mark, Jew;-O learned judge! Por. Thyself shalt see the act : For, as thou urgest justice, be assur'd, Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desir'st. Gra. O learned judge!-Mark, Jew;-a learned judge i Shy. I take this offer then ;-pay the bond thrice, And let the Christian go. Bass. Here is the money. Por. Soft; The Jew shall have all justice ;-soft!—no haste Gra. O Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge! : Of one poor scruple; nay, if the scale do turn Thou diest, and all thy goods are confiscate. Now, infidel, I have thee on the hip. Por. Why doth the Jew pause? take thy forfeiture. Shy Why then the devil give him good of it! Por. Tarry, Jew; The law hath yet another hold on you. It is enacted in the laws of Venice, If it be prov'd against an alien, That by direct, or indirect attempts, He seek the life of any citizen, The party, 'gainst the which he doth contrive, Gra. Beg, that thou may'st have leave to hang thyself: And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state, Thou hast not left the value of a cord; Therefore, thou must be hang'd at the state's charge. For half thy wealth, it is Antonio's ; Por. Ay, for the state; not for Antonio. : Por. What mercy can you render him, Antonio? Gra. A halter gratis; nothing else; for God's sake. Ant. So please my lord the duke, and all the court, To quit the fine for one half of his goods; I am content, so he will let me have The other half in use,-to render it, Upon his death, unto the gentleman Two things provided more,-That, for this favour, The other, that he do record a gift, Here in the court, of all he dies possess'd, Unto his son Lorenzo, and his daughter. Duke. He shall do this; or else I do recant The pardon, that I late pronounced here. [7] Antonio's offer is, "that he will quit the fine for one half of his fortune, provided that he will let him have it at interest during the Jew's life, to render it on his death to Lorenzo." M. MASON. Por. Art thou contented, Jew, what dost thou say? Por. Clerk, draw a deed of gift. Shy. I pray you, give me leave to go from hence; I am not well; send the deed after me, And I will sign it. Duke. Get thee gone, but do it. Gra. In christening thou shalt have two godfathers; Had I been judge, thou should'st have had ten more, To bring thee to the gallows, not the font. [Exit SHY. Duke. Sir, I entreat you home with me to dinner. I must away this night toward Padua, And it is meet, I presently set forth. Duke. I am sorry, that your leisure serves you not. -Antonio, gratify this gentleman; For, in my mind, you are much bound to him. [Exe. Duke, Magnificoes, and Train. Por. He is well paid, that is well satisfied; Bass. Dear sir, of force I must attempt you further i Por. You press me far, and therefore I will yield. Bass. This ring, good sir,-alas, it is a trifle; THEOB. And now, methinks, I have a mind to it. Bass. There's more depends on this, than on the value. The dearest ring in Venice will I give you, And find it out by proclamation; Only for this, I pray you, pardon me. Por. I see, sir, you are liberal in offers: Bass. 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. Por. 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, For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you! [Exe. PORTIA and NERISSA. Bass. Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him, Fly toward Belmont: Come, Antonio. SCENE II. [Ex. GRA. [Exeunt. The same. A Street. Enter PORTIA and NERISSA. Por. Inquire the Jew's house out, give him this deed, And let him sign it; we'll away to-night, And be a day before our husbands home : This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo. Gra. Fair sir, you are well overtaken : Hath sent you here this ring; and doth entreat Por. That cannot be : This ring I do accept most thankfully, And So, I pray you, tell him: Furthermore, Gra. That I will do. 1 Ner. Sir, I would speak with you : I'll see if I can get my husband's ring, [TO PORTIA. Which I did make him swear to keep for ever. Por. Thou may'st, I warrant; We shall have old swearing, That they did give the rings away to men; But we'll outface them, and outswear them too. Away, make haste; thou know'st where I will tarry. Ner. Come, good sir, will you show me to this house? [Exeunt. ACT V. SCENE I.-Belmont. Avenue to PORTIA's House. Enter LORENZO and JESSICA. Lorenzo. THE moon shines bright :-In such a night as this, Jes. In such a night, Did Thisbe fearfully o'er-trip the dew; And saw the lion's shadow ere himself, And ran dismay'd away. Lor. In such a night, Stood Dido with a willow in her hand Upon the wild sea-banks, and wav'd her love To come again to Carthage. Jes. In such a night, Medea gather'd the enchanted herbs Lor. In such a night, Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew: And with an unthrift love did run from Venice, As far as Belmont. Jes. And in such a night, Did young Lorenzo swear he lov'd her well; Stealing her soul with many vows of faith, Lor. And in such a night, Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew, Slander her love, and he forgave it her. |