Shy. Ay, ay: three thousand ducats.

Ant. (c.) And for three months.

Shy. I had forgot-three months, you told me so.

[To Bass. Well, then, your bond;-[To Ant.]-and let me see-(c.) but hear you;

Methought you said, you neither lend, nor borrow,
Upon advantage.

Ant. I do never use it.

Shy. When Jacob grazed his uncle Laban's sheepThis Jacob from our holy Abraham was

(As his wise mother wrought in his behalf,)

The third possessor; ay, he was the third.

Ant. And what of him? did he take interest?

Shy. No, not take interest; not, as you would say, Directly interest: mark what Jacob did.

When Laban and himself were compromised,

That all the eanlings which were streaked and pied
Should fall as Jacob's hire,

The skilful shepherd peeled me certain wands,
And, in the doing of the deed of kind,

He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes;
Who, then conceiving, did in eaning time

Fall party-coloured lambs, and those were Jacob's.
This was a way to thrive, and he was blest;
And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not.

[Crusses to B. Ant. This was a venture, sir, that Jacob served for;

A thing not in his power to bring to pass,

But swayed and fashioned by the hand of Heaven:
Was this inserted to make interest good?

Or is your gold and silver, ewes and rams?

purpose.

Shy. (R.) I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast.
Ant. [Apart to Bass., L.] Mark you this, Bassanio,
The devil can cite Scripture for his
An evil soul, producing holy witness,
Is like a villain with a smiling cheek;
A goodly apple rotten at the heart:

Oh, what a goodly outside falsehood hath! [Goes up stage.
Shy. [Musing, R.] Three thousand ducats-'Tis a good

round sum.

Three months from twelve, then let me see the rate.
Ant. Well, Shylock, shall we be beholden to you?

hy. [Slowly turning towards Ant.] Signior Antor.io, many a time and oft,

the Rialto you have rated me

out my moneys, and my usances:
I have I borne it with a patient shrug;
r sufferance is the badge of all our tribe.
u call me—misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
d spit upon my Jewish gabardine,

ad all for use of that which is mine own.

[Advances nearer. ell, then, it now appears you need my help: o to, then; you come to me, and you say, Shylock, we would have moneys:" You say so; ou, that did void your rheum upon my beard, nd foot me, as you spurn a stranger cur ver your threshold: moneys is your suit. What should I say to you? Should I not say, Hath a dog money? Is it possible

A cur can lend three thousand ducats ?" or
Shall I bend low, and, in a bondman's key,
With 'bated breath, and whispering humbleness,
Say this-

Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last;
You spurned me such a day; another time
You called me-dog; and for these courtesies
I'll lend you thus much moneys."

Ant. I am as like to call thee so again,
To spit on thee again, to spurn thee, too.
If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not

As to thy friends; (for when did friendship take
A breed for barren metal of his friend?)

But lend it rather to thine enemy;

Who, if he break, thou may'st with better face
Exact the penalty.

Shy. (R. C.) Why, look you, how

you storm!
I would be friends with you, and have your love,
Forget the shames that you have stained me with,
Supply your present wants, and take no doit

Of usance for my moneys, and you'll not hear me :
This is kind I offer.

Ant. This were kindness.

Shy. This kindness will I show:

[Crosses, R.

Go with me to a notary, seal me there
Your single bond; and, in a merry sport,
If y you repay me not on such a day,

In such a place, such sum or sums as are
Expressed in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound

Of your

fair flesh, to be cut off and taken In what part of your body pleaseth me.

Ant. Content, in faith: I'll seal to such a bond And say, there is rauch kindness in the Jew.

Bass. You shall not seal to such a bond for me, I'd rather dwell in my necessity.

Ant. Why, fear not, man; I will not forfeit it; Within these two months, that's a month before This bond expires, I do expect return

Of thrice three times the value of this bond.

[Ant. and Bass. retire, In Shy. (R.) Oh, father Abraham, what these Christians

are;

Whose own hard dealing teaches them to suspect
The thoughts of others!-Pray you, tell me this;
[They advance.

If he should break his day, what should I gain
By the exaction of the forfeiture ?
A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man,
Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say,
To buy his favour, I extend this friendship;
If he will take it, so; if not, adieu;
And, for my love, I pray you wrong me not.
Ant. Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond.
Shy. Then meet me forthwith at the notary's;
Give him direction for this merry bond,
And I will go and purse the ducats straight;
See to my house, left in the fearful guard

Of an unthrifty knave; and presently

I will be with you.

Ant. Hie thee, gentle Jew.

[Exit Shylock, R.

This Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind.
Bass. (L.) I like not fair terms, and a villain s mind.
Ant. (L.) Come on; in this there can be no dismay,
My ships come home a month before the day. 'Exeunt,

ACT II.

SCENE I.-A Street in Venice.

Enter LAUNCELOT GOBBO, from L. D. F.

66

Laun. (c.) Certainly, my conscience will serve me to n from this Jew, my master: the fiend is at mine elbow, 1 tempts me, saying to me, " Gobbo, Launcelot Cobbo, od Launcelot, or good Gobbo, or good Launcelot Gob, use your legs, take the start, run away." My conience says "No; take heed, honest Launcelot; take ed, honest Gobbo; or," as aforesaid, "honest Launcet Gobbo; do not run; scorn running with thy heels."Well, the most courageous fiend bids me pack; via! says e fiend; away, says the fiend; for the heavens rouse up brave mind, says the fiend, and run. Well, my concience, hanging about the neck of my heart, says very visely to me- 'my honest friend Launcelot, being an honest man's son"'—or rather an honest woman's son ;For, indeed, my father did something smack, something grow to, he had a kind of taste;—well, my conscience says-" Launcelot, budge not ;" "budge," says the fiend; budge not," says my conscience. Conscience, say I, you counsel well; fiend, say I, you counsel well; to be ruled by my conscience, I should stay with the Jew, my master, who, Heaven bless the mark! is a kind of devil; and, to run away from the Jew, I should be ruled by the fiend, who, saving your reverence, is the devil himself: certainly, the Jew is the very devil incarnation, and, in my conscience, my conscience is but a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel me to stay with the Jew: the fiend gives the more friendly counsel! I will run; fiend, my heels are at your commander ent, I will run. Going, R. Gob. [Without, R.] Master, young man, you, I pray you, which is the way to master Jew's?

I

Laun. Oh, heavens, this is my true begotten father! who, being more than sand-blind, high-gravel blind, knows me not-I will try conclusions with him.

4

Enter OLD GOBBO, R., with a basket.

Gob. (R.) Master, young gentleman, I pray you, which is the way to master Jew's?

Laun. (R.) Turn up on your right hand, at the next turning, but, at the next turning of all, on your left : marry, at the very next turning, turn of no hand, but turn down indirectly to the Jew's house.

Gob. 'Twill be a hard way to hit. Can you tell me whether one Launcelot, that dwells with him, dwell with him, or no?

Laun. Talk you of young master Launcelot? [Aside.] Mark me now: now will I raise the waters :-Talk you of young master Launcelot ?

Gob. No master, sir, but a poor man's son; his father, though I say it, is an honest, exceeding poor man, and, Heaven be thanked, well to live.

Laun. Well, let his father be what he will, we talk of young master Launcelot.

Gob. Of Launcelot, an't please your mastership.

Laun. Ergo, master Launcelot;-talk not of master Launcelot, father; for the young gentleman (according to fates and destinies, and such odd sayings, the sisters three, and such branches of learning,) is, indeed, deceas ed; or, as you would say, in plain terms, gone to heaven. Gob. Marry, Heaven forbid ! the boy was the very staff of my age, my very prop.

Laun. Do I look like a cudgel, or a hovel-post, a staff, or a prop ?-Do you know me, father?

Gob. Alack the day, I know you not, young gentleman: but, I pray you, tell me, is my boy (Heaven rest his soul!)

alive or dead?

Laun. Do you not know me, father?

Gob. Álack, sir, I am sand-blind, I know you not.

Laun. Nay, indeed, if you had your eyes, you might fail of the knowing me: it is a wise father that knows his own child. Well, old man, I will tell you news of your son. [Fails on his knees.] Give me your blessing: truth will come to light; murder cannot be hid long, a man's son may; but, in the end, truth will out.

Gob. Pray you, sir, stand up; I am sure you are not Launcelot, my boy.