Gra. Where is your master?

Leon.

Yonder, sir, he walks. [Exit.

Gra. Signior Bassanio.

Bass. Gratiano!

190 Gra. I have a suit to you.

195

200

205

Bass.

You have obtained it.

Gra. You must not deny me. I must go with you

to Belmont.

Bass. Why, then you must.

Gra.

Gratiano:

But hear thee,

Thou art too wild, too rude, and bold of voice;
Parts that become thee happily enough,
And in such eyes as ours appear not faults;
But where thou art not known, why there
they show

Something too liberal. Pray thee, take pain
To allay with some cold drops of modesty
Thy skipping spirit lest, through thy wild
behavior,

I be misconstrued in the place I go to,
And lose my hopes.

Signior Bassanio, hear me:
If I do not put on a sober habit,

Talk with respect, and swear but now and

then,

Wear prayer-books in my pocket, look demurely,

Nay more, while grace is saying, hood mine

eyes

Thus with my hat, and sigh, and say "amen";

Use all the observance of civility,

Like one well-studied in a sad ostent

To please his grandam, never trust me more. Bass. Well, we shall see your bearing.

Gra. Nay, but I bar tonight. You shall not gauge me

Bass.

By what we do tonight.

No, that were pity.

I would entreat you rather to put on

Your boldest suit of mirth, for we have friends

210

That purpose merriment. But fare you well; 215
I have some business.

Gra. And I must to Lorenzo and the rest.

But we will visit you at supper-time.

[Exeunt

SCENE III

The same. A room in Shylock's house.

Enter Jessica and Launcelot.

Jes. I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so.
Our house is hell; and thou, a merry devil,
Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness.
But fare thee well; there is a ducat for thee.
And, Launcelot, soon at supper shalt thou see
Lorenzo, who is thy new master's guest.
Give him this letter; do it secretly;

And so farewell. I would not have my father
See me in talk with thee.

5

10 Laun. Adieu! Tears exhibit my tongue. Most

15

20

beautiful pagan, most sweet Jew! But, adieu;

these foolish drops do something drown my manly spirit. Adieu.

Jes. Farewell, good Launcelot. [Exit Launcelot.
Alack, what heinous sin is it in me

To be ashamed to be my father's child!
But though I am a daughter to his blood,
I am not to his manners. O Lorenzo,
If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife,
Become a Christian, and thy loving wife.

[Exit.

SCENE IV

The same. A street.

Enter Gratiano, Lorenzo, Salarino, and Salanio.

Lor. Nay, we will slink away in supper-time,
Disguise us at my lodging, and return

All in an hour.

Gra. We have not made good preparation.

5 Salar. We have not spoke us yet of torch-bearers. Salan. 'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered, And better in my mind not undertook.

Lor. 'Tis now but four o'clock; we have two hours

To furnish us.

Enter Launcelot, with a letter.

Friend Launcelot, what's the news?

Laun. An it shall please you to break up this, it 10

shall seem to signify.

Lor. I know the hand. In faith, 'tis a fair hand;

Gra.

And whiter than the paper it writ on

Is the fair hand that writ.

Love-news, in faith.

15

Laun. By your leave, sir.

Lor. Whither goest thou?

Laun. Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to sup tonight with my new master the Christian.

Lor. Hold here, take this. Tell gentle Jessica
I will not fail her; speak it privately.
Go, gentlemen,

[Exit Launcelot. Will you prepare you for this mask tonight? I am provided of a torch-bearer.

Salar. Aye, marry, I'll begone about it straight.
Salan. And so will I.

Lor.

Meet me and Gratiano

At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence.

Salar. 'Tis good we do so.

[Exeunt Salar. and Salan.

Gra. Was not that letter from fair Jessica?

20

25

Lor. I must needs tell thee all. She hath directed 30

How I shall take her from her father's house;
What gold and jewels she is furnished with;
What page's suit she hath in readiness.
If e'er the Jew her father come to heaven,
It will be for his gentle daughter's sake—
And never dare misfortune cross her foot,

353

40

Unless she do it under this excuse,

That she is issue to a faithless Jew.

Come, go with me; peruse this as thou goest;
Fair Jessica shall be my torch-bearer.

[Exeunt.

5

SCENE V

The same. Before Shylock's house.

Enter Shylock and Launcelot.

Shy. Well, thou shalt see, thy eyes shall be thy judge,

The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio:-
What, Jessica!-thou shalt not gormandize,
As thou hast done with me:-What, Jessica!-
And sleep and snore, and rend apparel out:
Why, Jessica, I say!

Laun.

Why, Jessica!

Shy. Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call. Laun. Your worship was wont to tell me that I could do nothing without bidding.

Enter Jessica.

10 Jes. Call you? What is your will?

15

Shy. I am bid forth to supper, Jessica;

There are my keys. But wherefore should I
go?

I am not bid for love; they flatter me.
But yet I'll go in hate, to feed upon
The prodigal Christian. Jessica, my girl,