That doth sustain my house; you
take my life,
When you do take the means whereby I live.

Por. What mercy can you render him, Antonio ? Gra. A halter, gratis; nothing else, for Heaven's sake.

Ant. So please my lord the Duke, and all the court,
To quit the fine for one 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,
That lately stole his daughter.

Two things provided more,-That, for this favour,
He presently become a christian;

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.

Por. Art thou contented, Jew? What dost thou say?

Shy. I am content.

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 god-fathers;

Had I been judge, thou should'st have had ten more, To bring thee to the gallows, not the font.

[Exit SHYLOCK. Duke. Sir, I entreat you home with me to dinner. Por. I humbly do desire your grace of pardon;

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.

[Exeunt DUKE, MAGNIFICOES, and TRAIN.
Bass. Most worthy gentleman, I and my friend
Have by your wisdom this day been acquitted
Of grievous penalties; in lieu whereof,

Three thousand ducats, due unto the Jew,
We freely cope your courteous pains withal.
Ant. And stand indebted, over and above,
In love and service to you evermore.

Por. He is well paid, that is well satisfied,
And I, delivering you, am satisfied,
And therein do I account myself well paid;
My mind was never yet more mercenary.
I pray you, know me, when we meet again;
I wish you well, and so I take my leave.

Bass. Dear sir, of force I attempt you further;
Take some remembrance of us, for a tribute,
Not as a fee: grant me two things, I pray you,―
Not to deny me, and to pardon me.

Por. You press me far, and therefore I will yield.
Give me your gloves, I'll wear them for
your sake;
And, for your love, I'll take this ring from you :-
Do not draw back your hand; I'll take no more;
And you in love shall not deny me this.

Bas. This ring, good sir,-alas, it is a trifle;
I will not shame myself to give you this.
Por. I will have nothing else but only this;
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:

You taught me first to beg; and now, methinks,
You teach me how a beggar should be answer'd.
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.

And if your wife be not a mad woman,

And know how well I have deserv'd this ring,
She would not hold out enemy for ever,

For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you!

[Exeunt PORTIA and NERISSA. Ant. My lord, Bassanio, let him have the ring; Let his deservings, and my love withal, Be valu'd 'gainst your wife's commandment.

Bass, Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him, Give him the ring; and bring him, if thou canst, Unto Antonio's house :-away, make haste.—

[Exit GRATIANO.

Come, you and I will thither presently;
And in the morning early will we both
Fly toward Belmont: Come, Antonio.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

A Street in Venice.

Enter NERISSA and PORTIA.

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.

Enter GRATIANO.

Gra. Fair sir, you are well overtaken :
My lord Bassanio, upon more advice,

Hath sent you here this ring; and doth entreat
Your company at dinner.

Por. That cannot be:

This ring I do accept most thankfully,

And so, I pray you, tell him: Furthermore,
I pray you, show my youth old Shylock's house.
Gra. That will I do.

Ner. Sir, I would speak with you :

I'll see if I can get my husband's ring,

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. [Exit PORTIA. Ner. Come, good sir, will you show me to this house?

[Exeunt.

ACT THE FIFTH.

SCENE I.

The Avenue to PORTIA's House at Belmont.

LORENZO and JESSICA discovered, seated.

Lor. The moon shines bright:-In such a night as this,

Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew;

And, with an unthrift love, did run from Venice,
As far as Belmont.

Jess. And in such a night,

Did young Lorenzo swear he lov'd her well;
Stealing her soul with many vows of faith,
And ne'er a true one.

Lor. And in such a night,

Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew,
Slander her love, and he forgave it her.

Jess. I would outnight you, did nobody come; But, hark, I hear the footing of a man.

Enter BALTHAZAR.

Lor. Who comes so fast in silence of the night? Bal. A friend.

Lor. A friend? what friend? your name,

you, friend?

I

pray

Bal. Balthazar is my name; and I bring word, My mistress will, before the break of day,

Be here at Belmont.

I

pray you, is my master yet return'd ?

Lor. He is not, nor we have not heard from himBut go we in, I pray thee, Jessica,

And ceremoniously let us prepare

Some welcome for the mistress of the house.

Laun. [Within.] Sola, sola, wo ha, ho, sola, sola ! Lor. Who calls?

Enter LAUNCcelot.

Laun. Sola! did you see Master Lorenzo, and Mistress Lorenzo? sola, sola!

Lor. Leave hollaing, man; here.

Laun. Sola! where? where ?

Lor. Here.

Laun. Tell him, there's a post come from my master, with his horn full of good news; my master will be here ere morning. [Exit LAUNCElot. Lor. My friend, Balthazar, signify, I pray you, Within the house, your mistress is at hand.

[Exit BALTHAZAR.

Enter PORTIA and NERISSA at a Distance.

Por. That light we see is burning in my hall.
How far that little candle throws his beams!
So shines a good deed in a naughty world.
Lor. That is the voice,

Or I am much deceiv'd, of Portia.