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.

[Erit SYHLOCK, 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.

[Ereunt Duke, Magnificoes, and Train, Bass. Most worthy gentleman, I and my friend, Have by your wisdom been this day 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 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 must attempt you further ; Take some remembrance of us, as 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, Bass. 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.
An 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 valued 'gainst your wife's commandement.

Bass. Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him, Give him the ring; and bring him, if thou can'st, 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. [Ereunt.

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,

I

pray you, tell him: Furthermore, I pray you, show my youth old Shylock's house.

And so,

6 Reflection.

Ner.

Gra. That will I do.

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

this,
When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees,
And they did make no noise; in such a night,
Troilus, methinks, mounted the Trojan walls,
And sigh'd his soul toward the Grecian tents,
Where Cressid lay that night.
Jes.

In such a night,
Did Thisbe fearfully p'ertrip the dew;
And saw the lion's shadow ere himself,
And ran dismay'd away.

In such a night,
Stood Dido with a willow in her hand
Upon the wild sea-banks, and way'd her love
To come again to Carthage.

Lor.

Jes.

In such a night,
Medea gather'd the enchanted herbs
That did renew old Æson.
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,
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.

Jes. I would out-night you, did no body come:
But, hark, I hear the footing of a man.

Enter STEPHANO.
Lor. Who comes so fast in silence of the night?
Steph. A friend.
Lor. A friend? what friend? your name,

I

pray

you, friend?

Steph. Stephano is my name; and I bring word, My mistress will before the break of day Be here at Belmont: she doth stray about By holy crosses, where she kneels and prays For happy wedlock hours. Lor.

Who comes with ber? Steph. None, but a holy hermit, and her maid. I pray you,

is

my master yet return'd ? Lor. He is not, nor we have not heard from him.But go we in, I pray thee, Jessica,