I would be friends with you, and have your love, Of usance for my monies, and you'll not hear me : 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 much kindness in the Jew. BASS. You shall not seal to such a bond for me; I'll 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. SHY. O father Abraham, what these Christians are, Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect The thoughts of others; Pray you, tell me this ; 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, ANT. Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond. Give him direction for this merry bond, D ANT. See to my house, left in the fearful guard I will be with you. Hie thee, gentle Jew. [Exit. This Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind. [Exeunt. Enter the PRINCE OF MOROCCO, and his Train; PORTIA, NERISSA, and other of her Attendants. MOR. Mislike me not for my complexion, D 2 Where Phoebus' fire scarce thaws the icicles, Hath fear'd* the valiant; by my love, I swear, POR. In terms of choice I am not solely led And hedg'd me by his wit, to yield myself His wife who wins me by that means I told you, Yourself, renowned prince, then stood as fair As any comer I have look'd on yet, For my affection. MOR. Even for that I thank you; Therefore, I pray you, lead me to the caskets, And so may I, blind fortune leading me, Miss that which one unworthier may attain, POR. You must take your And either not attempt to choose at all, chance ; * Made to fear. The Shah of Persia. Hercules' servant. Or swear, before you choose,-if you choose wrong, In way of marriage; therefore be advis'd. MOR. Nor will not; come, bring me unto my chance. POR. First, forward to the temple; after dinner Your hazard shall be made. MOR. [Cornets. Good fortune, then! [Exeunt. To make me bless'd, or cursed'st among men. LAUN. Certainly, my conscience will serve me to run from this Jew, my master. The fiend is at mine elbow, and tempts me; saying to me,-Gobbo, Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot, or good Gobbo, or good Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs, take the start, run away. My conscience says,-no; take heed, honest Launcelot; take heed, honest Gobbo; or (as aforesaid) honest Launcelot Gobbo; do not run: scorn running with thy heels: well, the most courageous fiend bids me pack; Via! says the fiend; away! says the fiend, for the heavens, rouse up a brave mind, says the fiend, and run. Well, my conscience, hanging about the neck of my heart, says very wisely 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 (God bless the mark!) is a kind of devil; and to run away |