Enter TUBAL. Salan. Here comes another of the tribe; a third cannot be match'd, unless the devil himself turn Jew. [Exeunt Salan. Salur, and Servant. Shy. How now, Tubal, what news from Genoa? Hast thou found my daughter? Tub. I often came where I did hear of her, but cannot find her. Shy. Why there, there, there! a diamond gone, cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfort! The curse never fell upon our nation till now; I never felt it till now:-Two thousand ducats in that; and other precious, precious jewels. I would, my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear! 'would she were hearsed at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin! No news of them?-Why, so:-and I know not what's spent in the search: Why, thou loss upon loss! the thief gone with so much, and so much to find the thief; and no satisfaction, no revenge: nor no ill luck stirring, but what lights o' my shoulders; no sighs, but o' my breathing; no tears, but o' my shedding. Tub. Yes, other men have ill luck too; Antonio, as I heard in Genoa, Shy. What, what, what? Il luck, ill luck? Tub. Tripolis. hath an argosy cast away, coming from Shy. I thank God, I thank God Is it true? Is it true? Tub. I spoke with some of the sailors that escaped the wreck. Shy. I thank thee, good Tubal;-Good news, good news: ha! ha!-Where? in Genoa ! Tub. Your daughter spent in Genoa, as I heard, one night, fourscore ducats. Shy. Thou stick'st a dagger in me :-I shall never see my gold again: Fourscore ducats at a sitting! fourscore ducats! Tub. There came divers of Antonio's creditors in my company to Venice, that swear he cannot choose but break. Shy. I am very glad of it: I'll plague him; I'll torture him; I am glad of it. Tub. One of them shew'd me a ring, that he had of your daughter for a monkey. Shy. Out upon her! Thou torturest me, Tubal : it was my turquoise; I had it of Leah, when I was VOL. II. P a bachelor: I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkies. Tub. But Antonio is certainly undone. Shy. Nay, that's true, that's very true: go, Tubal, fee me an officer, bespeak him a fortnight be. fore I will have the heart of him, if he forfeit; for were he out of Venice, I can make what mer chandize I will: go, go, Tubal, and meet me at our synagogue; go, good Tubal; at our synagogue, Tubal. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Belmont.-A Room in PORTIA'S House. Enter BASSANIO, PORTIA, GRATIANO, NERISSA, and Attendants.-The Caskets are set out. Por. I pray you, tarry; pause a day or two, But lest you should not understand me well, I speak too long; but 'tis to peize the time: Bass. Let me choose; For, as I am, I live upon the rack. Por. Upon the rack, Bassanio? Then confess What treason there is mingled with your love. Bass. None, but that ugly treason of mistrust, Which makes me fear the enjoying of my love: There may as well be amity and life 'Tween snow and fire, as treason and my love. Por. Ay, but, I fear, you speak upon the rack, Where men enforced do speak any thing. 107 Bass. Promise me life, and I'll confess the truth. Por. Well then, confess, and live. Had been the very sum of my confession : Por. Away then: I am lock'd in one of them; Let music sound, while he doth make his choice; May stand more proper, my eye shall be the stream, As are those dulcet sounds in break of day, Live thou, I live: with much much more dismay I view the fight, than thou that mak'st the fray. Music, whilst BASSANIO comments on the Caskets to Reply. himself. 1 Tell me, where is fancy bred, 2 It is engender'd in the eyes, Let us all ring fancy's knell; • Love. Bass. So may the outward shows be least them selves; The world is still deceived with ornament. To be the dowry of a second head, The scull that bred them, in the sepulchre. To a most dangerous sea; the beauteous scarf The seeming truth which cunning times put on Nor none of thee, thou pale and common drudge Bass. What find I here? Fair Portia's counterfeit • Winning favour. Treacherous, [Opening the leaden Casket. What demi-god + Curled. § Likeness, portrait, Hath come so near creation? Move these eyes t Should sunder such sweet friends: here in her hairs The painter plays the spider; and hath woven Doth limp behind the substance.-Here's the scroll, The continent and summary of my fortune. Be content, and seek no new. And claim her with a loving kiss. A gentle scroll;-Fair lady, by your leave; [Kissing her. I come by note to give and to receive. As doubtful whether what I see be true, Por. You see me lord Bassanio, where I stand, Such as I am: though, for myself alone, I would not be ambitious in my wish, To wish myself much better; yet, for you, A thousand times more fair, ten thousand times That only to stand high on your account, |