Well then, your bond; and let me see,-But hear you; Methought, you said, you neither lend, nor borUpon advantage. Ant. I do never use it. [row, Shy. When Jacob graz'd his uncle Laban's sheep, This Jacob from our holy Abraham was Ant. And what of him? did he take interest? Shy. No, not take interest; not, as you would say, Directly interest: mark what Jacob did. Should fall as Jacob's hire; the ewes, being rank, He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes; This was a way to thrive, and he was blest; Ant. This was a venture, sir, that Jacob serv'd for; A thing not in his power to bring to pass, Ant. sum. [rate. Three months from twelve, then let me see the Ant. Well, Shylock, shall we be beholden to you? Shy. Signior Antonio, many a time and oft, A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last; Ant. I am as like to call thee so again, Who, if he break, thou may'st with better face Exact the penalty. Shy. Why, look you, how you storm! I would be friends with you, and have your love, Forget the shames that you have stain'd me with, Supply your present wants, and take no doit Ofusance for my monies, and you'll not hear me: This is kind I offer. Ant. This were kindness. Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken 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 A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man, Aud, for my love, I pray you wrong me not. [Exit. Ant. Hie thee, gentle Jew. This Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind. Bass. I like not fair terms, and a villain's mind. Ant. Come on: in this there can be no dismay, My ships come home a month before the day. [Exeunt. VOL. II. ACT II. SCENE I. Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. Flourish of Cornets. For my affection. Mor. Even for that I thank you; Therefore, I pray you, lead me to the caskets, To try my fortune. By this scimitar,That slew the Sophy, and a Persian prince, That won three fields of Sultan Solyman,I would out-stare the sternest eyes that look, Out-brave the heart most daring on the earth, Pluck the young sucking cubs from the she bear, Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey, To win thee, lady: But, alas the while! If Hercules, and Lichas, play at dice Which is the better man, the greater throw May turn by fortune from the weaker hand: So is Alcides beaten by his page: And so may I, blind fortune leading me, Miss that which one unworthier may attain, Por. You must take your chance; And either not attempt to choose at all, Or swear, before you choose,-if you choose wrong, Never to speak to lady afterward 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. Good fortune, then! [Cornets. To make me blest, or cursed'st among men. SCENE II. Venice. A Street. Enter LAUNCELOT GOBBO. [Exeunt. 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 from the Jew, I should be ruled by the fiend, who, saving your reverence, is the devil himself: Certainly, the Jew is the very devil incarnation; and, in my conscience, my conscience is but a |