The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works
Page 155
JESSICA
I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so.
Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil,
Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness.
But fare thee well. There is a ducat for thee.
And, Lancelot, soon at supper shalt thou see
Lorenzo, who is thy new master’s guest.
Give him this letter, do it secretly;
And so farewell. I would not have my father
See me in talk with thee.
LANCELOT Adieu. Tears exhibit my tongue, most beautiful pagan; most sweet Jew; if a Christian do not play the knave and get thee, I am much deceived. But adieu. These foolish drops do something drown my manly spirit. Adieu.
JESSICA Farewell, good Lancelot. Exit Lancelot
Alack, what heinous sin is it in me
To be ashamed to be my father’s child!
But though I am a daughter to his blood,
I am not to his manners. O Lorenzo,
If thou keep promise I shall end this strife,
Become a Christian and thy loving wife. Exit
2.4 Enter Graziano, Lorenzo, Salerio, and Salanio LORENZO
Nay, we will slink away in supper-time,
Disguise us at my lodging, and return
All in an hour.
GRAZIANO
We have not made good preparation.
SALERIO
We have not spoke as yet of torchbearers.
SOLANIO
’Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered,
And better in my mind not undertook.
LORENZO
‘Tis now but four o’clock. We have two hours
To furnish us.Enter Lancelot with a letter
Friend Lancelot, what’s the news?
LANCELOT (presenting the letter) An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to signify. 11
LORENZO (taking the letter)
I know the hand. In faith, ’tis a fair hand,
And whiter than the paper it writ on
Is the fair hand that writ.
GRAZIANO Love-news, in faith.
LANCELOT ⌈to Lorenzo⌉ By your leave, sir.
LORENZO Whither goest thou?
LANCELOT Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to sup tonight with my new master the Christian.
LORENZO
Hold, here, take this. (Giving money) Tell gentle Jessica
I will not fail her. Speak it privately.
Go. Exit Lancelot
Gentlemen,
Will you prepare you for this masque tonight?
I am provided of a torchbearer.
SALERIO
Ay, marry, I’ll be gone about it straight.
SOLANIO
And so will I.
LORENZO Meet me and Graziano
At Graziano’s lodging some hour hence.
SALERIO ’Tis good we do so. Exit with Solanio
GRAZIANO
Was not that letter from fair Jessica?
LORENZO
I must needs tell thee all. She hath directed
How I shall take her from her father’s house,
What gold and jewels she is furnished with,
What page’s suit she hath in readiness.
If e’er the Jew her father come to heaven
It will be for his gentle daughter’s sake;
And never dare misfortune cross her foot
Unless she do it under this excuse:
That she is issue to a faithless Jew.
Come, go with me. Peruse this as thou goest.He gives Graziano the letter
Fair Jessica shall be my torchbearer. Exeunt
2.5 Enter Shylock the Jew and his man that was, Lancelot the clown
SHYLOCK
Well, thou shalt see, thy eyes shall be thy judge,
The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio.
(Calling) What, Jessica! (To Lancelot) Thou shalt not
gormandize
As thou hast done with me. (Calling) What, Jessica!
(To Lancelot) And sleep and snore and rend apparel
out.
(Calling) Why, Jessica, I say!
LANCELOT (calling) Why, Jessica!
SHYLOCK
Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call.
LANCELOT Your worship was wont to tell me I could do nothing without bidding.
Enter Jessica
JESSICA (to Shylock) Call you? What is your will?
SHYLOCK
I am bid forth to supper, Jessica.
There are my keys. But wherefore should I go?
I am not bid for love. They flatter me,
But yet I’ll go in hate, to feed upon
The prodigal Christian. Jessica, my girl, 15
Look to my house. I am right loath to go.
There is some ill a-brewing towards my rest,
For I did dream of money-bags tonight.
LANCELOT I beseech you, sir, go. My young master doth
expect your reproach.
SHYLOCK So do I his.
LANCELOT And they have conspired together. I will not say you shall see a masque, but if you do, then it was not for nothing that my nose fell a-bleeding on Black Monday last at six o’clock i’th’ morning, falling out that year on Ash Wednesday was four year in th’afternoon.
SHYLOCK
What, are there masques? Hear you me, Jessica,
Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drum
And the vile squealing of the wry-necked fife,
Clamber not you up to the casements then,
Nor thrust your head into the public street
To gaze on Christian fools with varnished faces,
But stop my house’s ears—I mean my casements.
Let not the sound of shallow fopp’ry enter
My sober house. By Jacob’s staff I swear
I have no mind of feasting forth tonight.
But I will go. (To Lancelot) Go you before me, sirrah.
Say I will come.
LANCELOT I will go before, sir.
(Aside to Jessica)
Mistress, look out at window for all this.
There will come a Christian by
Will be worth a Jewës eye. Exit
SHYLOCK (to Jessica)
What says that fool of Hagar’s offspring, ha?
JESSICA
His words were ‘Farewell, mistress’; nothing else.
SHYLOCK
The patch is kind enough, but a huge feeder,
Snail-slow in profit, and he sleeps by day
More than the wildcat. Drones hive not with me;
Therefore I part with him, and part with him
To one that I would have him help to waste
His borrowed purse. Well, Jessica, go in.
Perhaps I will return immediately.
Do as I bid you. Shut doors after you.
Fast bind, fast find—
A proverb never stale in thrifty mind.
Exit at one door
JESSICA
Farewell; and if my fortune be not crossed,
I have a father, you a daughter lost.
Exit at another door
2.6 Enter the masquers, Graziano and Salerio, ⌈with torchbearers⌉
GRAZIANO
This is the penthouse under which Lorenzo
Desired us to make stand.
SALERIO His hour is almost past.
GRAZIANO
And it is marvel he outdwells his hour,
For lovers ever run before the clock.
SALERIO
O, ten times faster Venus’ pigeons fly
To seal love’s bonds new made than they are wont
To keep obligèd faith unforfeited.
GRAZIANO
That ever holds. Who riseth from a feast
With that keen appetite that he sits down?
Where is the horse that doth untread again
His tedious measures with the unbated fire
That he did pace them first
? All things that are
Are with more spirit chased than enjoyed.
How like a younker or a prodigal
The scarfed barque puts from her native bay,
Hugged and embraced by the strumpet wind!
How like the prodigal doth she return,
With over-weathered ribs and ragged sails,
Lean, rent, and beggared by the strumpet wind!
Enter Lorenzo, ⌈with a torch⌉
SALERIO
Here comes Lorenzo. More of this hereafter.
LORENZO
Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode.
Not I but my affairs have made you wait.
When you shall please to play the thieves for wives
I’ll watch as long for you therein. Approach.
Here dwells my father Jew. (Calling) Ho, who’s
within?
Enter Jessica above in boy’s apparel
JESSICA
Who are you? Tell me for more certainty,
Albeit I’ll swear that I do know your tongue.
LORENZO Lorenzo, and thy love.
JESSICA
Lorenzo, certain, and my love indeed,
For who love I so much? And now who knows
But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours?
LORENZO
Heaven and thy thoughts are witness that thou art.
JESSICA
Here, catch this casket. It is worth the pains.
I am glad ’tis night, you do not look on me,
For I am much ashamed of my exchange;
But love is blind, and lovers cannot see
The pretty follies that themselves commit;
For if they could, Cupid himself would blush
To see me thus transformèd to a boy.
LORENZO
Descend, for you must be my torchbearer.
JESSICA
What, must I hold a candle to my shames?
They in themselves, good sooth, are too too light.
Why, ’tis an office of discovery, love,
And I should be obscured.
LORENZO So are you, sweet,
Even in the lovely garnish of a boy.
But come at once,
For the close night doth play the runaway,
And we are stayed for at Bassanio’s feast.
JESSICA
I will make fast the doors, and gild myself
With some more ducats, and be with you straight.
Exit above
GRAZIANO
Now, by my hood, a gentile, and no Jew.
LORENZO
Beshrew me but I love her heartily,
For she is wise, if I can judge of her;
And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true;
And true she is, as she hath proved herself;
And therefore like herself, wise, fair, and true,
Shall she be placed in my constant soul.
Enter Jessica below
What, art thou come? On, gentlemen, away.
Our masquing mates by this time for us stay.
Exit with Jessica and Salerio
Enter Antonio
ANTONIO
Who’s there?
GRAZIANO Signor Antonio? 60
ANTONIO
Fie, fie, Graziano, where are all the rest?
‘Tis nine o’clock. Our friends all stay for you.
No masque tonight. The wind is come about.
Bassanio presently will go aboard.
I have sent twenty out to seek for you. 65
GRAZIANO
I am glad on’t. I desire no more delight
Than to be under sail and gone tonight. Exeunt
2.7 ⌈Flourish of cornetts.⌉ Enter Portia with Morocco and both their trains
PORTIA
Go, draw aside the curtains, and discover
The several caskets to this noble prince.The curtains are drawn aside, revealing three caskets
(To Morocco) Now make your choice.
MOROCCO
This first of gold, who this inscription bears:
‘Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.’
The second silver, which this promise carries:
‘Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves.’
This third dull lead, with warning all as blunt:
‘Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.’
How shall I know if I do choose the right?
PORTIA
The one of them contains my picture, Prince.
If you choose that, then I am yours withal.
MOROCCO
Some god direct my judgement! Let me see.
I will survey th‘inscriptions back again.
What says this leaden casket? 15
‘Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.’
Must give, for what? For lead? Hazard for lead?
This casket threatens. Men that hazard all
Do it in hope of fair advantages.
A golden mind stoops not to shows of dross.
I’ll then nor give nor hazard aught for lead.
What says the silver with her virgin hue?
‘Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves.’
‘As much as he deserves’: pause there, Morocco,
And weigh thy value with an even hand.
If thou beest rated by thy estimation
Thou dost deserve enough, and yet ‘enough’
May not extend so far as to the lady.
And yet to be afeard of my deserving
Were but a weak disabling of myself.
As much as I deserve—why, that’s the lady!
I do in birth deserve her, and in fortunes,
In graces, and in qualities of breeding;
But more than these, in love I do deserve.
What if I strayed no farther, but chose here?
Let’s see once more this saying graved in gold:
‘Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.’
Why, that’s the lady! All the world desires her.
From the four corners of the earth they come
To kiss this shrine, this mortal breathing saint.
The Hyrcanian deserts and the vasty wilds
Of wide Arabia are as throughfares now
For princes to come view fair Portia.
The watery kingdom, whose ambitious head
Spits in the face of heaven, is no bar
To stop the foreign spirits, but they come
As o‘er a brook to see fair Portia.
One of these three contains her heavenly picture.
Is’t like that lead contains her? ’Twere damnation
To think so base a thought. It were too gross
To rib her cerecloth in the obscure grave.
Or shall I think in silver she’s immured,
Being ten times undervalued to tried gold?
O sinful thought! Never so rich a gem
Was set in worse than gold. They have in England
A coin that bears the figure of an angel
Stamped in gold, but that’s insculped upon;
But here an angel in a golden bed
Lies all within. Deliver me the key.
Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may.
He is given a key
PORTIA
There, take it, Prince; and if my form lie there,
Then I am yours.
Morocco opens the golden casket
MOROCCO O hell! What have we here?
A carrion death, within whose empty eye
There is a written scroll. I’ll read the writing.
‘All that glisters is not gold;
Often have you heard that told.
Many a man his life hath sold
But my outside to behold.
Gilded tombs do worms infold.
Had you been as wise as bold,
Young in limbs, in judgement old,
Your answer had not been enscrolled.
Fare you well; your suit is cold.’
Cold indeed, and labour lost.
Then farewell heat, and welcome frost.
Portia, adieu. I have too grieved a heart
To take a tedious leave. Thus losers part.
⌈Flourish of cornetts.⌉ Exit with his train
PORTIA
A gentle riddance. Draw the curtains, go.
Let all of his complexion choose me so.
The curtains are drawn. Exeunt
2.8 Enter Salerio and Solanio
SALERIO
Why, man, I saw Bassanio under sail.
With him is Graziano gone along,
And in their ship I am sure Lorenzo is not.
SOLANIO
The villain Jew with outcries raised the Duke,
Who went with him to search Bassanio’s ship.
SALERIO
He came too late. The ship was under sail.
But there the Duke was given to understand
That in a gondola were seen together
Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica.
Besides, Antonio certified the Duke
They were not with Bassanio in his ship.
SOLANIO
I never heard a passion so confused,
So strange, outrageous, and so variable
As the dog Jew did utter in the streets.
‘My daughter! O, my ducats! O, my daughter!
Fled with a Christian! O, my Christian ducats I
Justice! The law! My ducats and my daughter!
A sealed bag, two sealèd bags of ducats,
Of double ducats, stol’n from me by my daughter!
And jewels, two stones, two rich and precious stones,
Stol’n by my daughter! Justice! Find the girl!
She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats!’
SALERIO
Why, all the boys in Venice follow him,
Crying, ‘His stones, his daughter, and his ducats!’
SOLANIO
Let good Antonio look he keep his day,
Or he shall pay for this.
SALERIO Marry, well remembered.
I reasoned with a Frenchman yesterday,
Who told me in the narrow seas that part
The French and English there miscarried
A vessel of our country, richly fraught.
I thought upon Antonio when he told me,