Upon his death, unto the gentleman

That lately stole his daughter:

Two things provided more, that, for this favour,
He presently become a Christian;

The other, that he do record a gift,

Here in the court, of all he dies possess'd,
Unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter.

Duke. He shall do this, or else I do recant

The pardon that I late pronounced here.

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 shalt thou have two godfathers:

390

Had I been judge, thou shouldst have had ten

more,

To bring thee to the gallows, not the font.

400

[Exit Shylock. 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.

[Exeunt Duke and his train. Bass. Most worthy gentleman, I and my friend Have by your wisdom been this day acquitted

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 sakė;

420

[To Ant.

And, for your love, I'll take this ring from you:

[To Bass.

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

430

You teach me how a beggar should be answer'd. 440

Bass. Good sir, the 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 deserved the 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 canst,
Unto Antonio's house: away! make haste.

Come, you and I will thither presently;
And in the morning early will we both
Fly toward Belmont: come, Antonio.

Scene II.

The same. A street.

Enter Portia and Nerissa.

450

[Exit Gratiano.

[Exeunt.

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.

Por.

My Lord Bassanio upon more advice

Hath sent you here this ring, and doth entreat
Your company at dinner.

That cannot be:

His ring I do accept most thankfully:

And so, I pray you, tell him: furthermore,

I pray you, show my youth old Shylock's house.

Gra. That will I do.

Ner.

Sir, I would speak with you.

I'll see if I can get my husband's ring,

ΙΩ

[Aside to Portia.

We shall

Which I did make him swear to keep for ever. Por. [Aside to Ner.] Thou mayst, I warrant. have old swearing

That they did give the rings away to men;

But we'll outface them, and outswear them too.
[Aloud] Away! make haste: thou know'st where I

will tarry.

Ner. Come, good sir, will you show me to this house?

[Exeunt.

ACT FIFTH.

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 Troyan walls,

Jes.

Lor.

Jes.

Lor.

Jes.

Lor.

And sigh'd his soul toward the Grecian tents,
Where Cressid lay that night.

In such a night

Did Thisbe fearfully o'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 waft her love
To come again to Carthage.

Medea gather'd the enchanted herbs.
That did renew old son.

In such a night

In such a night

Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew,

And with an unthrift love did run from Venice
As far as Belmont.

In such a night

Did young Lorenzo swear he loved her well,
Stealing her soul with many vows of faith
And ne'er a true one.

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.

ΙΟ

20

Lor. A friend! what friend? your name, I pray you,