By taking, nor by giving of excess, Shy. Ay, ay, three thousand ducats. Ant. And for three months. Shy. I had forgot,-three months, you told me so. Well, then, your bond; and, let me see-But hear you: Methought you said, you neither lend, nor borrow, Ant. I do never use it. Shy. When Jacob grazed his uncle Laban's sheepThis Jacob from our holy Abraham was (As his wise mother wrought in his behalf,) The third possessor; ay, he was the third. 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. When Laban and himself were compromised, That all the eanlings which were streak'd, and pied, He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes; Fall party-colour'd lambs, and those were Jacob's. And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not. Ant. This was a venture, sir, that Jacob served for: A thing not in his power to bring to pass, But sway'd, and fashion'd, by the hand of Heaven. Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams? Shy. I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast :But note me, signior. Ant. Mark you this, Bassanio, The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose. Shy. Three thousand ducats,-'tis a good round sum. Three months from twelve, then let me see the rate. Ant. Well, Shylock, shall we be beholden to you? Shy. Signior Antonio, many a time and oft, Still have I borne it with a patient shrug; And all for use of that which is mine own. 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, As to thy friends; (for when did friendship take Who, if he break, thou may'st with better face Shy. Of usance for my monies, and you'll not hear me : Ant. This were kindness. This kindness will I shew: Go with me to a notary, seal me there In such a place, such sum, or sums, as are 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; A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man, And, for my love, I pray you, wrong me not. I will be with you. [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. ACT II. SCENE I.-Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. Flourish of cornets. Enter the Prince of Morocco, and his Train; PORTIA, NERISSA, and other of her Attendants. Mor. Mislike me not for my complexion, Hath fear'd the valiant; by my love, I swear, Bars me the right of voluntary choosing: And hedged me by his wit, to yield myself For my affection. Mor. And so may 1, blind fortune leading me, Por. You must take your chance; And either not attempt to choose at all, Or swear, before you choose,-if you choose wrong, In way of marriage; therefore be advised. 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 bless't, or cursed'st among men. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Venice. A Street. Enter LAUNCELOT GOBBO. 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 kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel me to stay with the Jew: The fiend gives the more friendly counsel: I will run, fiend; my heels are at your commandment, I will run. Enter Old GOBBO, with a basket. Gob. Master, young man, you, I pray you; which is the way to master Jew's? Laun. (Aside.) O heavens, this is my true begotten father who, being more than sand-blind, high-gravel blind, knows me not: I will try conclusions with him. Gob. Master, young gentleman, I pray you, which is the way to master Jew's ? Laun. Turn up on your right hand, at the next turning, but, at the next turning of all, on your left; marry at the very next turning, turn of no hand, but turn down indirectly to the Jew's house. Gob. By God's sonties, 'twill be a hard way to hit. Can you tell me, whether one Launcelot, that dwells with him, dwell with him, or no? Laun. Talk you of young master Launcelot ?-Mark me now; (aside.) now will I raise the waters :- Talk you of young master Launcelot ? Gob. No master, sir, but a poor man's son; his |