Jes. His words were Farewell, mistress! nothing else.

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Shy. The patch is kind enough, but a huge feeder;

Snail-slow in profit, and he sleeps by day
More than the wild-cat. Drones hive not with
me;

Therefore I part with him, and part with him
To one that I would have him help to waste so
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. 55 Jes. Farewell; and if my fortune be not cross'd,

I have a father, you a daughter, lost.

[Exit.

No masque to-night; the wind is come about, Bassanio presently will go aboard.

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I have sent twenty out to seek for you. Gra. I am glad on 't. I desire no more delight

Than to be under sail and gone to-night.

[Exeunt. [SCENE VII. Belmont. A room in Portia's house.]

[Flourish of cornets.] Enter PORTIA with [the
PRINCE OF] MOROCCO, and their trains.
Por. Go draw aside the curtains and discover
The several caskets to this noble prince.
Now make your choice.

Mor. The first, of gold, who this inscription bears,

"Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire ;"

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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

As much as he deserves! Pause there, Moгоссо,

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And weigh thy value with an even hand.
If thou be'st 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 stray'd no farther, but chose here? 35
Let's see once more this saying grav'd in gold:
Who chooseth me shall gain what many men
desire."

Mor.

[He unlocks the golden casket.] O hell! what have we here? A carrion Death within whose empty eye There is a written scroll! I'll read the writing.

[Reads.]

"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 inscroll'd.
Fare you well; your suit is cold."

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[SCENE VIII. Venice. A street.]

Enter SALARINO and SALANIO. Salar. Why, man, I saw Bassanio under sail. With him is Gratiano gone along,

And in their ship I'm sure Lorenzo is not.

Salan. The villain Jew with outcries rais'd the Duke,

Who went with him to search Bassanio's ship. Salar. 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.

Salan. I never heard a passion so confus'd,

So strange, outrageous, and so variable,

As the dog Jew did utter in the streets.

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Marry, well rememb'red. I reason'd 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; And wish'd in silence that it were not his. Salan. You were best to tell Antonio what you hear;

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Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him. Salar. A kinder gentleman treads not the earth.

I saw Bassanio and Antonio part;
Bassanio told him he would make some speed
Of his return; he answer'd, "Do not so;
Slubber not business for my sake, Bassanio,
But stay the very riping of the time;
And for the Jew's bond which he hath of me,
Let it not enter in your mind of love.

Be merry, and employ your chiefest thoughts
To courtship and such fair ostents of love

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[SCENE IX. Belmont. A room in Portia's house.]

Enter NERISSA with a Servitor.

Ner. Quick, quick, I pray thee; draw the curtain straight.

The Prince of Arragon hath ta'en his oath,
And comes to his election presently.
Flourish of cornets. Enter the PRINCE OF ARRA-
GON, PORTIA, and their trains.

Por. Behold, there stand the caskets, noble
Prince.

If you choose that wherein I am contain'd, Straight shall our nuptial rites be solemniz'd; But if you fail, without more speech, my lord, You must be gone from hence immediately.

Ar. I am enjoin'd by oath to observe three things:

First, never to unfold to any one
Which casket 't was I chose; next, if I fail
Of the right casket, never in my life
To woo a maid in way of marriage;
Lastly,

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If I do fail in fortune of my choice,
Immediately to leave you and be gone.
Por. To these injunctions every one doth

I will not choose what many men desire, Because I will not jump with common spirits And rank me with the barbarous multitudes. Why, then to thee, thou silver treasure-house; Tell me once more what title thou dost bear: 35 "Who chooseth me shall get as much as he de

serves:

[SCENE I. Venice. A street.]

Enter SALANIO and SALARINO.

Salan. Now, what news on the Rialto? Salar. Why, yet it lives there uncheck'd that Antonio hath a ship of rich lading wreck'd on the narrow seas; the Goodwins, I think they call the place; a very dangerous flat, and fatal, where the carcases of many a tall ship lie [5 buried, as they say, if my gossip Report be an honest woman of her word.

Salan. I would she were as lying a gossip in that as ever knapp'd ginger or made her [10 neighbours believe she wept for the death of a third husband. But it is true, without any slips of prolixity or crossing the plain highway of talk, that the good Antonio, the honest Antonio, O that I had a title good enough to keep his name company!

Salar. Come, the full stop.

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