POR. If I could bid the fifth welcome with so good heart as I can bid the other four farewell, I should be glad of his approach if he have the condition of a saint, and the complexion of a devil, I had rather he should shrive me than wive me.

Come, Nerissa. Sirrah, go before;

Whiles we shut the gate upon one wooer, another knocks at the door.

[Exeunt.

SIG

SCENE THE THIRD.-VENICE.

A Public Place.

Enter BASSANIO and SHYLOCK.

SHY. Three thousand ducats,—well.

BASS. Ay, sir, for three months.

SHY. For three months,―well.

BASS. For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall be bound. SHY. Antonio shall become bound,—well.

BASS. May you stead me? Will you pleasure me? Shall I know your answer?

SHY. Three thousand ducats, for three months, and Antonio bound.

BASS. Your answer to that.

SHY. Antonio is a good man.

BASS. Have you heard any imputation to the contrary?

SHY. Ho! no, no, no, no;-my meaning in saying he is a good man, is, to have you understand me that he is sufficient : yet his means are in supposition: he hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies; I understand moreover upon the Rialto, he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England;

and other ventures he hath squander'd abroad. But ships are but boards, sailors but men: there be land-rats and water-rats, land-thieves and water-thieves; I mean, pirates; and then, there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks. The man is, notwithstanding, sufficient ;-three thousand ducats ;-I think may take his bond.

I

BASS. Be assured you may.

SHY. I will be assured I may; and that I may be assured, I will bethink me. May I speak with Antonio? BASS. If it please you to dine with us.

SHY. Yes, to smell pork; to eat of the habitation which your prophet, the Nazarite, conjured the devil into! I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you. What news on the Rialto ?-Who is he comes here?

Enter ANTONIO.

BASS. This is signior Antonio.

SHY. [Aside.] How like a fawning publican he looks!

I hate him for he is a Christian :

But more, for that, in low simplicity,

He lends out money gratis, and brings down
The rate of usance * here with us in Venice.

If I can catch him once upon the hip,†

I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
He hates our sacred nation; and he rails,
Even there where merchants most do congregate,

On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,
Which he calls interest. Cursed be my tribe
If I forgive him.

BASS.

Shylock, do you hear?

SHY. I am debating on my present store : And, by the near guess of my memory,

I cannot instantly raise up the gross

Of full three thousand ducats. What of that?

Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,

Will furnish me. But soft how many months

*Interest for money.

+ At a complete advantage.

Do you desire?—Rest you fair, good signior :
Your worship was the last man in our mouths.

ANT. Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow,
By taking, nor by giving of excess,

Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend,
I'll break a custom :-Is he yet possess'd

How much you would ?

SHY.

[To ANTONIO.

[ TO BASSANIO

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, Upon advantage.

SHY. When Jacob graz'd his uncle Laban's sheep,

This 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 compromis'd,

That all the eanlings* which were streak'd and pied
Should fall, as Jacob's hire; the ewes, being rank,
In end of autumn turnèd to the rams:

And when the work of generation was,
Between these woolly breeders, in the act,
The skilful shepherd pilled† me certain wands,

And, in the doing of the deed of kind,

He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes ;

Who, then conceiving, did in eaning-time

Fall party-colour'd lambs, and those were Jacob's.

This was a way to thrive, and he was blest;

And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not.

ANT. This was a venture, sir, that Jacob serv'd for ;

A thing not in his power to bring to pass,

But sway'd and fashion'd by the hand of Heaven.

Was this inserted to make interest good?
Or is your gold and silver to make ewes and rams?
SHY. I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast :
But note me, signior.

ANT.

The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.

An evil soul, producing holy witness,

Is like a villain with a smiling cheek;

A goodly apple rotten at the heart;

O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath !

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,

In the Rialto you have rated me

About my monies, and my usances:

Still have I borne it with a patient shrug,
For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe:
You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
And spet upon my Jewish gaberdine,

And all for use of that which is mine own.
Well then, it now appears you need my help :
Go to then you come to me, and you say,
Shylock, we would have monies; You say so;
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard,
And foot me, as you spurn a stranger cur
Over your threshold: monies is your suit.
What should I say to you? Should I not say,
Hath a dog money? is it possible

A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or

Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key,

With 'bated breath, and whispering humbleness,

Say this,

Fair sir, you spet on me on Wednesday last;
You spurn'd me such a day; another time
You call'd me-dog; and for these courtesies
I'll lend you thus much monies ?

ANT. I am as like to call thee so again,
To spet on thee again, to spurn thee too.

If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not

As to thy friends; (for when did friendship take

A breed of barren metal of his friend?)

But lend it rather to thine enemy;

Who, if he break, thou mayst with better face
Exact the penalty.

SHY.

Why, look you, how you storm!