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 father, though I say it, is an honest, exceeding poor man, and, God be thanked, well to live. Laun. Well, let his father be what he will, we talk of young master Launcelot. Gob. Your worship's friend, and Launcelot, sir. Laun. But I pray you ergo, old man, ergo, I beseech you; talk you of young master Launcelot? Gob. Of Launcelot, an't please your mastership. Laun. Ergo, master Launcelot; talk not of master Launcelot, father; for the young gentleman (ac cording to fates and destinies, and such odd sayings, the sisters three, and such branches of learning) is, indeed, deceased; or, as you would say, in plain terms, gone to heaven. Gob. Marry, God forbid! The boy was the very staff of my age, my very prop. Laun. Do I look like a cudgel, or a hovel-post, a staff, or a prop?-Do you know me, father? Gob. Alack the day, I know you not, young gentleman; but I pray you, tell me, is my boy (God rest his soul!) alive, or dead? Laun. Do you not know me, father? Gob. Alack, sir, I am sand-blind; I know you not. Laun. Nay, indeed, if you had your eyes, you might fail of the knowing me. It is a wise father that knows his own child. Well, old man, I will tell you news of your son. Give me your blessing; truth will come to light; murder cannot be hid long, a man's son may; but, in the end, truth will out. Gob. Pray you, sir, stand up; I am sure you are not Launcelot, my boy. 1 God's sonties was probably a corruption of God's saints; in old language, saunctes. Laun. Pray you, let's have no more fooling about it, but give me your blessing; I am Launcelot, your boy that was, your son that is, your child that shall be Gob. I cannot think you are my son. Laun. I know not what I shall think of that; but I am Launcelot, the Jew's man; and, I am sure, Margery, your wife, is my mother. Gob. Her name is Margery, indeed. I'll be sworn, if thou be Launcelot, thou art mine own flesh and blood. Lord worshipped might he be! What a beard hast thou got! Thou hast got more hair on thy chin, than Dobbin, my thill-horse,1 has on his tail. Laun. It should seem, then, that Dobbin's tail grows backward; I am sure he had more hair on his tail, than I have on my face, when I last saw him. Gob. Lord, how art thou changed! How dost thou and thy master agree? I have brought him a present. How 'gree you now? 2 Laun. Well, well; but, for mine own part, as I have set up my rest to run away, so I will not rest till I have run some ground. My master's a very Jew. Give him a present! Give him a halter! I am famished in his service you may tell every finger I have with my ribs. Father, I am glad you are come; give me your present to one master Bassanio, who, indeed, gives rare new liveries; if I serve not him, I will run as far as God has any ground.-O rare fortune! here comes the man ;-to him, father; for I am a Jew, if I serve the Jew any longer. Enter BASSANIO, with LEONARDO, and other Followers. Bass. You may do so;-but let it be so hasted, that supper be ready at the furthest by five of the clock. See these letters delivered; put the liveries to making; and desire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging. [Exit a servant. 1 i. e. the shaft-horse, sometimes called the thill-horse. 2 "Set up my rest," i. e. determined. See note on All's Well that Ends Well, Act ii. Sc. 2; Romeo and Juliet, Act iv. Sc. 5. Laun. To him, father. Gob. God bless your worship! Bass. Gramercy; would'st thou aught with me? Gob. Here's my son, sir, a poor boy, Laun. Not a poor boy, sir, but the rich Jew's man ; that would, sir, as my father shall specify, Gob. He hath a great infection, sir, as one would say, to serve Laun. Indeed, the short and the long is, I serve the Jew, and I have a desire, as my father shall specify,Gob. His master and he (saving your worship's reverence) are scarce cater-cousins. Laun. To be brief, the very truth is, that the Jew, having done me wrong, doth cause me, as my father, being I hope an old man, shall frutify unto you, Gob. I have here a dish of doves, that I would bestow upon your worship; and my suit is, Laun. In very brief, the suit is impertinent to myself, as your worship shall know by this honest old man; and, though I say it, though old man, yet poor man, my father. Bass. One speak for both.-What would you? Laun. Serve you, sir. Gob. This is the very defect of the matter, sir. Bass. I know thee well; thou hast obtained thy suit. Shylock, thy master, spoke with me this day, And hath preferred thee, if it be preferment, To leave a rich Jew's service, to become Laun. The old proverb is very well parted between my master Shylock and you, sir; you have the grace of God, sir, and he hath enough. Bass. Thou speakest it well. Go, father, with thy son; Take leave of thy old master, and inquire My lodging out.-Give him a livery, [To his followers. More guarded' than his fellows'. See it done. Laun. Father, in.-I cannot get a service, no ;-I have ne'er a tongue in my head.-Well; [Looking on 1 i. e. ornamented. his palm.] if any man in Italy have a fairer table, which doth offer to swear upon a book, I shall have good fortune. Go to, here's a simple line of life! Here's a small trifle of wives. Alas, fifteen wives is nothing; eleven widows, and nine maids, is a simple coming-in for one man, and then, to 'scape drowning thrice; and to be in peril of my life with the edge of a feather-bed ;-here are simple 'scapes! Well, if fortune be a woman, she's a good wench for this gear. -Father, come; I'll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling of an eye. [Exeunt LAUNCELOT and old Gobbo. Bass. I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this; These things being bought, and orderly bestowed, Return in haste, for I do feast to-night My best-esteemed acquaintance; hie thee, go. Gra. You must not deny me; I must go with you to Belmont. Bass. Why, then you must!-but hear thee, Thou art too wild, too rude, and bold of voice; And in such eyes as ours appear not faults; But where thou art not known, why, there they show Something too liberal;'-pray thee, take pain To allay with some cold drops of modesty Thy skipping spirit; lest, through thy wild behavior, I be misconstrued in the place I go to, And lose my hopes. 1 Gross. Gra. Seignior Bassanio, hear me. If I do not put on a sober habit, Talk with respect, and swear but now and then, Like one well studied in a sad ostent2 To please his grandam, never trust me more. Gra. Nay, but I bar to-night; you shall not gage me By what we do to-night. Bass. No, that were pity; I would entreat you rather to put on Your boldest suit of mirth, for we have friends I have some business. Gra. And I must to Lorenzo, and the rest; But we will visit you at supper-time. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The same. A Room in Shylock's House. Enter JESSICA and LAUNCELOT. Jess. I am sorry, thou wilt leave my father so; And so farewell; I would not have my father Laun. Adieu!-Tears exhibit my tongue.-Most beautiful pagan,-most sweet Jew! If a Christian did 1 It was anciently the custom to wear the hat during dinner. 2 i. e. grave appearance. Ostent is a word very commonly used for show by old dramatic writers. VOL. II. 25 |