And he repents not that he pays your debt ; Baff. Anthonio, I am married to a wife Por. Your wife would give you little thanks for that, If he were by to hear you make the offer. Gra. I have a wife, whom, I proteft, I love ; I would fhe were in heaven, fo fhe could Shy. Thefe be the Chriftian hufbands: I have a daughter; Would, any of the ftock of Barrabas Had been her husband, rather than a Chriftian! [Afide. -We trifle time; I pray thee, purfue fentence. Por. A pound of that fame merchant's flesh is thine; The court awards it, and the law doth give it. Shy. Moft rightful judge! Por. And you muft cut this flesh from off his breast; The law allows it, and the court awards it. Shy. Moft learned judge!-A fentence; come, prepare. Por. Tarry a little there is fomething else.This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood; The words exprefsly are, a pound of flesh : Then take thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh ; One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods Unto the ftate of Venice. Gra. O upright judge !-Mark, Jew ;-O learned judge! Shy. Is that the law? Por. Thyfelf fhall fee the act : For, as thou urgeft justice, be affur'd, Thou fhalt have justice, more than thou defir'ft. The Jew fhall have all juftice ;-foft !-no hafte ;- Gra. O Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge! Thou dieft, and all thy goods are confiscate. Por. Why doth the Jew paufe ?-take thy forfeiture. Gra. A Daniel, ftill fay I! a fecond Daniel !I thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word. Shy. Shall I not barely have my principal? Por. Thou fhalt have nothing but the forfeiture, To be fo taken at thy peril, Jew. Shy. Why then the devil give him good of it! I'll ftay no longer queftion. Por. Tarry, Jew; The law hath yet another hold on you. It is enacted in the laws of Venice If it be prov'd againft an alien, That, by direct, or indirect attempts, He feek the life of any citizen, The party, 'gainft the which he doth contrive, The danger formerly by me rehears'd. Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the duke. Gra. Beg, that thou may'ft have leave to hang thyself; Por. Ay, for the ftate; not for Anthonio. Shy. Nay, take my life and all, pardon not that: Por. What mercy can you render him Anthonio ? The other half in ufe,-to render it, That lately ftole his daughter. Two things provided more,-That, for this favour, The other, that he do record a gift, Here in the court, of all he dies poffefs'd, Unto his fon Lorenzo, and his daughter. Duke. He fhall do this; or elfe I do recant The pardon that I late pronounced here. Por. Art thou contented, Jew? what doft thou say? Por. Clerk, draw a deed of gift. Shy. I pray you, give me leave to go from hence ;I am not well fend the deed after me, And I will fign it. Duke. Get thee gone, but do it. Gra. In chriftening thou shalt have two godfathers; Had I been judge, thou fhould't have had ten more,[7] To bring thee to the gallows, not the font. [Exit SHY. A** Duke. Sir, I entreat you home with me to dinner. [9] i. e. A jury of twelve men, to condemn thee to be hanged. THEO. Por. I humbly do defire your grace of pardon; I must away this night to Padua, And it is meet, I prefently fet forth. Duke. I am forry that your leisure ferves you nòt.--Anthonio, gratify this gentleman; For, in my mind, you are much bound to him. [Exeunt Duke, and bis train, Baff. Moft worthy gentleman, I and my friend Por. He is well paid, that is well fatisfy'd; Baff. Dear fir, of force, I muft attempt you further; Por. You prefs me far, and therefore I will yield. Give me your gloves, I'll wear them for your fake ;And, for your love, I'll take this ring from you :Do not draw back your hand; I'll take no more; And you in love shall not deny me this. Baff. This ring, good fir,-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. Baff. 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 fee, fir, you are liberal in offers: wife; You taught me first to beg; and now, methinks, An if your wife be not a mad woman, Baff. Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him, Re-enter PORTIA and NERISSA. [Exeunt. Por. Inquire the Jew's house out, give him this deed, And let him fign it: We'll away to-night, And be a day before our husbands home: Enter GRATIANO. Gra. Fair fir, you are well o'erta'en; Hath fent you here this ring; and doth entreat Por. That cannot be : This ring I do accept most thankfully, And fo, I pray you, tell him: Furthermore, Ner. Sir, I would fpeak with you :- I'll fee if I can get my husband's ring, [TO PORTIA Which I did make him swear to keep forever. Por. Thou may'ft, I warrant: We fhall have old fwearing, That they did give the rings away to men; But we'll out-face them, and out-fwear them too.— Away, make hafte; thou know'ft where I will tarry. Ner. Come, good fir, will you fhew me to this house ? [Exeunt. |