Is an unlesson'd girl, unschool'd, unpractis'd: And be my vantage to exclaim on you. Bass. Madam, you have bereft me of all words, Ner. My lord and lady, it is now our time, 2 3 being blent together,] i. e. blended. you can wish none from me:] That is, none away from me; none that I shall lose, if you gain it. The bargain of your faith, I do beseech you, Bass. With all my heart, so thou canst get a wife. Gra. I thank your lordship; you have got me one. My eyes, my lord, can look as swift as yours: You saw the mistress, I beheld the maid; You lov'd, I lov'd; for intermission* No more pertains to me, my lord, than you. Your fortune stood upon the caskets there; And so did mine too, as the matter falls: For wooing here, until I sweat again; And swearing, till my very roof was dry With oaths of love; at last,-if promise last,I got a promise of this fair one here, To have her love, provided that your Achiev'd her mistress. fortune Por. Bass. Our feast shall be much honour'd in your Gra. We'll play with them, the first boy for a thousand ducats. Ner. What, and stake down? Gra. No; we shall ne'er win at that sport, and But who comes here? Lorenzo, and his infidel? Enter LORENZO, JESSICA, and SALERIO. Bass. Lorenzo, and Salerio, welcome hither; If that the youth of my new interest here Have power to bid you welcome:-By your leave, for intermission-] Intermission is pause, intervening time, delay. I bid my very friends and countrymen, Por. So do I, my lord; They are entirely welcome. Lor. I thank your honour:-For my part, my lord, here; Sale. And I have reason for it. Bass. I did, my lord, Signior Antonio I pray you, tell me how my good friend doth. Will show you his estate. Gra. Nerissa, cheer yon' stranger; bid her wel come. Your hand, Salerio; What's the news from Venice? We are the Jasons, we have won the fleece. Sale. 'Would you had won the fleece that he hath lost! Por. There are some shrewd contents in yon' same paper, That steal the colour from Bassanio's cheek: Some dear friend dead; else nothing in the world Could turn so much the constitution Of any constant man. What, worse and worse?— With leave, Bassanio; I am half yourself, And I must freely have the half of any thing That this same paper brings you. O sweet Portia, Bass. That ever blotted paper! Gentle lady, And then I told you true: and yet, dear lady, How much I was a braggart: When I told you And not one vessel 'scape the dreadful touch Sale. Not one, my lord. Besides, it should appear, that if he had The present money to discharge the Jew, He would not take it: Never did I know A creature, that did bear the shape of man, So keen and greedy to confound a man: He plies the duke at morning, and at night; And doth impeach the freedom of the state, If they deny him justice: twenty merchants, The duke himself, and the magnificoes Of greatest port, have all persuaded with him; But none can drive him from the envious plea Of forfeiture, of justice, and his bond. Jes. When I was with him, I have heard him swear The paper as the body-] The expression is somewhat elliptical: "The paper as the body," means-the paper resembles the body, is as the body. To Tubal, and to Chus, his countrymen, Por. Is it your dear friend, that is thus in trouble? Bass. The dearest friend to me, the kindest man, The best condition'd and unwearied spirit In doing courtesies; and one in whom For you Bass. [Reads.] Sweet Bassanio, my ships have all miscarried, my creditors grow cruel, my estate is very low, my bond to the Jew is forfeit; and since, in paying it, it is impossible I should live, all debts 6 cheer;] i. e. countenance. |