صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

An evil soul producing holy witness
Is like a villain with a smiling cheek-
A goodly apple rotten at the heart:
Oh, 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 beholding
to you?

Shy. Siguior Antonio, many a time and oft,
In the Rialto, you have rated me
About my moneys 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 spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,24
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 moneys:"-you say

so;

You, that did void your rheum 25

beard,

26

upon my

90

95

100

105

And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur
Over your threshold: moneys is your suit.
What should I say to you? Should I not say, 110
"Hath a dog money? is it possible

27

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 spit on me on Wednesday last: 115
You spurn'd me such a day; another time
You call'd me dog; and for these courtesies
I'll lend you thus much moneys?

Ant. I am as like to call thee so again,
To spit 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 for barren metal of his friend?)
But lend it rather to thine enemy,

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

Shy.

storm!

Why, look you, how you

I would be friends with you, and have your

love,

Forget the shames that you have stain'd me
with,

Supply your present wants, and take no doit 28
Of usance for my moneys, and you'll not

29

hear me :

This is kind I offer.

Bass. This were kindness.

Shy.

This kindness will

120

125

130

I show.

Go with me to a notary,30 seal me there
Your single bond; and, in a merry sport,—

If

you repay me not, on such a day,

In such a place, such sum or sums as are
Expressed in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound

Of

your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken

Y

135

140

In what part of your body pleaseth me.

Ant. Content, i' faith: I'll seal to such a bond, And say there is much kindness in the Jew. Bass. You shall not seal to such a bond for me:

I'll rather dwell 32 in my necessity.

Ant. Why, fear not, man; I will not for-
feit it:

Within these two months, that's a month before
This bond expires, I do expect return

Of thrice three times the value of this bond.
Shy. (O father Abram, what these Christians

are,

Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect
The thoughts of others!)-Pray you, tell me

this:

If he should break his day, what should I gain
By the exaction of the forfeiture ?

33

A pound of man's flesh taken from a man
Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say,
To buy his favour, I extend this friendship:
If he will take it, so; if not, adieu;
And, for my love, I pray you wrong me not.

34

Ant. Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond.
Shy. Then meet me forthwith at the
notary's ;

Give him directions for this merry bond,
And I will go and purse the ducats straight:
See to my house, left in the fearful 35 guard
Of an unthrifty knave, and presently
I will be with you.

145

150

155

160

165

Ant. Hie thee, gentle Jew.

[Exit Shylock. The Hebrew will turn Christian: he grows

kind.

Bass. I like not fair terms and a villain's

mind,

Ant. Come on; in this there can be no dismay;

My ships come home a month before the day.

NOTES.

1 (l. 1). Ducats. The silver ducat was valued at 4s. 6d. ; the gold one at 9s. The coin was so named from being struck in the dominions of a duke (L. dux, ducis). 2 (1. 4). Bound, will give bond or become surety.

3 (1.6). Stead, help or support. From stay, stayed.

4 (l. 9). Good man here means that

he was able to fulfil his contract. 5 (l. 14). In supposition, in a doubtful state.

6 (l. 14). Argosy, a very large merchant ship.

7 (l. 15). Tripolis, one of the Moorish states of N. África, on the Mediterranean Sea.

8 (l. 15). Indies, the West Indian Islands.

9 (l. 16). The Rialto, the name of a famous bridge over the Grand Canal at Venice. It was here that merchants were in the habit of meeting, as on an exchange, for the transaction of business. 10 (l. 17). Mexico, a country situated

between N. and S. America, and which, at that time, belonged to Spain.

11 (1. 18). Ventures, those things sent to trade with at sea, and consequently placed in a state of hazard.

12 ( 18). Squandered here means dispersed or scattered broadcast. 13 ( 29). Pork, the Mosaic law forbade its use as food.

14 (l. 37). Publican. A publican, as meant here, among the Romans, was a farmer of the taxes and public revenues. As a class they

15

[Exeunt.

were much disliked by the Hebrew nation.

(l. 42). Upon the hip, having a person in one's power.

16 (7. 47). Tribe here means the whole Jewish nation.

17 (1.51). The gross, the whole sum. 18 (55). Signior, a title of respect generally in use among the nations of Southern Europe. Senior; Fr. Seigneur.

L.

19 (1. 59). Ripe wants, those requiring to be immediately attended to. 20 ( 61). Ye would, you would wish to have.

21 (1. 67). Advantage, profit, interest. 22 (1. 72). The Third, reckoning Abraham as the first.

23 (1. 77). Pied, spotted. 24 (l. 102). Gaberdine, a long coarse frock.

25 (l. 107). Void your rheum, to spit at him.

26 (1. 108). Foot me, kick me. 27 (l. 113). Bondman's key, in the

manner and tone of a slave. 28 (1..129). Doit, a small Dutch coin, value half a farthing. 29 (l. 130). Usance, interest. 30 (1. 134). Notary, an officer authorised to attest contracts, &c. 31 (l. 138). Condition, agreement. 32 (l. 145). Dwell, continue. 33 (l. 157). Muttons, beefs. These words are formed after the plural of the French nouns mouton, a sheep; bœuf, an ox.

34 (1. 158). Extend, offer. 35 . 165). Fearful, untrustworthy. 36 (l. 168). Hie, hasten; from AngloSaxon, higan.

170

ANTONIO'S LOSSES.

ACT III. SCENE II.

SCENE. BELMONT. Portia's House.

Enter LORENZO, JESSICA, and SALERIO, with letter giving an account of Antonio's losses. Bass. Lorenzo and Salerio, welcome hither; If that the youth of my new interest here Have power to bid you welcome.-By your leave.

I bid my very friends and countrymen,

Sweet Portia, welcome.

Por.

So do I, my lord; They are entirely welcome.

Lor. I thank your honour.-For my part, my lord,

My purpose was not to have seen you here;
But meeting with Salerio by the way,

He did entreat me, past all saying nay,'
To come with him along.

Saler.

And I have reason for it.
Commends him to you.

Bass.

I did, my lord;

Signior Antonio

[Gives Bassanio a letter. Ere I ope this letter,

I pray you, tell me how my good friend doth. Saler. Not sick, my lord, unless it be in

mind;

Nor well, unless in mind: his letter there
Will show you his estate."

2

[BASS. reads the letter.

5

10

15

« السابقةمتابعة »