Like one well studied in a sad ostent

To please his grandam, never trust me more.
Bass. Well, we shall see your bearing.

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
That purpose merriment: But fare you well,
I have some business.

Gra. And I must to Lorenzo, and the rest;
But we will visit you at supper-time.

[Exeunt BASSANIO and GRATIANO,

SCENE II.

SHYLOCK'S House.

Enter JESSICA, and LAUNCELOT,

father so;

Jes. I am sorry, thou wilt leave my
Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil,
Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness:
But fare thee well; there is a ducat for thee,
And, Launcelot, soon at supper shalt thou see
Lorenzo, who is thy new master's guest;
Give him this letter; do it secretly,

And so farewell; I would not have my father
See me talk with thee.

Laun. Adieu!-tears exhibit my tongue.—

Most beautiful Pagan,-most sweet Jew! if a Christian did not play the knave, and get thee, I am much deceived:-But, adieu! these foolish drops do somewhat drown my manly spirit; adieu!

[Exit LAUNCELot,

Jes. Farewell, good Launcelot--
Alack, what heinous sin is it in me,
To be asham'd to be my father's child!
But though I am a daughter to his blood,
I am not to his manners: O Lorenzo,
If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife;
Become a christian, and thy loving wife.

[Exit JESSICA.

SCENE III.

A Street in Venice.

Enter SALARINO, SALANIO, GRATIANO, and
LORENZO.

Lor. Nay, we shall slink away in supper time; Disguise us at my lodging, and return

All in an hour.

Gra. We have not made good preparation.

Sal. We have not spoke us yet of torch-bearers.. Sala. 'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered; And better, in my mind, not undertook.

Lor. 'Tis now but four o'clock; we have two hours To furnish us:—

Enter LAUNCELOT, and goes to LORENZO.

Friend Launcelot, what's the news?

Laun. An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to signify. [Gives LORENZO a Letter. Lor. I know the hand: in faith, 'tis a fair hand; And whiter, than the paper it writ on,

Is the fair hand that writ.

Gra. Love news, in faith.
Laun. By your leave sir,

Lor. Whither goest thou?

Laun. Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to sup to-night with my new master the Christian. Lor. Hold here, take this:-tell gentle Jessica, I will not fail her;-Speak it privately, go.-

[Exit LAUNCELOT.

Gentlemen,
Will you prepare you for this mask to-night?
I am provided of a torch bearer.

Sal. Ay, marry, I'll begone about it straight,
Sala. And so will I.

Lor. Meet me and Gratiano,

At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence,

Sala, "Tis good we do so.

[Exeunt SALARINO and SALANIO,

Gra. Was not that letter from fair Jessica?

Lor. I must needs tell thee all: she hath directed, How I shall take her from her father's house; What gold and jewels she is furnish'd with.— If e'er the Jew her father come to heaven, It will be for his gentle daughter's sake; And never dare misfortune cross her foot, Unless she do it under this excuse,

That she is issue to a faithless Jew.

Come, go with me; peruse this, as thou goest:
Fair Jessica shall be

my

torch-bearer.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

SHYLOCK'S House.

SHYLOCK seated, and LAUNCELOT, discovered.-SHYLOCK's Hat and Cane on the Table.

Shy. Well, thou shalt see, thy eyes shall be thy judge,

The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio:-
What Jessica!-thou shalt not gormandize,
As thou hast done with me;—What, Jessica!-
And sleep and snore, and rend apparel out—
Why, Jessica, I say!

Laun. Why, Jessica!

Shy. Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call. Laun. Your worship was wont to tell me, that I could do nothing without bidding.

Enter JESSICA.

Jes. Call you? What is your

will?

Shy. I am bid forth to supper, Jessica;

There are my keys:-But wherefore should I go?
I am not bid for love; they flatter me :
But yet I'll go in hate, to feed upon

The prodigal christian.-Jessica, my girl,
Look to my house :-I am right loath to go;
There is some ill a brewing towards my rest,
For I did dream of money-bags to-night.

Laun. I beseech you, sir, go; my young master doth expect your reproach.

Shy. So do I his.

Laun. And they have conspired together,-I will not say, you shall see a mask; but if you do, then it was not for nothing that my nose fell a bleeding on. Black Monday last, at six o'clock i'the morning, falling out that year on Ash Wednesday was four year in the afternoon.

Shy. What! are there masks? Hear you me, Jes

sica:

Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drum,
And the vile squeaking of the wry-neck'd fife,
Clamber not you up to the casements then,
Nor thrust your head into the public street,
To gaze on christian fools with varnish'd faces:
But stop my house's ears, I mean, my casements;
Let not the sound of shallow foppery enter

My sober house.-By Jacob's staff, I swear, I have no mind of feasting forth to-night: go.-Go you before me, sirrah ;

But I will
Say, I will come.

[Goes for his Hat and Cane.] Laun. I will go before, sir.—

Mistress, look out at the window, for all this;
There will come a Christian by,

Will be worth a Jewess' eye.

[Exit LAUN.

Shy. What says that fool of Hagar's offspring, ha? [Coming forward.

Jes. His words were, farewell mistress; nothing

else.

Shy. The patch is kind enough; but a huge feeder, Snail slow in profit, and he sleeps by day

More than the wild cat; drones hive not with me;
Therefore I part with him; and part with him
To one that I would have him help to waste
His borrow'd purse.-Well, Jessica, go in ;
Perhaps I will return immediately;

Do as I bid you; shut doors after you;
"Fast bind, fast find;"

A proverb never stale in thrifty mind..

[Exit SHYLOCK

Jes. Farewell; and if my fortune be not crost,

I have a father, you a daughter, lost.

SONG JESSICA.

Haste, Lorenzo, haste away,
To my longing arms repair,
With impatience I shall die;
Come, and ease thy Jessy's care;
Let me then, in wanton play,
Sigh and gaze my soul away.

[Exit JESSICA.