Shy. Is it so nominated in the bond? Por. It is not so expressed; but what of that? 'Twere good you do so much for charity. Shy. cannot find it; 'tis not in the bond. Ant. But little; I am armed, and well prepared.- Say, how I loved you; speak me fair in death; Repent not you that you shall lose pay it instantly with all my heart. I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all Here to this devil, to deliver you. ? Por. Your wife would give you little thanks for that, If she were by, to hear you make the offer. Gra. I have a wife, whom, I protest, I love; I would she were in heaven, so she could Entreat some power to change this currish Jew. 'Would any of the stock of Barrabas Had been her husband, rather than a Christian! [Aside. We trifle time. I pray thee, pursue sentence. Por. A pound of that same merchant's flesh is thine; The court awards it, and the law doth give it. Shy. Most rightful judge! Por. And you must cut this flesh from off his breast; The law allows it, and the court awards it. Shy. Most learned judge!-A sentence: come, prepare. Por. Tarry a little ;-there is something else.- One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods Unto the state of Venice. Gra. O upright judge!-Mark, Jew;-O learned judge! Shy. Is that the law? Por. Thyself shall see the act; For, as thou urgest justice, be assured, Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desir'st. Gra. O learned judge!-Mark, Jew;-a learned judge! Shy. I take this offer then ;-pay the bond thrice, And let the Christian go. Bass. Here is the money. Soft; Por. The Jew shall have all justice ;-soft!-no haste ;— He shall have nothing but the penalty. Gra. O Jew! An upright judge, a learned judge! Por. Therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh: Shed thou no blood; nor cut thou less, nor more, But just a pound of flesh. If thou tak'st more, Or less, than a just pound,-be it but so much As makes it light, or heavy, in the substance, Or the division of the twentieth part Of one poor scruple; nay, if the scale do turn Thou diest, and all thy goods are confiscate. Gra. A second Daniel, a Daniel, Jew! Now, infidel, I have thee on the hip. Por. Why doth the Jew pause? feiture. Take thy for Shy. Give me my principal, and let me go. Gra. A Daniel, still say I;-a second Daniel! Shy. Why, then the devil give him good of it! Por. Tarry, Jew; The law hath yet another hold on you. It is enacted in the laws of Venice, If it be proved against an alien, That by direct, or indirect attempts, The party, 'gainst the which he doth contrive, The danger formerly by me rehearsed. Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the duke. Gra. Beg, that thou mayst have leave to hang thyself: And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state, Thou hast not left the value of a cord; Therefore, thou must be hanged at the state's charge. Duke. That thou shalt see the difference of our spirit, I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it. Por. Ay, for the state; not for Antonio. Shy. Nay, take my life and all; pardon not that. You take my house, when you do take the prop That doth sustain my house; you take my life, When you do take the means whereby I live. Por. What mercy can you render him, Antonio? Gra. A halter gratis; nothing else, for God's sake Ant. So please my lord the duke and all the court, To quit the fine for one half of his goods; I am content, so he will let me have The other half in use,1-to render it, Upon his death, unto the gentleman That lately stole his daughter. Two things provided more.-That, for this favor, The other, that he do record a gift, Here in the court, of all he dies possessed, Unto his son Lorenzo, and his daughter. Duke. He shall do this; or else I do recant The pardon that I late pronounced here. Por. Art thou contented, Jew; what dost thou say? Shy. I am content. Por. Clerk, draw a deed of gift. Shy. I pray you, give me leave to go from hence; I am not well: send the deed after me, And I will sign it. Duke. Get thee gone; but do it. Gra. In christening thou shalt have two god fathers; 1 Antonio's offer has been variously explained. It appears to be "that he will quit his share of the fine, as the duke has already done that portion due to the state, if Shylock will let him have it in use (i. e. at interest) during his life, to render it at his death to Lorenzo " Had I been judge, thou shouldst have had ten more; To bring thee to the gallows, not to the font. 1 [Exit SHYLOCK. Duke. Sir, I entreat you home with me to dinner. Por. I humbly do desire your grace of pardon; I must away this night toward Padua, And it is meet I presently set forth. Duke. I am sorry that your leisure serves you not. Antonio, gratify this gentleman; For, in my mind, you are much bound to him. [Excunt Duke, Magnificoes, and Train. Por. He is well paid that is well satisfied; I wish you well, and so I take my leave. Bass. Dear sir, of force I must attempt you fur ther; Take some remembrance of us, as a tribute, Por. You press me far, and therefore I will yield. Bass. This ring, good sir,-alas, it is a trifle; 1 i. e. a jury of twelve men to condemn him. |