Salar. Why, I am sure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh; What's that good for? Shy. To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me of half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew: Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? if you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? if we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility ? revenge; If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? why, revenge. The villainy, you teach me, I will execute; and it shall go hard, but I will better the instruction. Enter a Servant. Serv. Gentlemen, my master Antonio is at his house, and desires to speak with you both. Salar. We have been up and down to seek him. Enter TUBAL. Salan. Here comes another of the tribe; a third cannot be matched, unless the devil himself turn Jew. [Exeunt SALAN. SALAR. and Servant. Shy. How now, Tubal, what news from Genoa? hast thou found my daughter? Tub. I often came where I did hear of her, but cannot find her. Shy. Why there, there, there, there! a diamond gone, cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfort! The curse never fell upon our nation till now; I never felt till now:-two thousand ducats in that; and other precious, precious jewels.-I would, my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear; 'would she were hears'd at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin! No news of them?-Why, so:-and I know not what's spent in the search: Why, thou loss upon loss! the thief gone with so much, and so much to find the thief; and no satisfaction, no revenge: nor no ill luck stirring but what lights o' my shoulders; no sighs, but o' my breathing; no tears, but o' my shedding. Tub. Yes, other men have ill luck too; Antonio, as I heard in Genoa, Shy. What, what, what? ill luck, ill luck? Tub. -hath an argosy cast away, coming from Tripolis. Shy. I thank God, I thank God:--Is it true? is it true? Tub. I spoke with some of the sailors that escaped the wreck. Shy. I thank thee, good Tubal;-Good news, good news: ha! ha? Where? in Genoa! Tub. Your daughter spent in Genoa, as I heard, one night, fourscore ducats. Shy. Thou stick'st a dagger in me:-I shall never see my gold again: Fourscore ducats at a sit ting! fourscore ducats! Tub. There came divers of Antonio's creditors in my company to Venice, that swear he cannot choose but break. Shy. I am very glad of it: I'll plague him; I'll torture him; I am glad of it. Tub. One of them showed me a ring, that he had of your daughter for a monkey. Shy. Out upon her! Thou torturest me, Tubal: it was my turquoise; I had it of Leah, when I was a bachelor: I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys. Tub. But Antonio is certainly undone. Shy. Nay, that's true, that's very true: Go, Tubal, fee me an officer, bespeak him a fortnight be fore: I will have the heart of him, if he forfeit; for were he out of Venice, I can make what mer chandize I will: Go, go, Tubal, and meet me al our synagogue; go, good Tubal; at our synagogue, Tubal. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Belmont. A Room in Portia's House. Enter BASSANIO, PORTIA, GRATIANO, NERISSA, and Attendants. The caskets are set out. Por. I pray you, tarry; pause a day or two, 2it was my turquoise; I had it of Dealt, when I was a bachelor: A turquoise is a precious stone found in the veins of the mountains on the confines of Persia to the east, subject to the 'Tartars. As Shylock had been married long enough to have a daughter grown up, it is plain he did not value this turquoise on account of the money for which lie might hope to sell it, but merely in respect of the imaginary virtues formerly ascribed to the stone. It was said of the Turkey-stone, that it faded or brightened in its colour, as the health of the wearer increased or grew less; and other superstitious qualities are imputed to it, all of which were either monitory or preservative to the wearer. (And yet a maiden hath no tongue but thought,) To stay you from election. Bass. Let me choose; For, as I am, I live upon the rack. 3 Por. Upon the rack, Bassanio? then confess What treason there is mingled with your love. Bass. None, but that ugly treason of mistrust, Which makes me fear the enjoying of my love: There may as well be amity and life Tween snow and fire, as treason and my love. Por. Ay, but, I fear, you speak upon the rack, Where men enforced do speak any thing.. Por. Well then, confess, and live. Bass. Confess, and love, Had been the very sum of my confession : O happy torment, when my torturen Doth teach me answers for deliverance ! But let me to my fortune and the caskets. -to peize the time;] To peize, is to weigh, or balance; and figuratively, to keep in suspense, to delay. Por. Away then: I am lock'd in one of them; If you do love me, you will find me out.Nerissa, and the rest, stand all aloof.Let musick sound, while he doth make his choice; Then, if he lose, he makes a swan-like end, Fading in musick: that the comparison May stand more proper, my eye shall be the stream, And wat'ry death-bed for him: He may win; love, Than young Alcides, when he did redeem Musick, whilst BASSANIO comments on the caskets to himself. SONG. 1. Tell me, where is fancy' bred, 4 With no less presence,] With the same dignity of mien. -fancy-] i. e. Love. * |