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mind not undertook。 LORENZO。 'Tis now but four o'clock； we have two
hours To furnish us。
Enter LAUNCELOT； With a letter
Friend Launcelot； what's the news？ LAUNCELOT。 An it shall please
you to break up this； it shall seem to signify。 LORENZO。 I know the hand；
in faith； 'tis a fair hand； And whiter than the paper it writ on Is the fair
hand that writ。 GRATIANO。 Love…news； in faith！ LAUNCELOT。 By your
leave； sir。 LORENZO。 Whither goest thou？ LAUNCELOT。 Marry； sir； to
bid my old master； the Jew； to sup to…night with my new master； the
Christian。 LORENZO。 Hold； here； take this。 Tell gentle Jessica I will not
fail her； speak it privately。 Go； gentlemen； Exit LAUNCELOT Will you
prepare you for this masque to…night？ I am provided of a torch…bearer。
SALERIO。 Ay； marry； I'll be gone about it straight。 SOLANIO。 And so
will I。 LORENZO。 Meet me and Gratiano At Gratiano's lodging some
hour hence。 SALERIO。 'Tis good we do so。 Exeunt SALERIO and
SOLANIO GRATIANO。 Was not that letter from fair Jessica？ LORENZO。
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； What page's
suit she hath in readiness。 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
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SCENE V。 Venice。 Before SHYLOCK'S house
Enter SHYLOCK and LAUNCELOT
SHYLOCK。 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！ LAUNCELOT。 Why；
Jessica！ SHYLOCK。 Who bids thee call？ I do not bid thee call。
LAUNCELOT。 Your worship was wont to tell me I could do nothing
without bidding。
Enter JESSICA
JESSICA。 Call you？ What is your will？ SHYLOCK。 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。 LAUNCELOT。 I beseech you； sir； go； my young
master doth expect your reproach。 SHYLOCK。 So do I his。 LAUNCELOT。
And they have conspired together； I will not say you shall see a masque；
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' th' morning； falling out that year on
Ash Wednesday was four year； in th' afternoon。 SHYLOCK。 What； are
there masques？ Hear you me； Jessica： Lock up my doors； and when you
hear the drum； And the vile squealing 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 fopp'ry enter My sober
house。 By Jacob's staff； I swear I have no mind of feasting forth to…night；
But I will go。 Go you before me； sirrah； Say I will come。 LAUNCELOT。 I
will go before； sir。 Mistress； look out at window for all this。 There will
come a Christian by Will be worth a Jewess' eye。 Exit SHYLOCK。 What
says that fool of Hagar's offspring； ha？ JESSICA。 His words were
'Farewell； mistress'； nothing else。 SHYLOCK。 The patch is kind enough；
but a huge feeder； Snail…slow in profit； and he sleeps by day More than the
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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 borrowed 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 JESSICA。 Farewell； and if my fortune be not crost； I have a father；
you a daughter； lost。 Exit
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SCENE VI。 Venice。 Before SHYLOCK'S house
Enter the maskers； GRATIANO and SALERIO
GRATIANO。 This is the pent…house under which Lorenzo Desired us
to make stand。 SALERIO。 His hour is almost past。 GRATIANO。 And it is
marvel he out…dwells his hour； For lovers ever run before the clock。
SALERIO。 O； ten times faster Venus' pigeons fly To seal love's bonds new
made than they are wont To keep obliged faith unforfeited！ GRATIANO。
That ever holds： who riseth from a feast With that keen appetite that he sits
down？ Where is the horse that doth untread again His tedious measures
with the unbated fire That he did pace them first？ All things that are Are
with more spirit chased than enjoyed。 How like a younker or a prodigal
The scarfed bark puts from her native bay； Hugg'd and embraced by the
strumpet wind； How like the prodigal doth she return； With over…weather'd
ribs and ragged sails； Lean； rent； and beggar'd by the strumpet wind！
Enter LORENZO
SALERIO。 Here comes Lorenzo； more of this hereafter。 LORENZO。
Sweet friends； your patience for my long abode！ Not I； but my affairs；
have made you wait。 When you shall please to play the thieves for wives；
I'll watch as long for you then。 Approach； Here dwells my father Jew。 Ho！
who's within？
Enter JESSICA； above； in boy's clothes
JESSICA。 Who are you？ Tell me； for more certainty； Albeit I'll swear
that I do know your tongue。 LORENZO。 Lorenzo； and thy love。 JESSICA。
Lorenzo； certain； and my love indeed； For who love I so much？ And now
who knows But you； Lorenzo； whether I am yours？ LORENZO。 Heaven
and thy thoughts are witness that thou art。 JESSICA。 Here； catch this
casket； it is worth the pains。 I am glad 'tis night； you do not look on me；
For I am much asham'd of my exchange； But love is blind； and lovers
cannot see The pretty follies that themselves commit； For； if they could；
Cupid himself would blush To see me thus transformed to a boy。
LORENZO。 Descend； for you must be my torch…bearer。 JESSICA。 What！
must I hold a candle to my shames？ They in themselves； good sooth； are
too too light。 Why； 'tis an office of discovery； love； And I should be
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obscur'd。 LORENZO。 So are you； sweet； Even in the lovely garnish of a
boy。 But come at once； For the close night doth play the runaway； And we
are stay'd for at Bassanio's feast。 JESSICA。 I will make fast the doors； and
gild myself With some moe ducats； and be with you straight。 Exit above
GRATIANO。 Now； by my hood； a gentle； and no Jew。 LORENZO。
Beshrew me； but I love her heartily； For she is wise； if I can judge of her；
And fair she is； if that mine eyes be true； And true she is； as she hath
prov'd herself； And therefore； like herself； wise； fair； and true； Shall she be
placed in my constant soul。
Enter JESSICA； below
What； art thou come？ On； gentlemen； away； Our masquing mates by
this time for us stay。 Exit with JESSICA and SALERIO
Enter ANTONIO
ANTONIO。 Who's there？ GRATIANO。 Signior Antonio？ ANTONIO。
Fie； fie； Gratiano； where are all the rest？ 'Tis nine o'clock； our friends all
stay for you； No masque to…night； the wind is come about； Bassanio
presently will go aboard； I have sent twenty out to seek for you。
GRATIANO。 I am glad on't； I desire no more delight Than to be under sail
and gone to…night。 Exeunt
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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE