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and gone to…night。 Exeunt
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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
SCENE VII。 Belmont。 PORTIA's house
Flourish of cornets。 Enter PORTIA； with the PRINCE OF MOROCCO；
and their trains
PORTIA。 Go draw aside the curtains and discover The several
caskets to this noble Prince。 Now make your choice。 PRINCE OF
MOROCCO。 The first； of gold； who this inscription bears： 'Who chooseth
me shall gain what many men desire。' The second； silver； which this
promise carries： 'Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves。' This
third； dull lead； with warning all as blunt： 'Who chooseth me must give
and hazard all he hath。' How shall I know if I do choose the right？
PORTIA。 The one of them contains my picture； Prince； If you choose that；
then I am yours withal。 PRINCE OF MOROCCO。 Some god direct my
judgment！ Let me see； I will survey th' inscriptions back again。 What says
this leaden casket？ 'Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath。'
Must give… for what？ For lead？ Hazard for lead！ This casket threatens；
men that hazard all Do it in hope of fair advantages。 A golden mind stoops
not to shows of dross； I'll then nor give nor hazard aught for lead。 What
says the silver with her virgin hue？ 'Who chooseth me shall get as much as
he deserves。' As much as he deserves！ Pause there； Morocco； And weigh
thy value with an even hand。 If thou beest rated by thy estimation； Thou
dost deserve enough； and yet enough May not extend so far as to the lady；
And yet to be afeard of my deserving Were but a weak disabling of myself。
As much as I deserve？ Why； that's the lady！ I do in birth deserve her； and
in fortunes； In graces； and in qualities of breeding； But more than these； in
love I do deserve。 What if I stray'd no farther； but chose here？ Let's see
once more this saying grav'd in gold： 'Who chooseth me shall gain what
many men desire。' Why； that's the lady！ All the world desires her； From the
four corners of the earth they come To kiss this shrine； this mortal…
breathing saint。 The Hyrcanian deserts and the vasty wilds Of wide Arabia
are as throughfares now For princes to come view fair Portia。 The watery
kingdom； whose ambitious head Spits in the face of heaven； is no bar To
stop the foreign spirits； but they come As o'er a brook to see fair Portia。
One of these three contains her heavenly picture。 Is't like that lead contains
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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
her？ 'Twere damnation To think so base a thought； it were too gross To rib
her cerecloth in the obscure grave。 Or shall I think in silver she's immur'd；
Being ten times undervalued to tried gold？ O sinful thought！ Never so rich
a gem Was set in worse than gold。 They have in England A coin that bears
the figure of an angel Stamp'd in gold； but that's insculp'd upon。 But here
an angel in a golden bed Lies all within。 Deliver me the key； Here do I
choose； and thrive I as I may！ PORTIA。 There； take it； Prince； and if my
form lie there； Then I am yours。 ＇He opens the golden casket＇ PRINCE OF
MOROCCO。 O hell！ what have we here？ A carrion Death； within whose
empty eye There is a written scroll！ I'll read the writing。 'All that glisters is
not gold； Often have you heard that told； Many a man his life hath sold
But my outside to behold。 Gilded tombs do worms infold。 Had you been
as wise as bold； Young in limbs； in judgment old； Your answer had not
been inscroll'd。 Fare you well； your suit is cold。' Cold indeed； and labour
lost； Then farewell； heat； and welcome； frost。 Portia； adieu！ I have too
griev'd a heart To take a tedious leave； thus losers part。 Exit with his train。
Flourish of cornets PORTIA。 A gentle riddance。 Draw the curtains； go。 Let
all of his complexion choose me so。 Exeunt
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SCENE VIII。 Venice。 A street
Enter SALERIO and SOLANIO
SALERIO。 Why； man； I saw Bassanio under sail； With him is
Gratiano gone along； And in their ship I am sure Lorenzo is not。
SOLANIO。 The villain Jew with outcries rais'd the Duke； Who went with
him to search Bassanio's ship。 SALERIO。 He came too late； the ship was
under sail； But there the Duke was given to understand That in a gondola
were seen together Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica； Besides； Antonio
certified the Duke They were not with Bassanio in his ship。 SOLANIO。 I
never heard a passion so confus'd； So strange； outrageous； and so variable；
As the dog Jew did utter in the streets。 'My daughter！ O my ducats！ O my
daughter！ Fled with a Christian！ O my Christian ducats！ Justice！ the law！
My ducats and my daughter！ A sealed bag； two sealed bags of ducats； Of
double ducats； stol'n from me by my daughter！ And jewels… two stones；
two rich and precious stones； Stol'n by my daughter！ Justice！ Find the girl；
She hath the stones upon her and the ducats。' SALERIO。 Why； all the boys
in Venice follow him； Crying； his stones； his daughter； and his ducats。
SOLANIO。 Let good Antonio look he keep his day； Or he shall pay for
this。 SALERIO。 Marry； well rememb'red； I reason'd with a Frenchman
yesterday； Who told me； in the narrow seas that part The French and
English； there miscarried A vessel of our country richly fraught。 I thought
upon Antonio when he told me； And wish'd in silence that it were not his。
SOLANIO。 You were best to tell Antonio what you hear； Yet do not
suddenly； for it may grieve him。 SALERIO。 A kinder gentleman treads not
the earth。 I saw Bassanio and Antonio part。 Bassanio told him he would
make some speed Of his return。 He answered 'Do not so； Slubber not
business for my sake； Bassanio； But stay the very riping of the time； And
for the Jew's bond which he hath of me； Let it not enter in your mind of
love； Be merry； and employ your chiefest thoughts To courtship； and such
fair ostents of love As shall conveniently become you there。' And even
there； his eye being big with tears； Turning his face； he put his hand
behind him； And with affection wondrous sensible He wrung Bassanio's
hand； and so they parted。 SOLANIO。 I think he only loves the world for
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him。 I pray thee； let us go and find him out； And quicken his embraced
heaviness With some delight or other。 SALERIO。 Do we so。 Exeunt
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SCENE IX。 Belmont。 PORTIA'S house
Enter NERISSA； and a SERVITOR
NERISSA。 Quick； quick； I pray thee； draw the curtain straight； The
Prince of Arragon hath ta'en his oath； And comes to his election presently。
Flourish of cornets。 Enter the PRINCE OF ARRAGON； PORTIA；
and their trains
PORTIA。 Behold； there stand the caskets； noble Prince。 If you choose
that wherein I am contain'd； Straight shall our nuptial rites be solemniz'd；
But if you fail； without more speech； my lord； You must be gone from
hence immediately。 ARRAGON。 I am enjoin'd by oath to observe three
things： First； never to unfold to any one Which casket 'twas I chose； next；
if I fail Of the right casket； never in my life To woo a maid in way of
marriage； Lastly； If I do fail in fortune of my choice； Immediately to leave
you and be gone。 PORTIA。 To these injunctions every one doth swear That
comes to hazard for my worthless self。 ARRAGON。 And so have I
address'd me。 Fortune now To my heart's hope！ Gold； silver； and base lead。
'Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath。' You shall look fairer
ere I give or hazard。 What says the golden chest？ Ha！ let me see： 'Who
chooseth me shall gain what many men desire。' What many men desire…
that 'many' may be meant By the fool multitude； that choose by show； Not
learning more than the fond eye doth teach； Which pries not to th' interior；
but； like the martlet； Builds in the weather on the outward wall； Even in
the force and road of casualty