Shakespeare's play of the Merchant of Venice Part 11

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 76: _--to bear my wroath_.; _Misfortune_.]

[Footnote 77: _--regreets; i.s_., salutations.]

[Footnote 78: _I reason'd; Id est_, I conversed.]

[Footnote 79: _--knapp'd ginger,_; To knap is to break short. The word occurs in the common prayer--"_He knappeth the spear in sunder_."]

[Footnote 80: _turquoise_; A precious stone found in the veins of the mountains on the confines of Persia to the east, subject to the Tartars.

Many superst.i.tious qualities were imputed to it, all of which were either monitory or preservative to the wearer.]

SCENE III.--SALOON OF THE CASKETS, IN PORTIA'S HOUSE, AT BELMONT.

Ba.s.sANIO, PORTIA, GRATIANO, NERISSA, _and Attendants_.

_Por_. I pray you, tarry; pause a day or two, Before you hazard; for, in choosing wrong I lose your company; I could teach you How to choose right, but then I am forsworn; So will I never be: so may you miss me; But if you do, you'll make me wish a sin, That I had been forsworn.

_Bas_. Let me choose; For, as I am, I live upon the rack.

Come, let me to my fortune and the caskets.

_Por_. Away then: I am lock'd in one of them; If you do love me, you will find me out.

Let music sound, while he doth make his choice: Then, if he lose, he makes a swan-like end, Fading in music.(B)--That the comparison May stand more proper, my eye shall be the stream And wat'ry death-bed for him.

[_Music, whilst_ Ba.s.sANIO _comments on the Caskets to himself_.

SONG.[81]

1. Tell me where is fancy bred.

Or in the heart, or in the head?

How begot, how nourished Reply, reply.

2. It is engender'd in the eyes, With gazing fed; and fancy dies In the cradle where it lies: Let us all ring fancy's knell; I'll begin it.--Ding, dong, bell.

_All_. Ding, dong, bell.

[_Exeunt all but_ PORTIA _and_ Ba.s.sANIO.

_Bas_. So may the outward shows be least themselves;[82]

The world is still deceiv'd with ornament.

In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt, But, being season'd with a gracious voice,[83]

Obscures the show of evil? In religion, What d.a.m.ned error, but some sober brow Will bless it and approve it[84] with a text, Hiding the grossness with fair ornament?

There is no vice so simple, but a.s.sumes Some mark of virtue on his outward parts.

Thus ornament is but the guiled[85] sh.o.r.e To a most dangerous sea; the beauteous scarf Veiling an Indian beauty. Therefore, thou gaudy gold, Hard food for Midas, I will none of thee: Nor none of thee, thou pale and common drudge 'Tween man and man. But thou, thou meagre lead, Which rather threat'nest than dost promise aught, Thy plainness moves me more than eloquence, And here choose I. Joy be the consequence!

_Por_. How all the other pa.s.sions fleet to air!

O love, be moderate, allay thy ecstacy, I feel too much thy blessing, make it less, For fear I surfeit!

_Bas_. What find I here!

[_Opening the leaden casket_.

Fair Portia's counterfeit?[86]--Here's the scroll, The continent and summary of my fortune.

'You that choose not by the view, Chance as felt, and choose as true!

Since this fortune falls to you, Be content, and seek no new.

If you be well pleas'd with this, And hold your fortune for your bliss.

Turn you where your lady is, And claim her with a loving kiss.'

A gentle scroll.--Fair lady, by your leave, I come by note, to give and to receive.

Yet doubtful whether what I see be true, Until confirm'd, sign'd, ratified by you.

_Por_. You see, my lord Ba.s.sanio, where I stand, Such as I am: though, for myself alone, I would not be ambitious in my wish, To wish myself much better; yet, for you, I would be trebled twenty times myself.

But now I was the lord Of this fair mansion, master of my servants, Queen o'er myself; and even now, but now, This house, these servants, and this same myself.

Are yours, my lord,--I give them with this ring; Which, when you part from, lose, or give away, Let it presage the ruin of your love, And be my vantage to exclaim on you.

_Bas_. Madam, you have bereft me of all words; Only my blood speaks to you in my veins: But when this ring Parts from this finger, then parts life from hence; O, then be bold to say, Ba.s.sanio's dead.

_Ner_. My lord and lady, it is now our time, That have stood by and seen our wishes prosper, To cry good joy; G.o.d joy, my lord and lady!

_Gra_. My lord Ba.s.sanio, and my gentle lady, I wish you all the joy that you can wish; For I am sure you can wish none from me: And, when your honours mean to solemnize The bargain of your faith, I do beseech you Even at that time I may be married too.

_Bas_. With all my heart, so thou canst get a wife.

_Gra_. I thank your lords.h.i.+p; you have got me one.

My eyes, my lord, can look as swift as yours: You saw the mistress, I beheld the maid; You lov'd, I lov'd; for intermission[87]

No more pertains to me, my lord, than you.

Your fortune stood upon the caskets there; And so did mine too, as the matter falls: For wooing here, until my roof was dry With oaths of love, at last,--if promise last,-- I got a promise of this fair one here, To have her love, provided that your fortune Achiev'd her mistress.

_Por_. Is this true, Nerissa?

_Ner_. Madam, it is, so you stand pleas'd withal.

_Bas_. And do you, Gratiano, mean good faith?

_Gra_. Yes, faith, my lord.

_Bas_. Our feast shall be much honour'd in your marriage.

_Gra_. But who comes here? Lorenzo, and his infidel?

What, and my old Venetian friend, Solanio.

_Enter_ LORENZO, JESSICA, _and_ SALANIO.

_Bas_. Lorenzo, and Solanio, welcome hither; If that the youth of my new interest here Have power to bid you welcome:--By your leave, I bid my very friends and countrymen, Sweet Portia, welcome.