Shakespeare's play of the Merchant of Venice Part 16

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.-- This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood; The words expressly are a pound of flesh: Then take thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh; But, in the cutting it, if thou dost shed One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate 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 a.s.sur'd Thou shalt have justice more than thou desir'st.

_Gra_. O learned judge!--Mark Jew;--a learned judge!

_Shy_. I take his offer, then,--pay the bond thrice, And let the Christian go.

_Bas_. Here is the money.

_Por_. Soft.

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.(D) 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 balance, Or the division of the twentieth part Of one poor scruple,--nay, if the scale do turn But in the estimation of a hair,-- 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? take thy forfeiture.

_Shy_. Give me my princ.i.p.al, and let me go.

_Bas_. I have it ready for thee; here it is.

_Por_. He hath refus'd it in the open court; He shall have merely justice, and his bond.

_Gra_. A Daniel, still say I; a second Daniel!-- thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word.

_Shy_. Shall I not barely have my princ.i.p.al?

_Por_. Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture, To be so taken at thy peril, Jew.

_Shy_. Why then the devil give him good of it!

I'll stay no longer question.

_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 He seek the life of any citizen, The party 'gainst the which he doth contrive Shall seize one half his goods; the other half Comes to the privy coffer of the state; And the offender's life lies in the mercy Of the duke only, 'gainst all other voice.

In which predicament, I say, thou stand'st: For it appears by manifest proceeding, That, indirectly, and directly, too, Thou hast contriv'd against the very life Of the defendant; and thou hast incurr'd The danger formerly by me rehears'd.

Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the duke.

_Gra_. Beg that thou may'st 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 hang'd at the state's charge.

_Duke_. That thou shall see the difference of our spirit, I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it: For half thy wealth, it is Antonio's; The other half comes to the general state, Which humbleness may drive unto a fine.

_Por_. Ay, for the state;[109] 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 Heaven'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,[110] to render it, Upon his death, unto the gentleman That lately stole his daughter; Two things provided more,--That for this favour, He presently become a Christian; The other, that he do record a gift, Here in the court, of all he dies possess'd, Unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter.

_Duke_. He shall do this; or else I do recant The pardon that I late p.r.o.nounced 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 G.o.dfathers; Had I been judge, thou should'st have had ten more,[111]

To bring thee to the gallows, not to the font.

[_Exit_ SHYLOCK.

_Duke_. Sir, I entreat you with me home 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.

[_Exeunt_ DUKE, _Magnificoes, and Train_.

_Bas_. Most worthy gentleman, I and my friend, Have by your wisdom been this day acquitted Of grievous penalties; in lieu whereof, Three thousand ducats, due unto the Jew, We freely cope your courteous pains withal.