Fled with a chriftian? O my christian ducats! Of double ducats, ftoll'n from me by my daughter! Sal. Marry, well remember'd. I reafon'd with a Frenchman yefterday, Sola. You were beft to tell Anthonio what you hear, Yet do not fuddenly, for it may grieve him. Sal. A kinder Gentleman treads not the earth. I faw Baffanio and Anthonio part. Baffanio told him, he would make some speed He wrung Baffanio's hand, and fo they parted. And And quicken his embraced heaviness Sal. Do we fo. Ner. SCENE X. Changes to Belmont. Enter Neriffa with a Servant. UICK, quick, I pray thee, draw the cur Qtain ftrait; The Prince of Arragon has ta'en his oath, And comes to his election presently. Enter Arragon, his train, Portia. Flor. Cornets. The Cafkets are discover'd. Por. Behold, there ftand the cafkets, noble Prince; If you chufe that, wherein I am contain'd, Strait fhall our nuptial rites be folemniz'd: But if you fail, without more fpeech, my lord, You must be gone from hence immediately. Ar. I am enjoin'd by oath t'observe three things; First, never to unfold to any one Which cafket 'twas I chofe; next, if I fail life To woo a maid in way of marriage : Por. To thefe injunctions every one doth swear, That comes to hazard for my worthless self. Ar. And fo have I addreft me; fortune now To my heart's hope! gold, filver, and bafe lead. Who chufeth me, must give and hazard all he hath. You fhall look fairer, ere I give or hazard. What fays the golden cheft? ha, let me fee; Who chufeth me, fhall gain what many men defire. What many men defire-that may be meant Of the fool-multitude, that chufe by show, Not Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach; O, that eftates, degrees, and offices, Were not deriv'd corruptly, that clear honour Por. Too long a paufe for that which you find there. [Unlocking the filver cafket. Ar. What's here! the portrait of a blinking idiot, Prefenting me a fchedule? I will read it. How much unlike art thou to Portia ? How much unlike my hopes and my defervings? Ar. What is here? The The fire fev'n times tried this? Ar. Still more fool I fhall appear, By the time I linger here. With one fool's head I came to woo, Sweet, adieu! I'll keep my oath, Por. Thus hath the candle fing'd the moth: Enter a Servant. Serv. Where is my lady? Por. Here, what would my lord? From whom he bringeth fenfible regreets; [Exit. To wit, befides commends and courteous breath, A day in April never came fo fweet, Por. Por. No more, I pray thee; I am half afraid, ACT III. [Exeunt. SCENE I. A Street in VENICE. Enter Salanio and Solarino. SOLARINO. TOW, what news on the Ryalto? Now Sal. Why, yet it lives there uncheckt, that Anthonio hath a fhip of rich lading wreckt on the narrow feas; the Godwins, I think, they call the płace; a very dangerous flat and fatal, where the carcafes of many a tall ship lie bury'd, as they say, if goffip Report be an honeft woman of her word. my Sola. I would fhe were as lying a goffip in that, as ever knapt ginger; or made her neighbours believe, fhe wept for the death of a third hulband. But it is true, without any flips of prolixity, or croffing the plain high-way of talk, that the good Anthonio, the honeft Anthonio—O that I had a title good enough to keep his name campany! Sal. Come, the full stop. Sola. Ha, what fay'ft thou? why, the end is, he hath loft a ship. Sal. I would it might prove the end of his loffes. Sola. Let me fay Amen betimes, left the devil cross thy prayer, for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. How now, Shylock, what news among the merchants? VOL. II. L Enter |