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The Merchant of Venice

Act I, Scene 3

Venice. A public place.
 
[Enter BASSANIO and SHYLOCK]
 
SHYLOCK
Three thousand ducats, well.
 
BASSANIO
 
Aye sir, for three months.
 
SHYLOCK
For three months, well.
 
BASSANIO
For the which, as I told you,
Antonio shall be bound.
 
SHYLOCK
Antonio shall become bound; well.
 
BASSANIO
May you stead me? will you pleasure me?
Shall I know your answer.
 
SHYLOCK
Three thousand ducats for three months, and Antonio bound.
 
BASSANIO
Your answer to that.
 
SHYLOCK
Antonio is a good man.
 
BASSANIO
Have you heard any imputation to the contrary?
 
SHYLOCK
Ho no, no, no, no: my meaning in saying he is a good man, is to have you understand me that he is sufficient, yet his means are in supposition: he hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies, I understand moreover upon the Rialto, he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England, and other ventures he hath squandered abroad, but ships are but boards, sailors but men, there be land-rats, and water-rats, water-thieves, and land-thieves, I mean pirates, and then there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks: the man is notwithstanding sufficient, three thousand ducats, I think I may take his bond.
 
BASSANIO
Be assured you may.
 
SHYLOCK
I will be assured I may: and that I may be assured, I will bethink me, May I speak with Antonio?
 
BASSANIO
If it please you to dine with us.
 
SHYLOCK
Yes, to smell pork, to eat of the habitation which your prophet the Nazarite conjured the devil into: I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following: but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you. What news on the Rialto, who is he comes here?
 
[Enter ANTONIO]
 
BASSANIO
This is Signior Antonio.
 
SHYLOCK
       T    T  .   T       ,     ,         ,
      How like a fawn|ing pub|lican | he looks.
          ,         ,        ,       ,      ,
      I hate | him for | he is | a Chris|tian:
            ,          ,        ,         ,    ,
      But more,| for that | in low | simplic|ity
       .   T    T   T       ,               ,     ,
      He lends out mon|ey grat|is, and / brings down
            ,        ,        ,          ,         x
      The rate | of us|ance here | with us | in Venice.
         ,         ,           ,      ,         ,
      If I | can catch | him once | upon | the hip,
       2       ,     ,         ,           ,         ,
      I will feed | fat the | ancient | grudge I | bear him.
           ,          ,       ,        ,         ,
      He hates | our sac|red na|tion, and | he rails
       2     ,             ,          ,         ,      ,
      Even there | where merch|ants most | do cong|regate
          ,       ,    ,       2      T   T     T
      On me,| my bar|gains, and my |well-won thrift,
             ,           ,          ,      ,        ,
      Which he | calls^inte|rest: Curs|ed be | my tribe
         ,        ,
      If I | forgive | him.
 
BASSANIO
                             ,    ,              ,
                            Shy|lock, do | you hear.
 
SHYLOCK
         ,      ,       ,        ,        ,
      I am | debat|ing of | my pres|ent store,
           ,         ,      ,            ,    ,
      And by | the near | guess of | my mem|ory
         ,        ,            ,    ,         ,
      I can|not inst|antly / raise up | the gross
       .   T    T     T        ,         ,         ,
      Of full three thous|and duc|ats: What | of that?
       ,           ,      ,       ,        ,
      Tubal | a wealth|y Heb|rew of | my tribe
             ,       ,         ,         ,       ,
      Will furn|ish me,| but soft,| how man|y months
          ,        ,      ,                ,         ,
      Do you | desire?| Rest you | fair* good | signior,
            ,        ,          ,     ,              ,
      Your worsh|ip was | the last | man in | our mouths.
 
ANTONIO
       T   T    Tx    2    ,        ,         ,      2->
      Shylock, albe|it I neith|er lend | nor bor||row
          ,        ,        ,       ,       ,
      By tak|ing, nor | by giv|ing of | excess,
       ,           ,          ,      ,              ,
      Yet to | supply | the ripe | wants of | my friend,
             ,         ,       ,       ,          ,
      I'll break | a cust|om: is | he yet | possessed
            ,         ,
      How much | ye would?
 
SHYLOCK
                            T    T     T       ,          ,     ->
                           Aye, aye, three | thousand || ducats.
 
ANTONIO
                  ,      ,
      And for / three months.  \\
 
SHYLOCK
                 ,     ,      ,           ,        ,
      I had for/got, three months,| you told | me so.
        ,                ,     ,     2      ,           ,
      Well then,| your bond:| and let me | see, but | hear you;
            ,            ,          ,        ,         ,      2->
      Methoughts | you said,| you neith|er lend | nor bor||row
        ,        ,
      Upon | advant|age.
 
ANTONIO
                         ,       ,        x
                         I | do nev|er use it.
 
SHYLOCK
            ,        ,          ,      ,         ,
      When Jac|ob grazed | his unc|le Lab|an's sheep,
            ,       ,         ,     ,      ,
      This^Jac|ob from | our ho|ly Ab|ram was
                  ,    ,        ,          ,        ,
      (As his / wise moth|er wrought | in his | behalf)
            ,         ,        ,        ,          ,
      The third | posses|sor; aye | he was | the third.
 
ANTONIO
            ,     ,                  ,    ,
      And what | of him,| did he / take inte|rest?
 
SHYLOCK
      <-  ,     T    T    T         ,        ,           ,
         No,|| not take inte|rest, not | as you | would say
          ,       ,          ,          ,      ,
      Direct|ly inte|rest, mark | what Jac|ob did,
            ,      ,         ,           ,      ,
      When Lab|an and | himself | were comp|romised
            ,         ,          ,              ,            ,
      That all | the ean|lings which | were streaked | and pied
               ,        ,         ,     .    T    Tx    T
      Should fall | as Jac|ob's hire,| the ewes being rank,
        2     ,        ,        ,      ,         ,
      In the end | of aut|umn turn|ed to | the rams,
            ,          ,        ,    ,       ,
      And when | the work | of gen|era|tion was
          ,             ,       ,        ,        ,
      Between | these^wool|ly breed|ers in | the act,
            ,         ,          ,          ,        ,
      The skill|ful sheph|erd peeled | me cert|ain wands,
           ,        ,      ,         ,         ,
      And in | the doi|ng of | the deed | of kind,
           ,           ,       ,         ,         ,
      He stuck | them up | before | the ful|some ewes,
             ,         ,        ,        ,        ,
      Who* then | conceiv|ing, did | in ean|ing time
        T    Tx   T         ,           ,           ,        ->
      Fall parti-col|ored lambs,| and those | were Jac||ob's.
        ,       2   ,          ,          ,          ,
      This | was a way | to thrive,| and he | was blessed:
             ,          ,             ,    ,         ,
      And thrift | is bles|sing if / men steal | it not.
 
ANTONIO
        ,     2      ,        ,          ,         ,
      This was a | venture | sir that | Jacob | served for,
          ,      T   .  T    Tx         ,          ,
      A thing | not in his power | to bring | to pass,
             ,           ,         ,         ,          x
      But swayed | and fash|ioned by | the hand | of heaven.
            ,        ,            ,    ,         ,
      Was this | insert|ed to / make inte|rest good?
          ,          ,          ,       ,          ,
      Or is | your gold | and silv|er ewes | and rams?
 
SHYLOCK
         ,        ,        ,         ,          ,
      I can|not tell,| I make | it breed | as fast,
            ,      2     ,
      But note | me signior.
 
ANTONIO
                               ,          ,       ,  2
                             Mark you | this Bas|sanio,
            x           ,       ,         ,         ,
      The devil | can cite | Scripture | for his | purpose,
           x      ,       ,        ,      ,
      An evil | soul pro|ducing | holy | witness,
           ,       ,         ,        ,        ,
      Is like | a vil|lain with | a smil|ing cheek,
          ,      ,      ,       ,         ,
      A good|ly ap|ple rot|ten at | the heart.
      ,     2      ,       T   T    T          ,
      O what a | goodly | outside false|hood hath.
 
SHYLOCK
               ,        ,         ,    .   T    T    T
      Three* thous|and duc|ats, 'tis | a good round sum.
                ,             ,           ,        ,          ,
      Three* months | from twelve,| then let | me see | the rate.
 
ANTONIO
        T   T   T           ,     2    ,       ,        ->
      Well Shylock,| shall we | be behold|ing to || you?
 
SHYLOCK
        ,     2   ,   2   ,   2    ,         ,
      Sign|ior Anton|io, man|y a time | and oft
       ,         ,      ,          ,      ,
      In the | Rial|to you | have rat|ed me
         ,        ,       ,        ,    ,
      About | my mon|eys and | my us|ances:
        ,              ,          ,       ,         ,
      Still have | I borne | it with | a pat|ient shrug,
             ,          ,         ,         ,          ,
      (For suffe|rance is | the badge | of all | our tribe.)
            ,        ,       x      T     T    T
      You call | me mis|believer,| cut-throat dog,
            ,      ,        ,       ,      ,
      And spit | upon | my Jew|ish gab|erdine,
           ,         ,         ,           ,         ,
      And all | for use | of that | which is | mine own.
        ,             ,        ,           ,         ,
      Well then,| it now | appears | you need | my help:
           ,          ,      ,            ,         ,
      Go* to | then, you | come to | me, and | you say,
       T   T    T        2      ,              ,   ,
      Shylock, we | would have mon|eys, you / say so:
       ,               ,           ,       ,         ,
      You that | did void | your rheum | upon | my beard,
            ,        ,         ,          ,       ,
      And foot | me as | you spurn | a strang|er cur
       ,  2          T   T    T       ,          ,
      Over your | threshold, mon|eys is | your suit.
              ,        ,        ,                ,   ,
      What should | I say | to you?| Should I / not say,
        T  .  T   T       ,       ,     ,
      Hath a dog mon|ey? Is | it pos|sible
         ,     .    T    T     T        ,        ,
      A cur | can lend three thous|and duc|ats? Or
                  ,   ,         ,       ,         ,
      Shall I / bend low,| and in | a bond|man's key
            ,        ,           ,    2     ,       ,
      With bat|ed breath,| and whis|pering hum|bleness,
      ___  __               ,          ,        ,         ,         ,
      Say this: \\ || Fair sir,| you spit | on me | on Wednes|day last;
             ,           ,       ,       ,       ,
      You spurned | me such | a day;| anoth|er time
             ,         ,         ,            ,      ,
      You called | me dog:| and for | these court|esies
             ,          ,          ,
      I'll lend | you thus | much mon|eys?  \\
 
ANTONIO
         ,        ,         ,          ,      ,
      I am | as like | to call | thee so | again,
           ,         ,       ,         ,           ,
      To spit | on thee | again,| to spurn | thee too.
           ,           ,          ,        ,        ,
      If thou | wilt lend | this mon|ey, lend | it not
          ,          ,            ,           ,          ,
      As to | thy friends,| for when | did friend|ship take
          ,          ,       ,      ,          ,
      A breed | for bar|ren met|al of | his friend?
            ,         ,      ,          ,   ,
      But lend | it rath|er to | thine en|emy,
           ,        ,            ,           ,        ,
      Who^if | he break,| thou mayst | with bet|ter face
         ,         ,    3 3
      Exact | the pen|alty.
 
SHYLOCK
                                  ,         ,          ,
                            Why look | you how | you storm,
          ,           ,            ,          ,           ,
      I would | be friends | with you,| and have | your love,
          ,           ,           ,            ,           ,
      Forget | the shames | that you | have stained | me with,
          ,           ,        ,      .    T   T   T
      Supply | your pres|ent wants,| and take no doit
          ,       ,        ,                ,    ,      ,
      Of us|ance for | my mon|eys, and / you'll not | hear me,
        ,         ,       ,
      This is | kind I | offer.  \\
 
BASSANIO
             ,      ,
      This were | kindness.
 
SHYLOCK
                                   ,         ,        ,
                            This kind|ness will | I show.
       ,         ,   2     ,         ,         ,
      Go with | me to a | notar|y, seal | me there
             ,       ,     ,           ,       ,
      Your sing|le bond,| and, in | a mer|ry sport:
          ,       ,        ,         ,       ,
      If you | repay | me not | on such | a day,
           ,        ,       T   T   .   T        ,
      In such | a place,| such sum or sums | as are
           ,       ,    2     ,        ,         ,
      Expressed | in the con|dition,| let the | forfeit
          ,    ,      ,        ,       ,
      Be nom|ina|ted for | an eq|ual pound
       .   T    T    T              ,   ,          x
      Of your fair flesh,| to be / cut off | and taken
           ,      ,             ,       ,       ,
      In what | part of | your bo|dy please|th me.
 
ANTONIO
           ,         ,            ,         ,        ,
      Content | in faith,| I'll seal | to such | a bond,
           ,                 ,    ,        ,        ,
      And say | there is / much kind|ness in | the Jew.
 
BASSANIO
            ,           ,         ,        ,         ,
      You shall | not seal | to such | a bond | for me,
             ,       ,         ,      ,     ,
      I'll rath|er dwell | in my | neces|sity.
 
ANTONIO
            ,     ,   ,              ,   ,
      Why fear | not man,/ I will | not for/feit it,
          ,      T    T    T            2    ,         ,
      Within | these two months,| that's a month | before
             ,        ,        ,       ,        ,
      This bond | expires,| I do | expect | return
      .     T     T     T          ,      ,          ,
      Of thrice three times | the val|ue of | this^bond.
 
SHYLOCK
          ,      ,        ,            ,          ,
      O fath|er Ab|ram, what | these^Chris|tians are,
        T    T    T      ,          ,           2    ,
      Whose own hard | dealings | teaches | them suspect
              ,          ,         ,          ,         ,
      The thoughts | of oth|ers: Pray | you tell | me this,
          ,            ,          ,      ,               ,
      If he | should break | his day,| what should | I gain
       ,          ,       ,        ,       ,
      By the | exact|ion of | the for|feiture?
          ,      .   T     T    T       ,       ,
      A pound | of man's flesh tak|en from | a man,
          ,        ,   2  ,      ,  33        ,
      Is not | so est|imable,| profitable | neither
           ,         ,          ,          ,        ,
      As flesh | of mut|tons, beefs,| or goats.| I say
          ,         ,      ,       ,            ,         ->
      To buy | his fav|or, I | extend | this friend||ship,
       ,     2       ,         ,       ,       ,
      If | he will take | it, so:| if not | adieu,
           ,         ,        ,          ,         ,
      And for | my love | I pray | you wrong | me not.
 
ANTONIO
       T   T   T     2       ,       ,          ,
      Yes Shylock,| I will seal | unto | this bond.
 
SHYLOCK
             ,         ,     ,            ,     ,
      Then meet | me forth|with at | the not|ary's,
        ,           ,        ,          ,       ,
      Give him | direc|tion for | this mer|ry bond,
          ,         ,         ,          ,          ,
      And I | will go | and purse | the duc|ats straight.
       ,            ,       ,             ,        ,
      See to | my house | left in | the fear|ful guard
               ,   ,       ,           ,      ,
      Of an / unthrift|y knave:| and pres|ently
          ,         ,
      I will | be with | you. \\
 
[Exit]
 
ANTONIO
Hie thee gentle Jew. The Hebrew will turn Christian, he grows kind.
 
BASSANIO
          ,     T    T    T        2   ,           ,
      I like | not fair terms,| and a vil|lain's mind.
 
ANTONIO
            ,        ,           ,        ,       ,
      Come^on,| in this | there can | be no | dismay,
           ,       T    T  .   T         ,         ,
      My ships | come home a month | before | the day.
 
[Exeunt]

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