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Belmont. Avenue to PORTIA'S house.
[Enter LORENZO and JESSICA]
LORENZO
. T
T T ,
, ,
The moon shines bright:| in such | a night | as
this,
,
, , , ,
When the / sweet wind | did gent|ly kiss | the
trees,
,
, T T .
T ,
And they | did make | no noise, in such | a night
,
, ,
, ,
Troilus | methinks | mounted | the Troy|an walls,
,
, , ,
,
And sighed | his soul | toward | the Grec|ian
tents
, ,
,
Where Cres|sid lay | that night.
JESSICA
, ,
In such | a night
,
, , ,
,
Did This|be fear|fully | oretrip | the dew,
,
, ,
, ,
And saw | the li|on's shad|ow ere | himself,
,
, ,
And ran | dismayed | away.
LORENZO
, ,
In such | a night
,
, ,
, ,
Stood^Di|do with | a wil|low in | her hand
, .
T T T ,
,
Upon | the wild sea banks,| and waft | her love
,
, ,
2
To come | again | to Carth|age.
JESSICA
, ,
In such | a night
, , ,
2 , ,
Mede|a gath|ered | the enchant|ed herbs
,
, , 2
That did | renew | old^Ae|son.
LORENZO
, ,
In such | a night
,
, ,
, ,
Did Jes|sica | steal from | the wealth|y Jew,
, 2 T
T T ,
x
And with an | unthrift love | did run | from
Venice,
,
, ,
As far | as Bel|mont.
JESSICA
, ___
In | such a | night
,
, , ,
,
Did young | Loren|zo swear | he loved | her well,
,
, , ,
,
Stealing | her soul | with man|y vows | of faith,
,
, ,
And nere | a true | one.
LORENZO
, ___
In | such a | night
,
, , T . Tx
T
Did pret|ty Jes|sica |(like a little shrew)
,
, ,
, ,
Slander | her love,| and he | forgave | it her.
JESSICA
,
, , ,
,
I would | out-night | you did | nobod|y come:
,
, , ,
,
But hark,| I hear | the foot|ing of | a man.
[Enter STEPHANO]
LORENZO
,
, ,
, ,
Who comes | so fast | in sil|ence of | the night?
STEPHANO
,
A friend. \\
LORENZO
,
, ,
, ,
A friend,| what friend?| Your name | I pray | you
friend?
STEPHANO
, ,
, , ,
Stepha|no is | my name,| and I / bring word
,
, , ,
,
My mist|ress will | before | the break | of day
,
, , ,
,
Be here | at Bel|mont, she | doth stray | about
, , ,
, ,
By ho|ly cros|ses where | she kneels | and prays
,
, ,
For hap|py wed|lock^hours.
LORENZO
, ,
Who comes^|with her?
STEPHANO
,
, , ,
,
None but | a ho|ly herm|it and | her maid:
,
, , ,
,
I pray | you is | my mast|er yet | returned?
LORENZO
,
, , ,
,
He is / not, nor | we have / not heard | from
him,
,
, , ,
,
But go | we in | I pray | thee Jes|sica,
,
, 2 , ,
,
And ce|remon|iously | let us | prepare
,
, ,
, ,
Some wel|come for | the mist|ress of | the house.
[Enter LAUNCELOT]
LAUNCELOT
Sola, sola: wo ha ho, sola, sola.
LORENZO
Who calls?
LAUNCELOT
Sola, did you see Master Lorenzo, and Master Lorenzo, sola, sola.
LORENZO
Leave hollaing man, here.
LAUNCELOT
Sola, where, where?
LORENZO
Here.
LAUNCELOT
Tell him there's a post come from my master, with his horn full of good
news, my master will be here ere morning sweet soul.
[Exit]
LORENZO
T T .
T ,
, o
Let's in, and there | expect | their com|ing.
,
, , ,
,
And yet | no mat|ter: why | should we | go in?
,
, , ,
,
My friend | Stephan,| signi|fy I | pray you
,
, ,
, ,
Within | the house,| your mist|ress is | at hand,
,
, ,
, ,
And bring | your mus|ic forth | into | the air.
,
, T T . T
,
How sweet | the moon|light sleeps upon | this
bank,
, 2
, ,
, ,
Here will we | sit, and | let the | sounds of |
music
, 2
T T T ,
,
Creep in our | ears soft still|ness, and | the
night
, ,
, , ,
Become | the touch|es of / sweet har|mony:
, ,
, ,
x
Sit Jes/sica,| look how | the floor | of heaven
,
, , T .
T T
Is thick | inlaid | with pat|ines of bright gold,
, ,
, , ,
There's^not | the small|est orb | which thou |
beholdst
,
, ,
, ,
But in | his mot|ion like | an ang|el sings,
, ,
2 T T T
,
Still quir/ing to the | young-eyed cher|ubins;
,
, ,
, ,
Such^har|mony | is in | immort|al souls,
,
, ,
, ,
But whilst | this mud|dy vest|ure of | decay
,
, , , x
Doth^gross|ly close | in it,| we can|not hear it:
T T .
T , ,
,
Come ho, and wake | Dian|a with | a hymn.
,
, ,
, ,
With sweet|est touch|es pierce | your mist|ress'
ear,
,
, ,
And draw | her home | with mus|ic.
JESSICA
<- , x
, ,
T T T o
I | am never || merry | when I | hear sweet
mus|ic.
[Music]
LORENZO
,
, x ,
,
The reas|on is,| your spirits | are at|tentive:
,
, , ,
,
For do | but note | a wild | and want|on herd
,
, , , ,
Or race | of youth|ful and / unhand|led colts,
, T
T T 3 3
, ,
Fetching | mad bounds, bel|lowing and neigh|ing
loud,
,
, ,
, ,
Which is | the hot | condit|ion of | their blood,
,
, , ,
,
If they | but hear | perchance | a trump|et
sound,
, ,
, , ,
Or an|y air | of mus|ic touch | their ears,
,
, ,
, 2 ,
You shall | perceive | them make | a mut|ual
stand,
,
, ,
, ,
Their sav|age eyes | turned to | a mod|est gaze,
2 ,
x ,
, x
By the sweet | power of | music:| therefore | the
poet
,
, , T
T . T
Did feign | that Orph|eus drew | trees, stones,
and floods,
, , ,
, ,
Since nought | so stock|ish, hard,| and full | of
rage,
, ,
2 , ,
,
But mus|ic for the | time doth | change his |
nature,
,
, ,
, ,
The man | that hath | no mus|ic in | himself,
T . T T
, T . T
T
Nor is not moved | with con|cord of sweet sounds,
,
, , ,
,
Is fit | for treas|ons, stra|tagems,| and spoils;
,
, x
, ,
The mot|ions of | his spirit | are dull | as
night,
, 2 ,
, , ,
And his af|fections | dark as | Ere|bus,
<- , ,
, ,
,
Let^||no such^|man be | trusted.| Mark the |
music.
[Enter PORTIA and NERISSA]
PORTIA
,
, ,
, ,
That light | we see | is burn|ing in | my hall:
,
, ,
, ,
How far | that lit|tle cand|le throws | his
beams,
,
, , ,
,
So shines | a good | deed in | a naugh|ty world.
NERISSA
,
, , ,
x
When the / moon shone | we did | not see | the
candle?
PORTIA
,
, ,
, ,
So doth | the great|er glo|ry dim | the less,
,
, , ,
,
A sub|stitute | shines bright/ly as | a king
,
, , ,
,
Unto | the king | be by,| and then | his state
,
, ,
, ,
Empties | itself,| as doth | an in|land brook
, ,
, ,
,
Into | the main | of wat|ers. Mus|ic, hark.
NERISSA
, , ,
, ,
It is / your mus|ic mad|am of | the house.
PORTIA
,
, , ,
,
Nothing | is good | I see | without | respect,
,
. T T T
, ,
Methinks | it sounds much sweet|er than | by day?
NERISSA
,
, , x
,
Silence | bestows | that virt|ue on it | madam.
PORTIA
,
, ,
, ,
The crow | doth sing | as sweet|ly as | the lark
,
, , ,
,
When neith|er is | attend|ed: and | I think
,
, , ,
,
The night|ingale | if she | should sing | by day
,
, , ,
,
When eve|ry goose | is cack|ling, would | be
thought
, ,
, , ,
No bet/ter a | musi|cian than | the wren?
,
, , ,
,
How man|y things | by seas|on, seas|oned are
2 ,
, ,
,
To their right | praise, and | true per|fection:
T T
. T ,
, ,
Peace, how the moon | sleeps with | Endy|mion,
,
, ,
And would | not be | awaked.
[Music ceases]
LORENZO
,
,
That is | the voice,
, ,
, , ,
Or I | am much | deceived | of Por|tia.
PORTIA
, ,
. T T T
He knows | me as | the blind man knows | the
<- , 2
, ,
Cuck||oo* by the / bad voice.
LORENZO
, ,
,
Dear la|dy wel|come home?
PORTIA
,
, , ,
,
We have | been pray|ing for | our hus|bands'
healths,
, ,
, , ,
Which speed | we hope | the bet|ter for | our
words,
,
,
Are they | returned?
LORENZO
, ,
,
Madam,| they are / not yet;
,
, , ,
,
But there | is come | a mes|senger | before,
,
, , 2
To sig|nify | their com|ing.
PORTIA
, , ->
Go^in | Neris||sa,
, ,
2 , , ,
Give | order | to my serv|ants, that / they take
T T . T
. T Tx T
,
No note at all | of our being ab|sent hence,
,
, , ,
,
Nor you | Loren|zo, Jes|sica | nor you.
[A tucket sounds]
LORENZO
,
, ,
, x
Your hus|band is | at hand,| I hear | his
trumpet,
2 ,
T T T
, ,
We are no | tell-tales mad|am, fear | you not.
PORTIA
,
, ,
. t T T
This night | methinks | is but | the daylight
sick,
,
, ,
, ,
It looks | a lit|tle pal|er, 'tis | a day,
, ,
, ,
,
Such^as | the day | is, when | the sun | is hid.
[Enter BASSANIO, ANTONIO, GRATIANO, and their followers]
BASSANIO
, ,
, , ,
We should / hold day | with the | Anti|podes,
,
, , ,
,
If you | would walk | in ab|sence of | the sun.
PORTIA
T . T T
, ,
,
Let me give light,| but let | me not | be light,
2 ,
, ,
, ,
For a light | wife doth | make a | heavy |
husband,
,
, , 2 ,
,
And nev|er be | Bassan|io so | for me,
,
, 2 , ,
,
But God | sort^all:| You are wel|come home | my
lord.
BASSANIO
,
, , ,
2 ,
I thank | you mad|am, give | welcome | to my
friend.
,
, ,
, ,
This is | the man,| this is | Anton|io,
,
, , ,
,
To whom | I am | so in|finite|ly bound.
PORTIA
,
, ,
T T . T
You should | in all | sense be | much bound to
him,
,
, , T
T . T
For as | I hear | he was | much bound for you.
ANTONIO
,
, ,
, ,
No more | than I | am well | acquit|ted of.
PORTIA
,
, , ,
,
Sir, you | are ver|y wel|come to | our house:
,
, , ,
,
It must | appear | in oth|er ways | than words,
,
, , ,
,
Therefore | I scant | this breath|ing court|esy.
GRATIANO
,
, , ,
,
By yond|er moon | I swear | you do | me wrong,
,
, , ,
,
In faith | I gave | it to | the judge|'s clerk,
, ,
, , ,
Would^he | were gelt | that had | it for / my
part,
,
, , ,
,
Since you | do take | it love | so much | at
heart.
PORTIA
, ,
, ,
x
A quar|rel ho | alread|y, what's | the matter?
GRATIANO
,
, ,
, ,
About | a hoop | of gold,| a palt|ry ring
,
, , ,
___
That she | did give | me, whose | posy | was
,
, , , ,
For all | the world | like cut|ler's poe|try
, ,
, ,
,
Upon | a knife;| Love me,| and leave | me not.
NERISSA
,
, 2 , , ,
What talk | you of the | posy | or the | value:
,
, , ,
,
You swore | to me | when I | did give | it you,
,
, ,
, ,
That you | would wear | it till | your hour | of
death,
,
, , ,
,
And that | it should / lie with | you in | your
grave,
, ,
, , 2 ,
Though not | for me,| yet for | your ve|hement
oaths,
,
, ,
, x
You should | have been | respec|tive and | have
kept it.
,
, , ,
,
Gave it | a judge|'s clerk:| but well | I know
,
. T T T
2 ,
x
The clerk | will nere wear hair | on his face |
that had it.
GRATIANO
,
, ,
, ,
He will,| and if | he live | to be | a man.
NERISSA
,
, ,
, ,
Aye, if | a wom|an live | to be | a man.
GRATIANO
,
, ,
, ,
Now* by | this hand | I gave | it to | a youth,
, ,
, ,
,
A kind | of boy,| a lit|tle scrub|bed boy,
,
, , ,
,
No high|er than | thyself,| the judge|'s clerk,
,
, , ,
,
A prat|ing boy | that begged | it as | a fee,
,
, ,
, ,
I could | not for | my heart | deny | it him.
PORTIA
,
, , ,
,
You were | to blame,| I must | be plain | with
you,
. T T
T , 2 T
T T
To part so slight|ly with your | wife's first
gift,
,
, , x
,
A thing | stuck^on | with oaths | upon your |
finger,
, ,
2 , ,
,
And so | riveted | with faith | unto | your flesh.
,
, , ,
,
I gave | my love | a ring,| and made | him swear
, ,
, , ,
Never | to part | with it,| and here | he stands:
,
, , ,
x
I dare | be sworn | for him,| he would / not
leave it,
,
, ,
, ,
Nor pluck | it from | his fing|er, for | the
wealth
2 , ,
, , ,
That the world | masters.| Now in | faith
Gra|tiano,
,
, 2 ,
, ,
You give | your wife | too^unkind | a cause | of
grief,
,
, , ,
,
And 'twere | to me | I should | be mad | at it.
BASSANIO
, ,
, . T T T
Why I | were best | to cut | my left hand off,
,
, , , ,
And swear | I lost | the ring | defend|ing it.
GRATIANO
,
, 2 , ,
,
My Lord | Bassan|io gave | his ring | away
, ,
, ,
,
Unto | the judge | that begged | it, and | indeed
,
, , , ,
Deserved | it too:| and then | the boy | his
clerk
,
, , ,
,
That took | some pains | in writ|ing, he / begged
mine,
,
, ,
, ,
And neith|er man | nor mast|er would / take aught
,
,
But the / two rings.
PORTIA
, ,
,
What ring | gave you | my lord?
,
, , ,
,
Not that | I hope | which you | received | of me.
BASSANIO
, ,
, , ,
If I | could add | a lie | unto | a fault,
,
x ,
, ,
I would | deny it:| but you | see my | finger
,
, , ,
,
Hath not | the ring | upon | it, it | is gone.
PORTIA
Tx T T
, , ,
Even so void | is your / false heart | of truth.
,
, , ,
,
By heav|en I | will nere | come^in | your bed
,
, ,
Until | I see | the ring. \\
NERISSA
,
, , ,
,
Nor I | in yours,| till I | again | see mine.
BASSANIO
,
Sweet Por|tia, \\
,
, ,
, ,
If you | did know | to whom | I gave | the ring,
,
, T T . T
,
If you | did know | for whom I gave | the ring,
,
, ,
, ,
And would | conceive | for what | I gave | the
ring,
,
, ,
, ,
And how | unwil|lingly | I left | the ring,
,
, ,
, ,
When nought | would be | accep|ted but | the
ring,
, 2
, ,
, ,
You would a|bate the | strength of | your
dis|pleasure?
PORTIA
,
, , ,
,
If you | had known | the virt|ue of | the ring,
,
, , ,
,
Or half | her worth|iness | that gave | the ring,
,
, ,
, ,
Or your / own hon|or to | contain | the ring,
,
, , ,
,
You would | not then | have part|ed with | the
ring:
,
, , , 2
,
What man | is there | so much | unreas|onable,
,
, , 2 ,
If you | had pleased | to have de|fended | it
<- , ,
, , ,
,
With an||y terms | of zeal:| wanted | the
mod|esty
,
, , 2
, ,
To urge | the thing | held as a | cere|mony:
,
, , ,
,
Neris|sa teach|es me | what to | believe,
,
2 , T Tx
T ,
I'll die | for it, but | some woman had | the
ring?
BASSANIO
, ,
, ,
,
No by | my hon|or mad|am, by | my soul
,
x , ,
,
No wom|an had it,| but a | civil | doctor,
,
, ,
, 2 ,
Which did | refuse | three* thous|and duc|ats of
me,
,
, , ,
x
And begged | the ring:| the which | I did | deny
him,
,
, , ,
,
And suf|fered him | to go | displeased | away:
2 ,
, , ,
,
Even he | that did | uphold | the ver|y life
,
, , 2
, ,
Of my / dear friend.| What should I | say sweet*|
lady?
, ,
, ,
,
I was | enforced | to send | it aft|er him,
, ,
, , ,
I was | beset | with shame | and court|esy,
,
, , ,
,
My hon|or would / not let | ingrat|itude
,
x ,
, ,
So much | besmear it.| Pardon | me good | lady,
,
, ,
, ,
For by | these bles|sed cand|les of | the night,
,
, ,
, ,
Had you | been there,| I think | you would | have
begged
,
, , ,
, 2->
The ring | of me,| to give | the worth|y
doct||or?
PORTIA
,
, , ,
,
Let^not | that doct|or ere | come near | my
house,
,
, , , ,
Since^he | hath got | the jew|el that | I loved,
,
, , ,
,
And that | which you | did swear | to keep | for
me,
,
, , ,
,
I will | become | as lib|eral | as you,
,
, , ,
,
I'll not | deny | him an|y thing | I have,
T T . T
, , ,
No, not my bod|y, nor | my hus|band's bed:
,
, , , ,
Know him | I shall,| I am | well sure / of it.
T T . T
, ,
x
Lie not a night | from home:| watch me |
like^Argus,
,
, ,
, ,
If you | do not,| if I | be left | alone,
,
, , ,
,
Now by | mine^hon|or which | is yet | mine own,
,
, ,
, ,
I'll have | that doct|or for | my bed|fellow.
NERISSA
,
, , , ,
And I | his clerk:| therefore | be well | advised
,
, , 2 ,
,
How you | do leave | me to mine | own
pro|tection.
GRATIANO
,
, ,
, ,
Well*, do | you so:| let^not | me take | him
then,
,
, ,
. T T T
For if | I do,| I'll mar | the young clerk's pen.
ANTONIO
,
2 , , ,
2 ,
I am | the unhap|py sub|ject of these | quarrels.
PORTIA
___ T T
T
Sir,| grieve not you, \\
,
, ,
, oo
You are | welcome | notwith|standing.|
BASSANIO
, ,
, ,
,
Portia,| forgive | me this | enforc|ed wrong,
,
, , ,
,
And in | the hear|ing of | these^man|y friends
,
, x 2
T T T
I swear | to thee,| even by thine^|own fair eyes
,
, ,
Wherein | I see | myself.
PORTIA
, ,
Mark you | but that?
,
, ,
, ,
In both | my eyes | he doub|ly sees | himself:
. T T T
, ,
,
In each eye one,| swear by | your doub|le self,
,
, x
And there's | an oath | of credit.
BASSANIO
, ,
Nay, but | hear me.
,
, ,
, ,
Pardon | this fault,| and by | my soul | I swear
,
, , ,
,
I nev|er more | will break | an oath | with thee.
ANTONIO
,
, ,
, ,
I once | did lend | my bod|y for | his wealth,
,
, , , ,
Which^but | for him | that had | your hus|band's
ring,
, ,
, , ,
Had quite miscarried. I dare be bound again, ????
,
, , ,
,
My soul | upon | the for|feit, that | your lord
,
, T T . T ,
Will nev|er more | break faith advis|edly.
PORTIA
,
, ,
, ,
Then you | shall be | his sure|ty: give | him
this,
,
x ,
, ,
And bid | him keep it | better | than the |
other.
ANTONIO
T T .
T 2 , ,
,
Here Lord Bassan|io, swear | to keep | this ring.
BASSANIO
x
, ,
, , 2->
By heaven | it is | the same | I gave | the
doct||or.
PORTIA
x
, ,
, , 2
I had it | of him:| pardon | me Bas|sanio,
,
, , ,
,
For by | this ring | the doct|or lay | with me.
NERISSA
,
, x , ,
And pard|on me | my gentle | Grati|ano,
,
, , ,
,
For that / same scrub|bed boy | the doct|or's
clerk
,
, , ,
,
In lieu | of this,| last^night | did lie | with
me.
GRATIANO
,
, , ,
,
Why this | is like | the mend|ing of / highways
,
, , ,
,
In sum|mer, where | the ways | are fair | enough:
,
, , ,
2 ,
What, are | we cuck|olds ere | we have de|served
it.
PORTIA
T T .
T , ,
,
Speak not so gross|ly, You | are all | amazed;
, 2
, ,
, ,
Here is a | letter,| read it | at your | leisure,
,
, 2 , ,
,
It comes | from Pad|ua from | Bellar|io,
, 2
, ,
, ,
There you shall | find that | Portia | was the |
doctor,
,
, ,
, ,
Neris|sa there | her clerk.| Loren|zo here
,
, ,
, ,
Shall wit|ness I | set forth | as soon | as you,
x
, ,
, ,
And even | but now | returned:| I have / not yet
,
, , 2 ,
, ->
Entered | my house.| Anton|io you | are
wel||come,
, 2 ,
, , ,
And | I have bet|ter news | in store | for you
,
, , ,
,
Than you | expect:| unseal | this let|ter soon,
,
, ,
, ,
There you | shall find | three of | your
arg|osies
,
, ,
, ,
Are rich|ly come | to har|bor sud|denly.
,
, ,
, ,
You shall | not know | by what | strange
ac/cident
, ,
,
I chanc|ed on | this let|ter.
ANTONIO
, ,
I | am dumb.
BASSANIO
,
, ,
, ,
Were you | the doct|or, and | I knew | you not?
GRATIANO
,
, ,
, ,
->
Were you | the clerk | that is | to make | me
cuck||old.
NERISSA
, 2
, , ,
x
Aye,| but the clerk | that nev|er means | to do
it,
,
, ,
, ,
Unless | he live | until | he be | a man.
BASSANIO
,
, , , ,
(Sweet* doct|or) you | shall be | my bed|fellow,
,
, ,
, ,
When I | am ab|sent, then | lie with | my wife.
ANTONIO
, , 2
x ,
,
(Sweet la/dy) you have | given me | life and |
living;
,
, , ,
,
For here | I read | for cert|ain that | my ships
,
, x
Are safe|ly come | to road.
PORTIA
, ,
How | now Lor|enzo?
,
, ,
, ,
My clerk | hath some / good com|forts too | for
you.
NERISSA
,
, , ,
,
Aye, and | I'll give | them him | without | a
fee.
,
, , , ,
There do | I give | to you | and Jes|sica
,
, ,
, ,
From the / rich Jew,| a spec|ial deed | of gift
, 2
, ,
, ,
After his | death, of | all he | dies pos|sessed
of.
LORENZO
, , ,
, ,
Fair lad/ies you | drop man/na in | the way
,
,
Of starved | people.
PORTIA
, ,
,
It is | almost | morning,
,
2 , , ,
,
And yet | I am sure | you are / not sat|isfied
,
, , , ,
Of these | events | at full.| Let us | go in,
,
, , 2
, x
And charge | us there | upon | interrog|atories,
,
, , ,
,
And we | will ans|wer all | things^faith|fully.
GRATIANO
, ,
, 2 , x
Let it | be so:| the first | interro|gatory
,
, , ,
,
That my | Neris|sa shall | be sworn | on, is,
,
, , 2
, ,
Whether | till the / next night | she had rath|er
stay,
,
, x T T
. T
Or go | to bed,| now being | two hours to day,
,
, ,
, ,
But were | the day | come, I | should wish | it
dark,
,
, ,
, ,
That I | were couch|ing with | the doct|or's
clerk.
, ,
, ,
,
Well*, while | I live,| I'll fear | no oth|er
thing
,
, , ,
,
So sore,| as keep|ing safe | Neris|sa's ring.
[Exeunt]