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come so near creation？ Move these eyes？ Or whether riding on the balls of
mine Seem they in motion？ Here are sever'd lips； Parted with sugar breath；
so sweet a bar Should sunder such sweet friends。 Here in her hairs The
painter plays the spider； and hath woven A golden mesh t' entrap the hearts
of men Faster than gnats in cobwebs。 But her eyes… How could he see to
do them？ Having made one； Methinks it should have power to steal both
his； And leave itself unfurnish'd。 Yet look how far The substance of my
praise doth wrong this shadow In underprizing it； so far this shadow Doth
limp behind the substance。 Here's the scroll； The continent and summary
of my fortune。 'You that choose not by the view； Chance as fair 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 to
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。 Like one of
two contending in a prize； That thinks he hath done well in people's eyes；
Hearing applause and universal shout； Giddy in spirit； still gazing in a
doubt Whether those peals of praise be his or no； So； thrice…fair lady； stand
I even so； As doubtful whether what I see be true； Until confirm'd； sign'd；
ratified by you。 PORTIA。 You see me； Lord Bassanio； 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； A thousand times more fair； ten thousand times more rich； That
only to stand high in your account I might in virtues； beauties； livings；
friends； Exceed account。 But the full sum of me Is sum of something
which； to term in gross； Is an unlesson'd girl； unschool'd； unpractis'd；
Happy in this； she is not yet so old But she may learn； happier than this；
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She is not bred so dull but she can learn； Happiest of all is that her gentle
spirit Commits itself to yours to be directed； As from her lord； her
governor； her king。 Myself and what is mine to you and yours Is now
converted。 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's。 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。 BASSANIO。 Madam；
you have bereft me of all words； Only my blood speaks to you in my veins；
And there is such confusion in my powers As； after some oration fairly
spoke By a beloved prince； there doth appear Among the buzzing pleased
multitude； Where every something； being blent together； Turns to a wild of
nothing； save of joy Express'd and not express'd。 But when this ring Parts
from this finger； then parts life from hence； O； then be bold to say
Bassanio's dead！ NERISSA。 My lord and lady； it is now our time That
have stood by and seen our wishes prosper To cry 'Good joy。' Good joy；
my lord and lady！ GRATIANO。 My Lord Bassanio； 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。
BASSANIO。 With all my heart； so thou canst get a wife。 GRATIANO。 I
thank your lordship； 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 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 I sweat again； And swearing till my very 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。
PORTIA。 Is this true； Nerissa？ NERISSA。 Madam； it is； so you stand
pleas'd withal。 BASSANIO。 And do you； Gratiano； mean good faith？
GRATIANO。 Yes； faith； my lord。 BASSANIO。 Our feast shall be much
honoured in your marriage。 GRATIANO。 We'll play with them： the first
boy for a thousand ducats。 NERISSA。 What； and stake down？
GRATIANO。 No； we shall ne'er win at that sport； and stake down… But
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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
who comes here？ Lorenzo and his infidel？ What； and my old Venetian
friend； Salerio！
Enter LORENZO； JESSICA； and SALERIO； a messenger from
Venice
BASSANIO。 Lorenzo and Salerio； welcome hither； If that the youth
of my new int'rest here Have power to bid you welcome。 By your leave； I
bid my very friends and countrymen； Sweet Portia； welcome。 PORTIA。 So
do I； my lord； They are entirely welcome。 LORENZO。 I thank your
honour。 For my part； my lord； My purpose was not to have seen you here；
But meeting with Salerio by the way； He did entreat me； past all saying
nay； To come with him along。 SALERIO。 I did； my lord； And I have
reason for it。 Signior Antonio Commends him to you。 ＇Gives BASSANIO
a letter＇ BASSANIO。 Ere I ope his letter； I pray you tell me how my good
friend doth。 SALERIO。 Not sick； my lord； unless it be in mind； Nor well；
unless in mind； his letter there Will show you his estate。 ＇BASSANIO
opens the letter＇ GRATIANO。 Nerissa； cheer yond stranger； bid her
welcome。 Your hand； Salerio。 What's the news from Venice？ How doth
that royal merchant； good Antonio？ I know he will be glad of our success：
We are the Jasons； we have won the fleece。 SALERIO。 I would you had
won the fleece that he hath lost。 PORTIA。 There are some shrewd contents
in yond same paper That steals the colour from Bassanio's cheek： Some
dear friend dead； else nothing in the world Could turn so much the
constitution Of any constant man。 What； worse and worse！ With leave；
Bassanio： I am half yourself； And I must freely have the half of anything
That this same paper brings you。 BASSANIO。 O sweet Portia； Here are a
few of the unpleasant'st words That ever blotted paper！ Gentle lady； When
I did first impart my love to you； I freely told you all the wealth I had Ran
in my veins… I was a gentleman； And then I told you true。 And yet； dear
lady； Rating myself at nothing； you shall see How much I was a braggart。
When I told you My state was nothing； I should then have told you That I
was worse than nothing； for indeed I have engag'd myself to a dear friend；
Engag'd my friend to his mere enemy； To feed my means。 Here is a letter；
lady； The paper as the body of my friend； And every word in it a gaping
wound Issuing life…blood。 But is it true； Salerio？ Hath all his ventures
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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
fail'd？ What； not one hit？ From Tripolis； from Mexico； and England； From
Lisbon； Barbary； and India； And not one vessel scape the dreadful touch
Of merchant…marring rocks？ SALERIO。 Not one； my lord。 Besides； it
should appear that； if he had The present money to discharge the Jew； He
would not take it。 Never did I know A creature that did bear the shape of
man So keen and greedy to confound a man。 He plies the Duke at morning
and at night； And doth impeach the freedom of the state； If they deny him
justice。 Twenty merchants； The Duke himself； and the magnificoes Of
greatest port； have all persuaded with him； But none can drive him from
the envious plea Of forfeiture； of justice； and his bond。 JESSICA。 When I
was with him； I have heard him swear To Tubal and to Chus； his
countrymen； That he would rather have Antonio's flesh Than twenty times
the value of the sum That he did owe him； and I know； my lord； If law；
authority； and power； deny not； It will go hard with poor Antonio。 PORTIA。
Is it your dear friend that is t