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Is it your dear friend that is thus in trouble？ BASSANIO。 The dearest
friend to me； the kindest man； The best condition'd and unwearied spirit In
doing courtesies； and one in whom The ancient Roman honour more
appears Than any that draws breath in Italy。 PORTIA。 What sum owes he
the Jew？ BASSANIO。 For me； three thousand ducats。 PORTIA。 What！ no
more？ Pay him six thousand； and deface the bond； Double six thousand；
and then treble that； Before a friend of this description Shall lose a hair
through Bassanio's fault。 First go with me to church and call me wife； And
then away to Venice to your friend； For never shall you lie by Portia's side
With an unquiet soul。 You shall have gold To pay the petty debt twenty
times over。 When it is paid； bring your true friend along。 My maid Nerissa
and myself meantime Will live as maids and widows。 Come； away； For
you shall hence upon your wedding day。 Bid your friends welcome； show
a merry cheer； Since you are dear bought； I will love you dear。 But let me
hear the letter of your friend。 BASSANIO。 ＇Reads＇ 'Sweet Bassanio； my
ships have all miscarried； my creditors grow cruel； my estate is very low；
my bond to the Jew is forfeit； and since； in paying it； it is impossible I
should live； all debts are clear'd between you and I； if I might but see you
at my death。 Notwithstanding； use your pleasure； if your love do not
persuade you to come； let not my letter。' PORTIA。 O love； dispatch all
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business and be gone！ BASSANIO。 Since I have your good leave to go
away； I will make haste； but； till I come again； No bed shall e'er be guilty
of my stay； Nor rest be interposer 'twixt us twain。 Exeunt
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SCENE III。 Venice。 A street
Enter SHYLOCK； SOLANIO； ANTONIO； and GAOLER
SHYLOCK。 Gaoler； look to him。 Tell not me of mercy… This is the
fool that lent out money gratis。 Gaoler； look to him。 ANTONIO。 Hear me
yet； good Shylock。 SHYLOCK。 I'll have my bond； speak not against my
bond。 I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond。 Thou call'dst me dog
before thou hadst a cause； But； since I am a dog； beware my fangs； The
Duke shall grant me justice。 I do wonder； Thou naughty gaoler； that thou
art so fond To come abroad with him at his request。 ANTONIO。 I pray
thee hear me speak。 SHYLOCK。 I'll have my bond。 I will not hear thee
speak； I'll have my bond； and therefore speak no more。 I'll not be made a
soft and dull…ey'd fool； To shake the head； relent； and sigh； and yield； To
Christian intercessors。 Follow not； I'll have no speaking； I will have my
bond。 Exit SOLANIO。 It is the most impenetrable cur That ever kept with
men。 ANTONIO。 Let him alone； I'll follow him no more with bootless
prayers。 He seeks my life； his reason well I know： I oft deliver'd from his
forfeitures Many that have at times made moan to me； Therefore he hates
me。 SOLANIO。 I am sure the Duke Will never grant this forfeiture to hold。
ANTONIO。 The Duke cannot deny the course of law； For the commodity
that strangers have With us in Venice； if it be denied； Will much impeach
the justice of the state； Since that the trade and profit of the city Consisteth
of all nations。 Therefore； go； These griefs and losses have so bated me
That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh To…morrow to my bloody
creditor。 Well； gaoler； on； pray God Bassanio come To see me pay his debt；
and then I care not。 Exeunt
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SCENE IV。 Belmont。 PORTIA'S house
Enter PORTIA； NERISSA； LORENZO； JESSICA； and BALTHASAR
LORENZO。 Madam； although I speak it in your presence； You have a
noble and a true conceit Of godlike amity； which appears most strongly In
bearing thus the absence of your lord。 But if you knew to whom you show
this honour； How true a gentleman you send relief； How dear a lover of
my lord your husband； I know you would be prouder of the work Than
customary bounty can enforce you。 PORTIA。 I never did repent for doing
good； Nor shall not now； for in companions That do converse and waste
the time together； Whose souls do bear an equal yoke of love； There must
be needs a like proportion Of lineaments； of manners； and of spirit； Which
makes me think that this Antonio； Being the bosom lover of my lord； Must
needs be like my lord。 If it be so； How little is the cost I have bestowed In
purchasing the semblance of my soul From out the state of hellish cruelty！
This comes too near the praising of myself； Therefore； no more of it； hear
other things。 Lorenzo； I commit into your hands The husbandry and
manage of my house Until my lord's return； for mine own part； I have
toward heaven breath'd a secret vow To live in prayer and contemplation；
Only attended by Nerissa here； Until her husband and my lord's return。
There is a monastery two miles off； And there we will abide。 I do desire
you Not to deny this imposition； The which my love and some necessity
Now lays upon you。 LORENZO。 Madam； with all my heart I shall obey
you in an fair commands。 PORTIA。 My people do already know my mind；
And will acknowledge you and Jessica In place of Lord Bassanio and
myself。 So fare you well till we shall meet again。 LORENZO。 Fair
thoughts and happy hours attend on you！ JESSICA。 I wish your ladyship
all heart's content。 PORTIA。 I thank you for your wish； and am well
pleas'd To wish it back on you。 Fare you well； Jessica。 Exeunt JESSICA
and LORENZO Now； Balthasar； As I have ever found thee honest…true； So
let me find thee still。 Take this same letter； And use thou all th' endeavour
of a man In speed to Padua； see thou render this Into my cousin's hands；
Doctor Bellario； And look what notes and garments he doth give thee；
Bring them； I pray thee； with imagin'd speed Unto the traject； to the
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common ferry Which trades to Venice。 Waste no time in words； But get
thee gone； I shall be there before thee。 BALTHASAR。 Madam； I go with
all convenient speed。 Exit PORTIA。 Come on； Nerissa； I have work in
hand That you yet know not of； we'll see our husbands Before they think
of us。 NERISSA。 Shall they see us？ PORTIA。 They shall； Nerissa； but in
such a habit That they shall think we are accomplished With that we lack。
I'll hold thee any wager； When we are both accoutred like young men； I'll
prove the prettier fellow of the two； And wear my dagger with the braver
grace； And speak between the change of man and boy With a reed voice；
and turn two mincing steps Into a manly stride； and speak of frays Like a
fine bragging youth； and tell quaint lies； How honourable ladies sought my
love； Which I denying； they fell sick and died… I could not do withal。 Then
I'll repent； And wish for all that； that I had not kill'd them。 And twenty of
these puny lies I'll tell； That men shall swear I have discontinued school
About a twelvemonth。 I have within my mind A thousand raw tricks of
these bragging Jacks； Which I will practise。 NERISSA。 Why； shall we turn
to men？ PORTIA。 Fie； what a question's that； If thou wert near a lewd
interpreter！ But come； I'll tell thee all my whole device When I am in my
coach； which stays for us At the park gate； and therefore haste away； For
we must measure twenty miles to…day。 Exeunt
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SCENE V。 Belmont。 The garden
Enter LAUNCELOT and JESSICA
LAUNCELOT。 Yes； truly； for； look you； the sins of the father are to
be laid upon the children； therefore； I promise you； I fear you。 I was
always plain with you； and so now I speak my agitation of the matter；
therefore be o' good cheer； for truly I think you are damn'd。 There is but
one hope in it that can do you any good； and that is but a kind of bastard
hope； neither。 JESSICA。 And what hope is that； I