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hope； neither。 JESSICA。 And what hope is that； I pray thee？
LAUNCELOT。 Marry； you may partly hope that your father got you not…
that you are not the Jew's daughter。 JESSICA。 That were a kind of bastard
hope indeed； so the sins of my mother should be visited upon me。
LAUNCELOT。 Truly then I fear you are damn'd both by father and mother；
thus when I shun Scylla； your father； I fall into Charybdis； your mother；
well； you are gone both ways。 JESSICA。 I shall be sav'd by my husband；
he hath made me a Christian。 LAUNCELOT。 Truly； the more to blame he；
we were Christians enow
before； e'en as many as could well live one by another。 This making
of Christians will raise the price of hogs； if we grow all to be pork…eaters；
we shall not shortly have a rasher on the coals for money。
Enter LORENZO JESSICA。 I'll tell my husband； Launcelot； what
you say； here he comes。 LORENZO。 I shall grow jealous of you shortly；
Launcelot； if you thus get my wife into corners。 JESSICA。 Nay； you need
nor fear us； Lorenzo； Launcelot and I are out； he tells me flatly there's no
mercy for me in heaven； because I am a Jew's daughter； and he says you
are no good member of the commonwealth； for in converting Jews to
Christians you raise the price of pork。 LORENZO。 I shall answer that
better to the commonwealth than you can the getting up of the negro's
belly； the Moor is with child by you； Launcelot。 LAUNCELOT。 It is much
that the Moor should be more than reason； but if she be less than an honest
woman； she is indeed more than I took her for。 LORENZO。 How every
fool can play upon the word！ I think the best grace of wit will shortly turn
into silence； and discourse grow commendable in none only but parrots。
Go in； sirrah； bid them prepare for dinner。 LAUNCELOT。 That is done； sir；
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they have all stomachs。 LORENZO。 Goodly Lord； what a wit…snapper are
you！ Then bid them prepare dinner。 LAUNCELOT。 That is done too； sir；
only 'cover' is the word。 LORENZO。 Will you cover； then； sir？
LAUNCELOT。 Not so； sir； neither； I know my duty。 LORENZO。 Yet more
quarrelling with occasion！ Wilt thou show the whole wealth of thy wit in
an instant？ I pray thee understand a plain man in his plain meaning： go to
thy fellows； bid them cover the table； serve in the meat； and we will come
in to dinner。 LAUNCELOT。 For the table； sir； it shall be serv'd in； for the
meat； sir； it shall be cover'd； for your coming in to dinner； sir； why； let it be
as humours and conceits shall govern。 Exit LORENZO。 O dear discretion；
how his words are suited！ The fool hath planted in his memory An army of
good words； and I do know A many fools that stand in better place；
Garnish'd like him； that for a tricksy word Defy the matter。 How cheer'st
thou； Jessica？ And now； good sweet； say thy opinion； How dost thou like
the Lord Bassanio's wife？ JESSICA。 Past all expressing。 It is very meet
The Lord Bassanio live an upright life； For； having such a blessing in his
lady； He finds the joys of heaven here on earth； And if on earth he do not
merit it； In reason he should never come to heaven。 Why； if two gods
should play some heavenly match； And on the wager lay two earthly
women； And Portia one； there must be something else Pawn'd with the
other； for the poor rude world Hath not her fellow。 LORENZO。 Even such
a husband Hast thou of me as she is for a wife。 JESSICA。 Nay； but ask my
opinion too of that。 LORENZO。 I will anon； first let us go to dinner。
JESSICA。 Nay； let me praise you while I have a stomach。 LORENZO。 No；
pray thee； let it serve for table…talk； Then howsome'er thou speak'st； 'mong
other things I shall digest it。 JESSICA。 Well； I'll set you forth。 Exeunt
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ACT IV。
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SCENE I。 Venice。 The court of justice
Enter the DUKE； the MAGNIFICOES； ANTONIO； BASSANIO；
GRATIANO； SALERIO； and OTHERS
DUKE OF VENICE。 What； is Antonio here？ ANTONIO。 Ready； so
please your Grace。 DUKE OF VENICE。 I am sorry for thee； thou art come
to answer A stony adversary； an inhuman wretch； Uncapable of pity； void
and empty From any dram of mercy。 ANTONIO。 I have heard Your Grace
hath ta'en great pains to qualify His rigorous course； but since he stands
obdurate； And that no lawful means can carry me Out of his envy's reach； I
do oppose My patience to his fury； and am arm'd To suffer with a
quietness of spirit The very tyranny and rage of his。 DUKE OF VENICE。
Go one； and call the Jew into the court。 SALERIO。 He is ready at the door；
he comes； my lord。
Enter SHYLOCK
DUKE OF VENICE。 Make room； and let him stand before our face。
Shylock； the world thinks； and I think so too； That thou but leadest this
fashion of thy malice To the last hour of act； and then； 'tis thought； Thou'lt
show thy mercy and remorse； more strange Than is thy strange apparent
cruelty； And where thou now exacts the penalty； Which is a pound of this
poor merchant's flesh； Thou wilt not only loose the forfeiture； But； touch'd
with human gentleness and love； Forgive a moiety of the principal；
Glancing an eye of pity on his losses； That have of late so huddled on his
back… Enow to press a royal merchant down； And pluck commiseration of
his state From brassy bosoms and rough hearts of flint； From stubborn
Turks and Tartars； never train'd To offices of tender courtesy。 We all
expect a gentle answer； Jew。 SHYLOCK。 I have possess'd your Grace of
what I purpose； And by our holy Sabbath have I sworn To have the due
and forfeit of my bond。 If you deny it； let the danger light Upon your
charter and your city's freedom。 You'll ask me why I rather choose to have
A weight of carrion flesh than to receive Three thousand ducats。 I'll not
answer that； But say it is my humour… is it answer'd？ What if my house be
troubled with a rat； And I be pleas'd to give ten thousand ducats To have it
ban'd？ What； are you answer'd yet？ Some men there are love not a gaping
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pig； Some that are mad if they behold a cat； And others； when the bagpipe
sings i' th' nose； Cannot contain their urine； for affection； Mistress of
passion； sways it to the mood Of what it likes or loathes。 Now； for your
answer： As there is no firm reason to be rend'red Why he cannot abide a
gaping pig； Why he； a harmless necessary cat； Why he； a woollen bagpipe；
but of force Must yield to such inevitable shame As to offend； himself
being offended； So can I give no reason； nor I will not； More than a lodg'd
hate and a certain loathing I bear Antonio； that I follow thus A losing suit
against him。 Are you answered？ BASSANIO。 This is no answer； thou
unfeeling man； To excuse the current of thy cruelty。 SHYLOCK。 I am not
bound to please thee with my answers。 BASSANIO。 Do all men kill the
things they do not love？ SHYLOCK。 Hates any man the thing he would
not kill？ BASSANIO。 Every offence is not a hate at first。 SHYLOCK。
What； wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice？ ANTONIO。 I pray
you； think you question with the Jew。 You may as well go stand upon the
beach And bid the main flood bate his usual height； You may as well use
question with the wolf； Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb； You
may as well forbid the mountain pines To wag their high tops and to make
no noise When they are fretten with the gusts of heaven； You may as well
do anything most hard As seek to soften that… than which what's harder？…
His jewish heart。 Therefore； I do beseech you； Make no moe offers； use no
farther means； But with all brief and plain conveniency Let me have
judgment； and the Jew his will。 BASSANIO。 For thy three thousand
ducats here is six。 SHYLOCK。 If every ducat in six thousand ducats Were
in six parts； and every part a ducat； I would not draw them； I would have
my bond。 DUKE OF VENICE。 How shalt thou hope for mercy； rend'ring
none？ SH