The Merchant of Venice Page #2

to eat of the habitation which your prophet

the Nazarite conjured the devil into.

I will buy with you, sell with you, walk

with you, talk with you, and so following,

but I will not eat with you,

nor drink with you,

nor pray with you.

Who is he comes here?

This is Signior Antonio. Antonio!

(Bassanio) Antonio.

How like a fawning publican he looks.

Shylock! Shylock, do you hear?

I am debating of my present store,

and by the near guess of my memory,

I cannot instantly raise up the gross

of full three thousand ducats.

But Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,

will furnish me.

Benjamin. Go, seek out Tubal.

But soft, how many months?

Rest you fair, good signior.

Your worship was the last man

in our mouths.

- Is he possessed how much you would?

- Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

And for three months.

Ah, I forgot. Three months, you told me so.

But soft, erm... me thought you said

you neither lend nor borrow with interest.

- I do never use it.

- Well.

Three thousand ducats,

'tis a good round sum.

- (Door shuts)

- Launcelot.

The rates.

Three months... from twelve.

Let me see the rate.

Well, Shylock,

shall we be beholden to you?

Signior Antonio...

many a time, and oft in the Rialto,

you have reviled me

about my moneys and my usances.

Still, I have borne it with a patient shrug,

for sufferance is the badge of all our tribe.

You call me misbeliever,

cut-throat dog,

and spit upon my Jewish gaberdine.

And all for use of that which is my own.

Well, it now appears you need my help.

You come to me and you say,

"Shylock, we would have money. "

You say so. You, that did void

your rheum upon my beard

and kick me as you spurn a stranger cur

over your threshold.

Money is your suit.

What should I say to you?

Should I not say, "Hath a dog money?

"Is it possible a cur can lend

three thousand ducats?"

Or shall I bend low

and, in a slavish voice, with bated breath

and whispering humbleness say this -

"Fair sir, you spat on me

on Wednesday last,

"you spurned me such a day,

another time you called me dog.

"For these courtesies,

I'll lend you thus much moneys. "

(Antonio) I'm as like to call you so again,

to spit on you again, to spurn you too.

If you would lend this money,

lend it not unto your friends.

For when did friendship take

a breed for barren metal from his friends?

Lend it rather to your enemy who,

if he break,

you may with better face exact the penalty.

Why, look how you storm.

I would be friends with you

and have your love.

Forget the stains

that you have shamed me with.

Supply your present wants, and take not

a drop of interest for my moneys...

- (Sighs)

... and you'll not hear me.

- (Laughs)

- This is kind I offer.

- This is kindness.

- No...

This kindness I will show.

Go with me to a notary

and seal me there your single bond.

And in a merry sport,

if you repay me not on such a day

in such a place, such a sum or sums

as are expressed in the condition,

let the forfeit be nominated...

for an equal pound of your fair flesh

to be cut off and taken

in what part of your body pleaseth me.

(Chuckles)

Content, i'faith.

I'll seal to such a bond,

and say there is much kindness in the Jew.

You shall not seal such a bond for me.

I'd rather live in my necessity.

(Antonio) Why, fear not, man.

I will not forfeit it.

Within these two months,

that's a month before this bond expires,

I do expect return of thrice three times

the value of this bond.

O father Abraham,

what these Christians are,

whose own hard dealings teaches them

suspect the thoughts of others.

I pray you, tell me this.

If he should break his day, what should

I gain by the exaction of the forfeiture?

A pound of a man's flesh taken from a man

is not so estimable,

profitable neither,

as flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats.

I say, to buy his favour,

I extend this friendship.

If he will take it, so. If not, adieu.

And, for my love, I pray you, wrong me not.

Shylock...

I will seal unto this bond.

(Sizzling)

Dislike me not for my complexion,

the shadowed livery of the burnished sun,

to whom I am a neighbour and near bred.

Yallah! Yallah!

Bring me the fairest creature

northward born,

where the sun's fire

scarce thaws the icicles,

and let us make incision for your love

to prove whose blood is reddest,

his or mine.

I tell thee,

lady, this aspect of mine

hath feared the valiant.

Yea, by my love I swear, the most regarded

virgins of our clime have loved it too.

(Men laughing)

I would not change this hue, except

to steal your thoughts, my gentle queen.

In terms of choice, I am not solely led

by nice direction of a maiden's eyes.

Instead, the lottery of my destiny bars me

the right of voluntary choosing.

But if my father had not restrained me,

and hedged me by his wit

to yield myself as wife

to him who wins me

by that means I told you,

yourself, renowned prince,

then stood as fair as... any comer

I have looked on yet for my affection.

- (Laughter)

- Even for that, I thank you.

Therefore, I pray you, lead me

to the caskets to try my fortune.

(Morocco) Yes?

(Oarsman calls)

(Men talking in Italian)

(Bassanio) I pray you, Leonardo, these

things being bought and orderly bestowed,

return in haste, for I do feast tonight

my best esteemed acquaintance.

Let supper be ready

at the latest by nine o'clock.

See that these letters are delivered.

And put the livery to the making.

Certainly my conscience would forbid me

to run from this Jew, my master.

(Man) Ho!

I pray you, which way to the master Jew's?

Do you not know me, Father?

Lord, how art thou changed!

How dost thou and thy master agree?

I brought him a present.

Famished in his service, Father.

I'm glad you've come.

Give your present to one master Bassanio,

- who indeed gives rare new liveries.

- (Thunder rumbling)

(Man) Si.

Bassanio!

Bassanio!

- Gratiano.

- I have a suit to you.

- You have obtained it.

- You must not deny me -

I must go with you to Belmont.

Why, then you must. But hear thee, you are

too wild, too rude, too bold of voice,

things that become you happily enough

and in such eyes as ours appears not false.

But where you are not known, why,

there they show something too... liberal.

Pray you, take pain to dilute with some

cold drops of modesty your skipping spirit,

lest through your wild behaviour

I be misconstrued in the place I go

and lose my hopes.

Signior Bassanio, hear me.

If I do not put on a sober habit, talk with

respect, and swear but now and then,

look demurely,

nay more, while grace is saying,

hood mine eyes thus with my hat

and sigh and say, "Amen,"

never trust me more.

Well, we shall see your bearing.

(Bassanio) Oof!

Nay, but I bar tonight.

You shall not gauge me

by what we do tonight.

(Bassanio laughs)

God bless your worship.

Signior Bassanio.

Many thanks.

Would you something from me?

- Here is my son, sir, a poor boy.

- Not a poor boy, sir,

but the rich Jew's man that would, sir,

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