The Merchant of Venice Page #5

you spin such high-day wit in praising him.

Come. Come, Nerissa,

for I long to see quick Cupid's post

that comes so mannerly.

Bassanio, lord Love, if your will it be.

(Oarsmen shouting)

There's something tells me,

but it is not love.

I would not lose you.

And yourself knows

hate counsels not in such a quality.

(Portia) I would detain you here a month

or two before you venture for me.

(Sighs) I could teach you

how to choose right

but then I'd break my oath.

That will I never do.

So may you miss me

and if you do, you make me wish that sin

that I had broke my oath.

(Portia) Contend me with your eyes

for they have o'erlooked me

and divided me.

One half of me is yours, the other half

yours, mine own, I would say,

but if mine, then yours and so...

all yours.

Let me choose,

for as I am, I live upon the rack.

Upon the rack, Bassanio?

Then confess what

treason there is mingled with your love.

None but that ugly treason of mistrust

which makes me fear

the enjoying of my love.

Ay but I fear you speak upon the rack,

when men enforced do speak anything.

Promise me life

and I'll confess the truth.

Well, then,

confess and live.

Confess and love has been

the very sum of my confession.

But let me to my fortune and the caskets.

Away, then.

I am locked in one of them.

(# Harp plays)

# Tell me where is fancy bred

# Or in the heart or in the head?

# How begot

# How nourished

# Reply

# Reply

# Reply

# Reply... #

So may the outward shows

be least themselves.

The world is still deceived

with ornament.

In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt

but being seasoned with a gracious voice

obscures the show of evil?

In religion,

what damned error

but some sober brow will bless it

and approve it with a text,

hiding the grossness with fair... ornament?

Look on beauty

and you shall see

'tis purchased

by the weight.

Therefore, thou gaudy gold,

I will none of you.

Nor none of you, O pale and common

drudge between man and man.

But you, O meagre lead,

which rather threatenest

than dost promise aught,

your paleness moves me more...

than eloquence.

Here choose I.

Joy be the consequence.

O love, be moderate, allay your ecstasy,

I feel too much your blessing -

make it less for fear I surfeit.

What find I here?

- Fair Portia's counterfeit.

- (Cheering)

Oh, what demi-goddess

comes so near creation?

Move these eyes? Or whether, riding on

the balls of mine, seem they in motion?

But her eyes -

how could he see to do them?

But look how far

the substance of my praise

does wrong this shadow

in underpraising it,

so far this shadow

doth limp behind the substance.

(# Jaunty music)

(Laughter)

Here's the scroll -

the continent and summary of my fortune.

"You that choose not by the view

"Chances fair and chooses true

"Since this fortune falls on you

"Be content and seek no new

"If you be well pleased with this

"Then hold your fortune for your bliss

"Turn you where your lady is

"And claim her with a loving kiss"

- (Cheering)

- 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 has done well

in people's eyes

Hearing applause and universal shout

Giddy in spirit, still gazing in a doubt

As doubtful whether what I see be true

Until confirmed, signed, ratified

by you

(Applause)

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 treble 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 unlessoned girl,

unschooled, unpractised.

Happy in this,

she is not yet so old that she may learn.

Happier than this,

she is not bred so dull that she may learn.

Happiest of all,

is that her gentle spirit

commits itself to yours to be directed

as by her governor,

her lord,

her king.

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 give me vantage to exclaim on you.

Madam,

you have bereft me of all words.

Only my blood speaks to you in my veins,

there is such confusion in my powers.

But when this ring parts from this finger

then parts life from hence -

O, then be bold to say Bassanio's dead.

(Cheering)

(Clears throat)

My lord Bassanio, my gentle lady,

I wish you all the joy that you can wish

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.

With all my heart.

If you can get a wife.

I thank you, 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.

Is it true, Nerissa?

- Madam, it is!

- Oh!

And do you, Gratiano, mean good faith?

Yes, faith, my lord.

Our feast shall be much honoured

in your marriage.

(Cheering)

We'll play with them

the first boy for a thousand ducats.

- What, with stake down?

- No.

We shall never win at that sport

with stake down.

(Laughter)

(Man) Ho, there! Ho!

But who comes here?

There are some shrewd contents

in yond same paper,

that do steal the colour

from Bassanio's cheek.

Some dear friend dead, else nothing

in the world could turn the constitution

of any constant man.

What, worse and worse!

With leave, Bassanio,

I am half yourself

and I must freely have half of anything

that this same letter brings you.

O sweet Portia,

they are a few of the unpleasantest 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 estate was nothing,

I should have told you

I was worse than nothing,

for, indeed, I have engaged myself

to a dear friend,

who engaged my dear friend

to his mere enemy

to feed my means.

Here is a letter, lady.

The paper is the body of my friend

and every word in it a gaping wound

issuing life-blood.

But is it true, Salerio? What,

all his ventures failed? What, not one hit?

From Tripolis, from Mexico, from England?

Not one, my lord.

Besides it appears that if he had

the present money to discharge the Jew,

he would not take it.

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.

When I was with him,

I have heard him swear

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