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Give him this letter; do it secretly.

And so farewell. I would not have my father

See me in talk with thee.

LAUNCELOT.

Adieu! tears exhibit my tongue. Most beautiful pagan,

most sweet Jew! If a Christian do not play the knave and get

thee, I am much deceived. But, adieu! these foolish drops do

something drown my manly spirit; adieu!

JESSICA.

Farewell, good Launcelot. Exit LAUNCELOT

Alack, what heinous sin is it in me

To be asham'd to be my father's child!

But though I am a daughter to his blood,

I am not to his manners. O Lorenzo,

If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife,

Become a Christian and thy loving wife. Exit

SCENE IV. Venice. A street

Enter GRATIANO, LORENZO, SALERIO, and SOLANIO

LORENZO.

Nay, we will slink away in suppertime,

Disguise us at my lodging, and return

All in an hour.

GRATIANO.

We have not made good preparation.

SALERIO.

We have not spoke us yet of torch-bearers.

SOLANIO.

'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered;

And better in my mind not undertook.

LORENZO.

'Tis now but four o'clock; we have two hours

To furnish us.

Enter LAUNCELOT, With a letter

Friend Launcelot, what's the news?

LAUNCELOT.

An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to signify.

LORENZO.

I know the hand; in faith, 'tis a fair hand,

And whiter than the paper it writ on

Is the fair hand that writ.

GRATIANO.

Love-news, in faith!

LAUNCELOT.

By your leave, sir.

LORENZO.

Whither goest thou?

LAUNCELOT.

Marry, sir, to bid my old master, the Jew, to sup

to-night with my new master, the Christian.

LORENZO.

Hold, here, take this. Tell gentle Jessica

I will not fail her; speak it privately.

Go, gentlemen, Exit LAUNCELOT

Will you prepare you for this masque to-night?

I am provided of a torch-bearer.

SALERIO.

Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight.

SOLANIO.

And so will I.

LORENZO.

Meet me and Gratiano

At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence.

SALERIO.

'Tis good we do so. Exeunt SALERIO and SOLANIO

GRATIANO.

Was not that letter from fair Jessica?

LORENZO.

I must needs tell thee all. She hath directed

How I shall take her from her father's house;

What gold and jewels she is furnish'd with;

What page's suit she hath in readiness.

If e'er the Jew her father come to heaven,

It will be for his gentle daughter's sake;

And never dare misfortune cross her foot,

Unless she do it under this excuse,

That she is issue to a faithless Jew.

Come, go with me, peruse this as thou goest;

Fair Jessica shall be my torch-bearer. Exeunt

SCENE V. Venice. Before SHYLOCK'S house

Enter SHYLOCK and LAUNCELOT

SHYLOCK.

Well, thou shalt see; thy eyes shall be thy judge,

The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio.-

What, Jessica!- Thou shalt not gormandize

As thou hast done with me- What, Jessica!-

And sleep and snore, and rend apparel out-

Why, Jessica, I say!

LAUNCELOT.

Why, Jessica!

SHYLOCK.

Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call.

LAUNCELOT.

Your worship was wont to tell me I could do nothing without bidding.

Enter JESSICA

JESSICA.

Call you? What is your will?

SHYLOCK.

I am bid forth to supper, Jessica;

There are my keys. But wherefore should I go?

I am not bid for love; they flatter me;

But yet I'll go in hate, to feed upon

The prodigal Christian. Jessica, my girl,

Look to my house. I am right loath to go;

There is some ill a-brewing towards my rest,

For I did dream of money-bags to-night.

LAUNCELOT.

I beseech you, sir, go; my young master doth expect your reproach.

SHYLOCK.

So do I his.

LAUNCELOT.

And they have conspired together; I will not say you

shall see a masque, but if you do, then it was not for nothing

that my nose fell a-bleeding on Black Monday last at six o'clock

i' th' morning, falling out that year on Ash Wednesday was four

year, in th' afternoon.

SHYLOCK.

What, are there masques? Hear you me, Jessica:

Lock up my doors, and when you hear the drum,

And the vile squealing of the wry-neck'd fife,

Clamber not you up to the