The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare
That I should neither sell, nor give, nor lose it.
PORTIA.
That ‘scuse serves many men to save their gifts.
And if your wife be not a mad-woman,
And know how well I have deserv’d this ring,
She would not hold out enemy for ever
For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you!
[Exeunt PORTIA and NERISSA.]
ANTONIO.
My Lord Bassanio, let him have the ring:
Let his deservings, and my love withal,
Be valued ‘gainst your wife’s commandment.
BASSANIO.
Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him;
Give him the ring, and bring him, if thou canst,
Unto Antonio’s house. Away! make haste.
[Exit GRATIANO.]
Come, you and I will thither presently;
And in the morning early will we both
Fly toward Belmont. Come, Antonio.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE II. The same. A street
[Enter PORTIA and NERISSA.]
PORTIA.
Inquire the Jew’s house out, give him this deed,
And let him sign it; we’ll away tonight,
And be a day before our husbands home.
This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.
[Enter GRATIANO.]
GRATIANO.
Fair sir, you are well o’erta’en.
My Lord Bassanio, upon more advice,
Hath sent you here this ring, and doth entreat
Your company at dinner.
PORTIA.
That cannot be:
His ring I do accept most thankfully;
And so, I pray you, tell him: furthermore,
I pray you show my youth old Shylock’s house.
GRATIANO.
That will I do.
NERISSA.
Sir, I would speak with you.
[Aside to PORTIA.]
I’ll see if I can get my husband’s ring,
Which I did make him swear to keep for ever.
PORTIA.[To NERISSA]
Thou Mayst, I warrant. We shall have old swearing
That they did give the rings away to men;
But we’ll outface them, and outswear them too.
Away! make haste: thou know’st where I will tarry.
NERISSA.
Come, good sir, will you show me to this house?
[Exeunt.]
ACT 5.
SCENE I. Belmont. The avenue to PORTIA’s house.
[Enter LORENZO and JESSICA.]
LORENZO.
The moon shines bright: in such a night as this,
When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees,
And they did make no noise, in such a night,
Troilus methinks mounted the Troyan walls,
And sigh’d his soul toward the Grecian tents,
Where Cressid lay that night.
JESSICA.
In such a night
Did Thisby fearfully o’ertrip the dew,
And saw the lion’s shadow ere himself,
And ran dismay’d away.
LORENZO.
In such a night
Stood Dido with a willow in her hand
Upon the wild sea-banks, and waft her love
To come again to Carthage.
JESSICA.
In such a night
Medea gather’d the enchanted herbs
That did renew old AEson.
LORENZO.
In such a night
Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew,
And with an unthrift love did run from Venice
As far as Belmont.
JESSICA.
In such a night
Did young Lorenzo swear he lov’d her well,
Stealing her soul with many vows of faith,—
And ne’er a true one.
LORENZO.
In such a night
Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew,
Slander her love, and he forgave it her.
JESSICA.
I would out-night you, did no body come;
But, hark, I hear the footing of a man.
[Enter STEPHANO.]
LORENZO.
Who comes so fast in silence of the night?
STEPHANO.
A friend.
LORENZO.
A friend! What friend? Your name, I pray you, friend?
STEPHANO.
Stephano is my name, and I bring word
My mistress will before the break of day
Be here at Belmont; she doth stray about
By holy crosses, where she kneels and prays
For happy wedlock hours.
LORENZO.
Who comes with her?
STEPHANO.
None but a holy hermit and her maid.
I pray you, is my master yet return’d?
LORENZO.
He is not, nor we have not heard from him.
But go we in, I pray thee, Jessica,
And ceremoniously let us prepare
Some welcome for the mistress of the house.
[Enter LAUNCELOT.]
LAUNCELOT. Sola, sola! wo ha, ho! sola, sola!
LORENZO.
Who calls?
LAUNCELOT.
Sola! Did you see Master Lorenzo? Master Lorenzo! Sola, sola!
LORENZO.
Leave holloaing, man. Here!
LAUNCELOT.
Sola! Where? where?
LORENZO.
Here!
LAUNCELOT. Tell him there’s a post come from my master with his horn full of good news; my master will be here ere morning.
[Exit]
LORENZO.
Sweet soul, let’s in, and there expect their coming.
And