ACT 2
Scene 3

...at supper time.
Enter Jessica and Lancelet Gobbo.
I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so.
Our house is hell and thou, a merry devil,
Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness.
But fare thee well. There is a ducat for thee,
And, Lancelet, soon at supper shalt thou see
Lorenzo, who is thy new master’s guest.
Give him this letter, do it secretly,
And so farewell. I would not have my father
See me in talk with thee.

...manly spirit. Adieu.
Farewell, good Lancelet.
Alack, what heinous sin is it in me
To be ashamed 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.
She exits.

Scene 5

...nothing without bidding.
Enter Jessica.
Call you? What is your will?

...Hagar’s offspring, ha?
His words were “Farewell, mistress,” nothing else.

...in thrifty mind.
Farewell, and if my fortune be not crossed,
I have a father, you a daughter, lost.
She exits.

Scene 6

...Jew.—Ho! Who’s within?
Enter Jessica above, dressed as a boy.
Who are you? Tell me for more certainty,
Albeit I’ll swear that I do know your tongue.

...and thy love.
Lorenzo certain, and my love indeed,
For who love I so much? And now who knows
But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours?

...that thou art.
Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains.
I am glad ’tis night, you do not look on me,
For I am much ashamed of my exchange.
But love is blind, and lovers cannot see
The pretty follies that themselves commit,
For if they could, Cupid himself would blush
To see me thus transformèd to a boy.

...be my torchbearer.
What, must I hold a candle to my shames?
They in themselves, good sooth, are too too light.
Why, ’tis an office of discovery, love,
And I should be obscured.

...at Bassanio’s feast.
I will make fast the doors and gild myself
With some more ducats, and be with you straight.
Jessica exits, above.

...my constant soul.
Enter Jessica, below.

...for us stay.
All but Gratiano exit.

ACT 3
Scene 2

...and stake down.
Enter Lorenzo, Jessica, and Salerio, a messenger from Venice.

...and his bond.
When I was with him, I have heard him swear
To Tubal and to Chus, his countrymen,
That he would rather have Antonio’s flesh
Than twenty times the value of the sum
That he did owe him. And I know, my lord,
If law, authority, and power deny not,
It will go hard with poor Antonio.

...’twixt us twain.
They exit.

Scene 4

...I care not.
Enter Portia, Nerissa, Lorenzo, Jessica, and Balthazar, a man of Portia’s.

...attend on you!
I wish your Ladyship all heart’s content.

...you well, Jessica.
Lorenzo and Jessica exit.

Scene 5

...twenty miles today.
Enter Lancelet, the Clown, and Jessica.

...bastard hope neither.
And what hope is that, I pray thee?

...the Jew’s daughter.
That were a kind of bastard hope indeed; so
the sins of my mother should be visited upon me!

...gone both ways.
I shall be saved by my husband. He hath made
me a Christian.

... Enter Lorenzo.
I’ll tell my husband, Lancelet, what you say.
Here he comes.

...wife into corners!
Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo. Lancelet
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.

...Lord Bassanio’s wife?
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
Pawned with the other, for the poor rude world
Hath not her fellow.

...for a wife.
Nay, but ask my opinion too of that!

...go to dinner.
Nay, let me praise you while I have a stomach!

...shall digest it.
Well, I’ll set you forth.
They exit.

ACT 5
Scene 1

...to this house?
Enter Lorenzo and Jessica.

...lay that night.
In such a night
Did Thisbe fearfully o’ertrip the dew
And saw the lion’s shadow ere himself
And ran dismayed away.

...again to Carthage.
In such a night
Medea gathered the enchanted herbs
That did renew old Aeson.

...far as Belmont.
In such a night
Did young Lorenzo swear he loved her well,
Stealing her soul with many vows of faith,
And ne’er a true one.

...forgave it her.
I would out-night you did nobody come,
But hark, I hear the footing of a man.

...music. Music plays.
I am never merry when I hear sweet music.

...safe Nerissa’s ring.
They exit.