Chapter 3

JACOPO, THE MOST ANCIENT CHURCH IN VENICE, OCCUPIES ONE SIDE OF THE SQUARE.

_Enter_ BASSANIO _and_ SHYLOCK. (D)

_Shy_. Three thousand ducats,--well,

_Bas_. Ay, sir, for three months.

_Shy_. For three months,--well.

_Bas_. For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall be bound.

_Shy_. Antonio shall become bound,--well.

_Bas_. May you stead me? Will you pleasure me? Shall I know your answer?

_Shy_. Three thousand ducats, for three months, and Antonio bound.

_Bas_. Your answer to that.

_Shy_. Antonio is a good man.

_Bas_. Have you heard any imputation to the contrary?

_Shy_. Oh no, no, no, no;--my meaning in saying he is a good man is, to have you understand me that he is sufficient; yet his means are in supposition: he hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies; I understand, moreover, upon the Rialto, he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England; and other ventures he hath, squander'd abroad.[22] But ships are but boards, sailors but men: there be land rats and water rats, land thieves and water thieves; I mean, pirates; and then, there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks: The man is, notwithstanding, sufficient;--three thousand ducats;--I think I may take his bond.

_Bas_. Be assured you may.

_Shy_. I will be assured I may; and that I may be assured I will bethink me: May I speak with Antonio?

_Bas_. If it please you to dine with us.

_Shy_. Yes, to smell pork; to eat of the habitation which your prophet, the Nazarite, conjured the devil into![23] I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you.--What news on the Rialto?--Who is he comes here?

_Bas_. This is signior Antonio.

[Exit_ BASSANIO.

_Shy. (aside.)_ How like a fawning publican he looks! I hate him, for he is a Christian: But more, for that, in low simplicity, He lends out money gratis, and brings down The rate of usance here with us in Venice. (E) If I can catch him once upon the hip,[24] I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. He hates our sacred nation: and he rails Even there where merchants most do congregate, On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift. Which he calls interest: Cursed be my tribe If I forgive him!

_Re-enter_ BASSANIO _with_ ANTONIO.

_Bas_. Shylock, do you hear?

_Shy_. 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: What of that? Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe, Will furnish me: But soft: How many months Do you desire?--Rest you fair, good signior:

[To ANTONIO.

Your worship was the last man in our mouths.

_Ant_. Shylock, albeit, I neither lend nor borrow, By taking, nor by giving of excess. Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend,[25] I'll break a custom:---Is he yet possess'd[26] How much you would?

_Shy_. Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

_Ant_. And for three months.

_Shy_. I had forgot,--three months, you told me so. Well then, your bond; and, let me see. But hear you: Methought you said, you neither lend nor borrow, Upon advantage.

_Ant_. I do never use it.

_Shy_. When Jacob graz'd his uncle Laban's sheep, This Jacob from our holy Abraham was (As his wise mother wrought in his behalf) The third possessor; ay, he was the third.

_Ant_. And what of him? did he take interest?

_Shy_. No, not take interest; not, as you would say, Directly interest: mark what Jacob did. When Laban and himself were compromis'd That all the eanlings[27] which were streak'd and pied Should fall, as Jacob's hire; The skilful shepherd peel'd me certain wands,[28] And, in the doing of the deed of kind,[29] He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes;[30] Who, then conceiving, did in eaning-time Fall[31] party-coloured lambs, and those were Jacob's.[32] This was a way to thrive, and he was blest; And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not.

_Ant_. This was a venture, Sir, that Jacob serv'd for; A thing not in his power to bring to pass, But sway'd and fashion'd by the hand of Heaven. Was this inserted to make interest good? Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams?

_Shy_. I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast.

_Ant_. Mark you this, Bassanio, The devil can cite scripture for his purpose.[33] An evil soul producing holy witness Is like a villain with a smiling cheek; A goodly apple rotten at the heart; O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath![34]

_Shy_. Three thousand ducats,--'tis a good round sum. Three months from twelve, then let me see the rate.

_Ant_. Well, Shylock, shall we be beholden to you?

_Shy_. Signior Antonio, many a time and oft In the Rialto you have rated me About my monies, and my usances:[35] Still have I borne it with a patient shrug; For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe: You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, And spet upon my Jewish gaberdine, And all for use of that which is mine own. Well, then, it now appears you need my help: Go to, then; you come to me, and you say, '_Shylock, we would have monies_;' You say so; You, that did void your rheum upon my beard, And foot me, as you spurn a stranger cur Over your threshhold; monies 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 bondman's key, With 'bated breath, and whispering humbleness, Say this,-- '_Fair Sir, you spet on me on Wednesday last; You spurn'd me such a day; another time You call'd me dog; and for these courtesies I'll lend you thus much monies?_'

_Ant_. I am as like to call thee so again, To spet on thee again, to spurn thee too. If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not As to thy friends; (for when did friendship take A breed of barren metal of his friend?)[36] But lend it rather to thine enemy; Who, if he break, thou may'st with better face Exact the penalties.

_Shy_. Why, look you, how you storm! I would be friends with you, and have your love; Forget the shames that you have stain'd me with; Supply your present wants, and take no doit Of usance for my monies, and you'll not hear me: This is kind I offer.

_Ant_. This were kindness.

_Shy_. This kindness will I show: Go with me to a notary: 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 sum, or sums, as are Express'd 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.

_Ant_. Content, in faith; I'll seal to such a bond, And say, there is much kindness in the Jew.

_Bas_. You shall not seal to such a bond for me I'll rather dwell[37] in my necessity.

_Ant_. 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.

_Shy_. O father Abraham, what these Christians are. Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect The thoughts of others! Pray you, tell me this If he should break his day, what should I gain By the exaction of the forfeiture? A pound of 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.

_Ant_. Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond.

_Shy_. Then meet me forthwith at the notary's; Give him direction for this merry bond, And I will go and purse the ducats straight; See to my house, left in the fearful guard[38] Of an unthrifty knave; and presently I will be with you.

[_Exit_.

_Ant_. Hie thee, gentle Jew. This Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind.

_Bas_. I like not fair terms[39] and a villain's mind.

_Ant_. Come, on; in this there can be no dismay, My ships come home a month before the day.

[_Exeunt_.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 22: _--squander'd abroad_.; Scattered.]

[Footnote 23: _to eat of the habitation which your prophet, the Nazarite, conjured the devil into!_; See 8th. c. St. Matthew, v. 30.]

[Footnote 24: _catch him once upon the hip_,; Dr. Johnson says the expression is taken from the practice of wrestling.]

[Footnote 25: _--ripe wants of my friend_,; Wants come to the height--wants that can have no longer delay.]

[Footnote 26: _--Is he yet possess'd; Id est_, acquainted--informed.]

[Footnote 27: _--eanlings_; Lambs just dropt.]

[Footnote 28: _--certain wands_,; A _wand_ in Shakespeare's time was the usual term for what we now call a _switch_.--MALONE.]

[Footnote 29: _--deed of kind,; Id est,_ of nature.]

[Footnote 30: _--the fulsome ewes_; Lascivious--rank, obscene ewes.]

[Footnote 31: _--Fall_; To let fall.]

[Footnote 32: _--and those were Jacob's_.; See Genesis xxx. 37.]

[Footnote 33: _The devil can cite scripture for his purpose_.; See St. Matthew iv. 6.]

[Footnote 34: _O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!_; _Falsehood_, which, as _truth_ means _honesty_, is taken here for _treachery_ and _knavery_, does not stand for _falsehood_ in general, but for the dishonesty now operating.--JOHNSON.]

[Footnote 35: _--and my usances:_; _Usance_ in our author's time signified _interest of money_.]

[Footnote 36: _A breed of barren metal of his friend?_; A _breed_, that is, interest money bred from the principal. The epithet _barren_ implies that money is a _barren_ thing, and cannot, like corn and cattle, multiply itself.]

[Footnote 37: _Dwell_; Continue.]

[Footnote 38: _--fearful guard_; A guard not to be trusted, but gives cause of fear.]

[Footnote 39: _I like not fair terms_; Kind words--good language.]