Chapter 5

_Enter_ LAUNCELOT GOBBO.

_Lau_. Certainly my conscience will serve me to run from this Jew, my master: The fiend is at mine elbow, and tempts me; saying to me,--_Gobbo, Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot, or good Gobbo, or good Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs, take the start, run away_:--My conscience says,--No: take heed, honest Launcelot; take heed, honest Gobbo:_ or (as aforesaid) _honest Launcelot Gobbo; do not run: scorn running with thy heels_. Well the most courageous fiend bids me pack. _Via_! says the fiend; _Away_! says the fiend, _for the heavens_;[44] _rouse up a brave mind_, says the fiend, _and run_. Well, my conscience, hanging about the neck of my heart, says very wisely to me, _my honest friend, Launcelot, being an honest man's son_, or rather an honest woman's son;--for, indeed, my father did something smack, something grow to, he had a kind of taste;--well, my conscience says, _Launcelot, budge not; budge_, says the fiend; _budge not_, says my conscience. Conscience, say I, you counsel well; fiend, say I, you counsel well; to be ruled by my conscience I should stay with the Jew, my master, who (Heaven bless the mark!) is a kind of devil; and to run away from the Jew I should be ruled by the fiend, who, saving your reverence, is the devil himself. Certainly, the Jew is the very devil incarnation; and in my conscience, my conscience is a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel me to stay with the Jew. The fiend gives the more friendly counsel: I will run, fiend; my heels are at your commandment, I will run.

[_As he is going out in haste_

_Enter_ OLD GOBBO, _with a basket_.

_Gob_. Master, young man, you, I pray you; which is the way to master Jew's?

_Lau. (aside.)_ O heavens, this is my true-begotten father! who, being more than sand-blind, high-gravel blind,[45] knows me not: I will try conclusions[46] with him.

_Gob_. Master young gentleman, I pray you which is the way to master Jew's?

_Lau_. Turn upon your right hand at the next turning, but, at the next turning of all, on your left; marry, at the very next turning, turn of no hand, but turn down indirectly to the Jew's house.[47]

_Gob_. 'Twill be a hard way to hit. Can you tell me whether one Launcelot that dwells with him, dwell with him, or no?

_Lau_, Talk you of young master Launcelot?--mark me, now--_(aside.)_--now will I raise the waters.[48] Talk you of young master Launcelot?

_Gob_. No master, sir: but a poor man's son: his father, though I say it, is an honest exceeding poor man, and, Heaven be thanked, well to live.

_Lau_, Well, let his father be what he will, we talk of young master Launcelot.

_Gob_. Of Launcelot, an't please your mastership.[49]

_Lau. Ergo_, master Launcelot; talk not of master Launcelot, father; for the young gentleman (according to fates and destinies, and such odd sayings, the sisters three, and such branches of learning), is, indeed, deceased; or, as you would say in plain terms, gone to heaven.

_Gob_. Marry, Heaven forbid! the boy was the very staff of my age, my very prop.

_Lau_. Do I look like a cudgel, or a hovel-post, a staff, or a prop?--Do you know me, father?

_Gob_. Alack the day, I know you not, young gentleman; but, I pray you tell me, is my boy (rest his soul!) alive or dead?

_Lau_. Do you not know me, father?

_Gob_. Alack! sir, I am sand-blind, I know you not.

_Lau_. Nay, indeed, if you had your eyes, you might fail of the knowing me: it is a wise father that knows his own child. Well, old man, I will tell you news of your son: Give me your blessing: _(kneels.)_ Truth will come to light; murder cannot be hid long; a man's son may; but, in the end, truth will out.

_Gob_. Pray you, sir, stand up: I am sure you are not Launcelot, my boy.

_Lau_. Pray you, let's have no more fooling about it, but give me your blessing; I am Launcelot, your boy that was, your son that is, your child that shall be.

_Gob_. I cannot think you are my son.

_Lau_. I know not what I shall think of that; but I am Launcelot, the Jew's man; and I am sure Margery, your wife, is my mother.

_Gob_. Her name is Margery, indeed: I'll be sworn if thou be Launcelot, thou art mine own flesh and blood. What a beard hast thou got: thou hast got more hair on thy chin than Dobbin, my phill-horse,[50] has on his tail.

_Lau_. It should seem, then, that Dobbin's tail grows backward; I am sure he had more hair of his tail than I have of my face, when I last saw him.

_Gob_. Lord, how art thou changed! How dost thou and thy master agree? I have brought him a present.

_Lau. (rises.)_ Give him a present! give him a halter: I am famished in his service; you may tell every finger I have with my ribs. Father, I am glad you are come: give me your present to one master Bassanio, who, indeed, gives rare new liveries; if I serve not him, I will run as far as Heaven has any ground.--O rare fortune! here comes the man;--to him, father; for I am a Jew if I serve the Jew any longer.

_Enter_ BASSANIO, _with_ LEONARDO, _and_ STEPHANO.

_Bas_. See these letters deliver'd; put the liveries to making; and desire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging.

[_Exit a_ SERVANT.

_Lau_. To him, father.

_Gob_. Heaven bless your worship!

_Bas_. Gramercy! Would'st thou aught with me?

_Gob_. Here's my son, sir, a poor boy--

_Lau_. Not a poor boy, sir; but the rich Jew's man; that would, sir, as my father shall specify.

_Gob_. He hath a great infection, sir, as one would say, to serve----

_Lau_. Indeed, the short and the long is, I serve the Jew, and have a desire as my father shall specify.

_Gob_. His master and he (saving your worship's reverence) are scarce cater-cousins.

_Lau_. To be brief, the very truth is, that the Jew having done me wrong, doth cause me, as my father, being I hope an old man, shall frutify unto you.

_Gob_. I have here a dish of doves, that I would bestow upon your worship; and my suit is----

_Lau_. In very brief, the suit is impertinent[51] to myself, as your worship shall know by this honest old man; and, though I say it, though old man, yet poor man, my father.

_Bas_. One speak for both. What would you?

_Lau_. Serve you, sir.

_Gob_. That is the very defect of the matter, sir.

_Bas_. I know thee well; thou hast obtain'd thy suit: Shylock, thy master, spoke with me this day, And hath preferr'd thee, if it be preferment, To leave a rich Jew's service, to become The follower of so poor a gentleman.

_Lau_. The old proverb is very well parted between my master, Shylock, and you, sir; you have the grace of Heaven, sir, and he hath---- enough.

_Bas_. Thou speak'st it well. Go, father, with thy son:-- Take leave of thy old master, and inquire My lodging out:--give him a livery. [_To his Followers_. More guarded[52] than his fellows': See it done.

_Lau_. Father, in:--_(Exit_ OLD GOBBO.) I cannot get a service, no!--I have ne'er a tongue in my head!--Well; (_looking on his palm_) if any man in Italy have a fairer table;[53] which doth offer to swear upon a