Your company at dinner. Por. That cannot be : : His ring I do accept most thankfully: Por. [Aside to Ner.] Thou mayst, I warrant. That they did give the rings away to men ; But we'll outface them, and outswear them too. 10 We shall [Aloud] Away! make haste: thou know'st where I will tarry. Ner. Come, good sir, will you show me to this house? ACT V. [Exeunt. SCENE I. Belmont. Avenue to PORTIA's house. Enter LORENZO and JESSICA. Lor. 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. Jes. In such a night Lor. In such a night Stood Dido with a willow in her hand Jes. Medea gather'd the enchanted herbs That did renew old son. Lor. In such a night In such a night Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew And with an unthrift love did run from Venice Did young Lorenzo swear he loved her well, 10 Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew, Jes. I would out-night you, did no body come; Enter STEPHANO. Lor. Who comes so fast in silence of the night? Lor. A friend what friend? your name, I pray you, friend? Steph. 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 Lor. Who comes with her? Steph. None but a holy hermit and her maid. I pray you, is my master yet return'd? Lor. 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. Laun. Sola, sola! wo ha, ho! sola, sola! Lor. Who calls? 30 40 Laun. Sola! did you see Master Lorenzo? Master Loren Laun. 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. 50 [Erit Stephano. Lor. Sweet soul, let's in, and there expect their coming. And yet no matter why should we go in? My friend Stephano, signify, I pray you, Within the house, your mistress is at hand; And bring your music forth into the air. How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank! Here will we sit and let the sounds of music Creep in our ears: soft stillness and the night Become the touches of sweet harmony. Sit, Jessica. Look how the floor of heaven Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold: There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st 60 But in his motion like an angel sings, Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubins; Such harmony is in immortal souls ; But whilst this muddy vesture of decay Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it. Enter MUSICIANS. Come, ho! and wake Diana with a hymn : Jes. I am never merry when I hear sweet music. Fetching mad bounds, bellowing and neighing loud, If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound, You shall perceive them make a mutual stand, By the sweet power of music: therefore the poet [Music. Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones and floods; Since nought so stockish, hard and full of rage, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music. Enter PORTIA and NERISSA. Por. That light we see is burning in my hall. How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world. Ner. When the moon shone, we did not see the candle. A substitute shines brightly as a king Ner. It is your music, madam. of the house. 70 80 90 When neither is attended, and I think The nightingale, if she should sing by day, When every goose is cackling, would be thought Lor. That is the voice, Or I am much deceived, of Portia. [Music ceases. 110 Por. He knows me as the blind man knows the cuckoo, By the bad voice. Lor. Dear lady, welcome home. Por. We have been praying for our husbands' healths, Which speed, we hope, the better for our words. Are they return'd? Lor. But there is come a messenger before, Madam, they are not yet; Go in, Nerissa; To signify their coming. Por. Give order to my servants that they take 120 [A tucket sounds. Lor. Your husband is at hand; I hear his trumpet: We are no tell-tales, madam; fear you not. Por. This night methinks is but the daylight sick; It looks a little paler: 'tis a day, Such as the day is when the sun is hid. Enter BASSANIO, ANTONIO, GRATIANO, and their followers. Bass. We should hold day with the Antipodes, If you would walk in absence of the sun. Por. Let me give light, but let me not be light; But God sort all! You are welcome home, my lord. This is the man, this is Antonio, 130 Give welcome to my friend. To whom I am so infinitely bound. Por. You should in all sense be much bound to him, For, as I hear, he was much bound for you. Ant. No more than I am well acquitted of. Por. Sir, you are very welcome to our house : It must appear in other ways than words, Therefore I scant this breathing courtesy. 140 Gra. [To Ner.] By yonder moon I swear you do me wrong; In faith, I gave it to the judge's clerk: Por. A quarrel, ho, already! what's the matter? Ner. What talk you of the posy or the value? Ner. Aye, if a woman live to be a man. Gra. Now, by this hand, I gave it to a youth, A kind of boy, a little scrubbed boy, No higher than thyself, the judge's clerk, A prating boy, that begg'd it as a fee: I could not for my heart deny it him. Por. You were to blame, I must be plain with you, A thing stuck on with oaths upon your finger I I gave my love a ring and made him swear I dare be sworn for him he would not leave it 150 160 170 Bass. [Aside] Why, I were best to cut my left hand off And swear I lost the ring defending it. Gra. My Lord Bassiano gave his ring away Unto the judge that begg'd it and indeed Deserved it too; and then the boy, his clerk, That took some pains in writing, he begg'd mine, Por. 180 |