_Ba.s.s._ This is no answer, thou unfeeling man, To excuse the current of thy cruelty.

_Shy._ I am not bound to please thee with my answers.

_Ba.s.s._ Do all men kill the things they do not love?

_Shy._ Hates any man the thing he would not kill?

_Ba.s.s._ Every offence is not a hate at first.

_Shy._ What, wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice?

_Ant._ I pray you, think you question with the Jew: You may as well go stand upon the beach And bid the main flood bate his usual height; You may as well use question with the wolf Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb; You may as well forbid the mountain pines To wag their high tops and to make no noise, When they are fretten with the gusts of heaven; You may as well do any thing most hard, As seek to soften that--than which what's harder?-- His Jewish heart; therefore, I do beseech you, Make no more offers, use no farther means, But with all brief and plain conveniency.

Let me have judgment and the Jew his will.

_Ba.s.s._ For thy three thousand ducats here is six.

_Shy._ If every ducat in six thousand ducats Were in six parts and every part a ducat, I would not draw them; I would have my bond.

_Duke._ How shalt thou hope for mercy, rendering none?

_Shy._ What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong?

You have among you many a purchased slave, Which, like your a.s.ses and your dogs and mules, You use in abject and in slavish parts, Because you bought them: shall I say to you, Let them be free, marry them to your heirs?

Why sweat they under burthens? let their beds Be made as soft as yours, and let their palates Be season'd with such viands? You will answer "The slaves are ours:" so do I answer you: The pound of flesh, which I demand of him, Is dearly bought; 'tis mine and I will have it.

If you deny me, fie upon your law!

There is no force in the decrees of Venice.

I stand for judgment: answer; shall I have it?

_Duke._ Upon my power, I may dismiss this court, Unless Bellario, a learned doctor, Whom I have sent for to determine this, Come here to-day.

_Saler._ My lord, here stays without A messenger with letters from the doctor, New come from Padua.

_Duke._ Bring us the letters: call the messenger.

_Ba.s.s._ Good cheer, Antonio! What, man, courage yet!

The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones and all, Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood.

_Ant._ I am a tainted wether of the flock, Meetest for death; the weakest kind of fruit Drops earliest to the ground; and so let me: You cannot better be employ'd, Ba.s.sanio, Than to live still and write mine epitaph.

_Enter_ NERISSA, _dressed like a lawyer's clerk_.

_Duke._ Come you from Padua, from Bellario?

_Ner._ From both, my lord. Bellario greets your grace. [_Presenting a letter._

_Ba.s.s._ Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?

_Shy._ To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt there.

_Gra._ Not on thy sole, but on thy soul, harsh Jew, Thou makest thy knife keen; but no metal can, No, not the hangman's axe, bear half the keenness Of thy sharp envy. Can no prayer pierce thee?

_Shy._ No, none that thou hast wit enough to make.

_Gra._ O, be thou d.a.m.n'd, inexecrable dog!

And for thy life let justice be accused.

Thou almost makest me waver in my faith To hold opinion with Pythagoras, That souls of animals infuse themselves Into the trunks of men: thy currish spirit Govern'd a wolf, who, hang'd for human slaughter, Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet, And, whilst thou lay'st in thy unhallow'd dam, Infused itself in thee; for thy desires Are wolfish, b.l.o.o.d.y, starved and ravenous.

_Shy._ Till thou canst rail the seal from off my bond, Thou but offend'st thy lungs to speak so loud: Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall To cureless ruin. I stand here for law.

_Duke._ This letter from Bellario doth commend A young and learned doctor to our court.

Where is he?

_Ner._ He attendeth here hard by, To know your answer, whether you'll admit him.

_Duke._ With all my heart. Some three or four of you Go give him courteous conduct to this place.

Meantime the court shall hear Bellario's letter.

_Clerk._ [_Reads_] Your grace understands that at the receipt of your letter I am very sick; but in the instant that your messenger came, in loving visitation was with me a young doctor of Rome; his name is Balthasar. I acquainted him with the cause in controversy between the Jew and Antonio the merchant: we turned o'er many books together: he is furnished with my opinion; which, bettered with his own learning, the greatness whereof I cannot enough commend, comes with him, at my importunity, to fill up your grace's request in my stead.

I beseech you, let his lack of years be no impediment to let him lack a reverend estimation; for I never knew so young a body with so old a head. I leave him to your gracious acceptance, whose trial shall better publish his commendation.

_Duke._ You hear the learn'd Bellario, what he writes: And here, I take it, is the doctor come.

_Enter_ PORTIA, _dressed like a doctor of laws_.

Give me your hand. Come you from old Bellario?

_Por._ I did, my lord.

_Duke._ You are welcome; take your place.

Are you acquainted with the difference That holds this present question in the court?

_Por._ I am informed thoroughly of the cause.

Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew?

_Duke._ Antonio and old Shylock, both stand forth.

_Por._ Is your name Shylock?

_Shy._ Shylock is my name.

_Por._ Of a strange nature is the suit you follow; Yet in such rule that the Venetian law Cannot impugn you as you do proceed.

You stand within his danger, do you not?

_Ant._ Ay, so he says.

_Por._ Do you confess the bond?

_Ant._ I do.

_Por._ Then must the Jew be merciful.