_Enter_ LAUNCELOT _with a letter_.

Friend Launcelot, what's the news?

_Lau_. An it shall please you to break up this,[62] it shall seem to signify.

_Lor_. I know the hand: in faith, 'tis a fair hand; And whiter than the paper it writ on Is the fair hand that writ.

_Gra_. Love-news, in faith.

_Lau_. By your leave, sir.

_Lor_. Whither goest thou?

_Lau_. Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to sup to-night with my new master the Christian.

_Lor_. Hold here, take this:--tell gentle Jessica, I will not fail her;--speak it privately; go.

[_Exit_ LAUNCELOT _into house_.

Gentlemen, Will you prepare you for this masque to-night?

I am provided of a torch-bearer.

_Salar_. Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight.

_Sal_. And so will I.

_Lor_. Meet me and Gratiano At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence.

_Salar_. 'Tis good we do so.

[_Exeunt_ SALARINO _and_ SALANIO.

_Gra_. Was not that letter from fair Jessica?

_Lor_. I must needs tell thee all: She hath directed How I shall take her from her father's house; What gold and jewels she is furnish'd with; Come, go with me; peruse this as thou goest: Fair Jessica shall be my torch-bearer.

[_Exeunt_.

_Enter_ SHYLOCK _and_ LAUNCELOT _from House_.

_Shy_. Well, thou shalt see, thy eyes shall be thy judge, The difference of old Shylock and Ba.s.sanio: What, Jessica!--thou shalt not gormandize, As thou hast done with me;--What, Jessica!-- And sleep and snore, and rend apparel out;-- Why, Jessica, I say!

_Lau_. Why, Jessica!

_Shy_. Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call.

_Lau_. Your worship was wont to tell me I could do nothing without bidding.

_Enter_ JESSICA.

_Jes_. Call you? What is your will?

_Shy_. I am bid forth to supper,[63] Jessica; There are my keys:--But wherefore should I go?

I am not bid for love: they flatter me: But yet I'll go in hate, to feed upon The prodigal Christian:[64]--Jessica, my girl, Look to my house:--I am right loath to go; There is some ill a brewing towards my rest, For I did dream of money-bags to night.

_Lau_. I beseech you, sir, go; my young master doth expect your reproach.

_Shy_. So do I his.

_Lau_. And they have conspired together,--I will not say, you shall see a masque; but if you do, then it was not for nothing that my nose fell a bleeding[65] on Black Monday(B) last, at six o'clock i'the morning, falling out that year on Ash-Wednesday was four year in the afternoon.

_Shy_. What! are there masques? Hear you me, Jessica: Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drum, And the vile squeaking of the wry-neck'd fife,[66]

Clamber not you up to the cas.e.m.e.nts then, Nor thrust your head into the public street, To gaze on Christian fools with varnish'd faces: But stop my house's ears, I mean my cas.e.m.e.nts; Let not the sound of shallow foppery enter My sober house.--By Jacob's staff I swear, I have no mind of feasting forth to-night: But I will go.--Go you before me, sirrah; Say, I will come.

_Lau_. I will go before, Sir.-- Mistress, look out at window, for all this; There will come a Christian by, Will be worth a Jewess' eye.[67]

[_Exit_ LAUNCELOT.

_Shy_. What says that fool of Hagar's offspring, ha?

_Jes_. His words were, Farewell, mistress; nothing else.

_Shy_. The patch is kind enough;[68] but a huge feeder, Snail-slow in profit, and he sleeps by day More than the wild cat: drones hive not with me, Therefore I part with him; and part with him To one that I would have him help to waste His borrow'd purse.--Well, Jessica, go in; Perhaps, I will return immediately; Do as I bid you, Shut doors after you: Fast bind, fast find; A proverb never stale in thrifty mind.

[_Exit_.

_Jes_. Farewell; and if my fortune be not crost, I have a father, you a daughter, lost.

[_Exit into house_.

_Enter_ GRATIANO _and_ SALARINO, _masqued_.

_Gra_. This is the pent-house, under which Lorenzo Desir'd us to make stand.

_Sal_. His hour is almost past.

_Gra_. And it is marvel he out-dwells his hour, For lovers ever run before the clock.

_Sal_. O, ten times faster Venus' pigeons fly To seal love's bonds new made, than they are wont To keep obliged faith unforfeited!

_Gra_. That ever holds: who riseth from a feast, With that keen appet.i.te that he sits down?

Where is the horse that doth untread again His tedious measures with the unbated fire That he did pace them first? All things that are, Are with more spirit chased than enjoy'd.

_Enter_ LORENZO.

_Sal_. Here comes Lorenzo.

_Lor_. Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode: Not I, but my affairs, have made you wait: When you shall please to play the thieves for wives, I'll watch as long for you then.-- Here dwells my father Jew:--