NeXTSTEP 3.2 for Intel/NeXTSTEP 3.2 for Intel.iso/NextLibrary/Literature/Shakespeare/Plays/The_Merchant_of_Venice/5.1

Text File | 1993-02-01 | 17.9 KB | 417 lines

{\rtf0\ansi{\fonttbl{\f0\froman Times Roman;}{\f1\fmodern Courier;}}
{\pard\f0\fs28{\fs48 The Merchant of Venice
}\
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{\b\fs36 5.1}
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{\i         Enter Lorenzo and Jessica\
}{\b \fs24 LORENZO\
}       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\'b1\'b1in such a night\
       Troilus, methinks, mounted the Trojan walls,\
       And sighed his soul toward the Grecian tents        {\fs20   5}\
       Where Cressid lay that night.\
{\b \fs24 JESSICA}                                In such a night\
       Did Thisbe fearfully o'ertrip the dew\
       And saw the lion's shadow ere himself,\
       And ran dismayed away.\
{\b \fs24 LORENZO}                  In such a night\
       Stood Dido with a willow in her hand            {\fs20  10}\
       Upon the wild sea banks, and waft her love\
       To come again to Carthage.\
{\b \fs24 JESSICA}                          In such a night\
       Medea gathere\'c1d the enchanted herbs\
       That did renew old Aeson.\
{\b \fs24 LORENZO}                        In such a night\
       Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew,            {\fs20  15}\
       And with an unthrift love did run from Venice\
       As far as Belmont.\
{\b \fs24 JESSICA}          In such a night\
       Did young Lorenzo swear he loved her well,\
       Stealing her soul with many vows of faith,\
       And ne'er a true one.\
{\b \fs24 LORENZO}                In such a night            {\fs20  20}\
       Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew,\
       Slander her love, and he forgave it her.\
{\b \fs24 JESSICA\
}       I would outnight you, did nobody come.\
       But hark, I hear the footing of a man.\
{\i         Enter Stefano, a messenger\
}{\b \fs24 LORENZO\
}       Who comes so fast in silence of the night?        {\fs20  25}\
{\b \fs24 STEFANO}    A friend.\
{\b \fs24 LORENZO\
}       A friend\'b1\'b1what friend? Your name, I pray you, friend?\
{\b \fs24 STEFANO\
}       Stefano is my name, and I bring word\
       My mistress will before the break of day\
       Be here at Belmont. She doth stray about        {\fs20  30}\
       By holy crosses, where she kneels and prays\
       For happy wedlock hours.\
{\b \fs24 LORENZO}                      Who comes with her?\
{\b \fs24 STEFANO\
}       None but a holy hermit and her maid.\
       I pray you, is my master yet returned?\
{\b \fs24 LORENZO\
}       He is not, nor we have not heard from him.        {\fs20  35}\
       But go we in, I pray thee, Jessica,\
       And ceremoniously let us prepare\
       Some welcome for the mistress of the house.\
{\i         Enter Lancelot, the clown\
}{\b \fs24 LANCELOT}{\i   (calling)}    Sola, sola! Wo, ha, ho! Sola, sola!\
{\b \fs24 LORENZO}    Who calls?                {\fs20  40}\
{\b \fs24 LANCELOT}{\i   (calling)}    Sola!\'b1\'b1Did you see Master Lorenzo?\
{\i      (Calling)}    Master Lorenzo! Sola, sola!\
{\b \fs24 LORENZO}    Leave hollering, man: here.\
{\b \fs24 LANCELOT}{\i   (calling)}    Sola! \'b1\'b1Where, where?\
{\b \fs24 LORENZO}    Here.                    {\fs20  45}\
{\b \fs24 LANCELOT}    Tell him there's a post come from my master\
       with his horn full of good news. My master will be here\
       ere morning.\
{\i         Exit\
}{\b \fs24 LORENZO}{\i   (to Jessica)\
}       Sweet soul, let's in, and there expect their coming.\
       And yet no matter. Why should we go in?            {\fs20  50}\
       My friend Stefano, signify, I pray you,\
       Within the house your mistress is at hand,\
       And bring your music forth into the air.\
{\i         Exit Stefano\
}       How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!\
       Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music        {\fs20  55}\
       Creep in our ears. Soft stillness and the night\
       Become the touches of sweet harmony.\
       Sit, Jessica.\
{\i         [They] sit\
}                                 Look how the floor of heaven\
       Is thick inlaid with patens of bright gold.\
       There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st    {\fs20  60}\
       But in his motion like an angel sings,\
       Still choiring 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.        {\fs20  65}\
{\i         [Enter Musicians]\
         (To the Musicians)}    Come, ho, and wake Diana with a\
            hymn.\
       With sweetest touches pierce your mistress' ear,\
       And draw her home with music.\
{\i         The Musicians play\
}{\b \fs24 JESSICA\
}       I am never merry when I hear sweet music.\
{\b \fs24 LORENZO\
}       The reason is your spirits are attentive,        {\fs20  70}\
       For do but note a wild and wanton herd\
       Or race of youthful and unhandled colts,\
       Fetching mad bounds, bellowing and neighing loud,\
       Which is the hot condition of their blood,\
       If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound,        {\fs20  75}\
       Or any air of music touch their ears,\
       You shall perceive them make a mutual stand,\
       Their savage eyes turned to a modest gaze\
       By the sweet power of music. Therefore the poet\
       Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones, and floods,    {\fs20  80}\
       Since naught so stockish, hard, and full of rage\
       But music for the time doth change his nature.\
       The man that hath no music in himself,\
       Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,\
       Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils.        {\fs20  85}\
       The motions of his spirit are dull as night,\
       And his affections dark as Erebus.\
       Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music.\
{\i         Enter Portia and Nerissa, as themselves\
}{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       That light we see is burning in my hall.\
       How far that little candle throws his beams\'b1\'b1    {\fs20  90}\
       So shines a good deed in a naughty world.\
{\b \fs24 NERISSA\
}       When the moon shone we did not see the candle.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       So doth the greater glory dim the less.\
       A substitute shines brightly as a king\
       Until a king be by, and then his state            {\fs20  95}\
       Empties itself as doth an inland brook\
       Into the main of waters. Music, hark.\
{\b \fs24 NERISSA\
}       It is your music, madam, of the house.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       Nothing is good, I see, without respect.\
       Methinks it sounds much sweeter than by day.        {\fs20 100}\
{\b \fs24 NERISSA\
}       Silence bestows that virtue on it, madam.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       The crow doth sing as sweetly as the lark\
       When neither is attended, and I think\
       The nightingale, if she should sing by day,\
       When every goose is cackling, would be thought        {\fs20 105}\
       No better a musician than the wren.\
       How many things by season seasoned are\
       To their right praise and true perfection!\
{\i         [She sees Lorenzo and Jessica]\
}       Peace, ho!\
{\i         [Music ceases]\
}                           The moon sleeps with Endymion,\
       And would not be awaked.\
{\b \fs24 LORENZO}{\i   [rising]}    That is the voice,    {\fs20 110}\
       Or I am much deceived, of Portia.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       He knows me as the blind man knows the cuckoo\'b1\'b1\
       By the bad voice.\
{\b \fs24 LORENZO}        Dear lady, welcome home.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       We have been praying for our husbands' welfare,\
       Which speed we hope the better for our words.        {\fs20 115}\
       Are they returned?\
{\b \fs24 LORENZO}          Madam, they are not yet,\
       But there is come a messenger before\
       To signify their coming.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA}                        Go in, Nerissa.\
       Give order to my servants that they take\
       No note at all of our being absent hence;        {\fs20 120}\
       Nor you, Lorenzo; Jessica, nor you.\
{\i         [A tucket sounds]\
}{\b \fs24 LORENZO\
}       Your husband is at hand. I hear his trumpet.\
       We are no tell-tales, madam. Fear you not.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       This night, methinks, is but the daylight sick.\
       It looks a little paler. 'Tis a day            {\fs20 125}\
       Such as the day is when the sun is hid.\
{\i         Enter Bassanio, Antonio, Graziano, and their\
        followers. Graziano and Nerissa speak silently to\
        one another\
}{\b \fs24 BASSANIO\
}       We should hold day with the Antipodes\
       If you would walk in absence of the sun.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       Let me give light, but let me not be light;\
       For a light wife doth make a heavy husband,        {\fs20 130}\
       And never be Bassanio so for me.\
       But God sort all. You are welcome home, my lord.\
{\b \fs24 BASSANIO\
}       I thank you, madam. Give welcome to my friend.\
       This is the man, this is Antonio,\
       To whom I am so infinitely bound.            {\fs20 135}\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       You should in all sense be much bound to him,\
       For as I hear he was much bound for you.\
{\b \fs24 ANTONIO\
}       No more than I am well acquitted of.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       Sir, you are very welcome to our house.\
       It must appear in other ways than words,        {\fs20 140}\
       Therefore I scant this breathing courtesy.\
{\b \fs24 GRAZIANO}{\i   (to Nerissa)\
}       By yonder moon I swear you do me wrong.\
       In faith, I gave it to the judge's clerk.\
       Would he were gelt that had it for my part,\
       Since you do take it, love, so much at heart.        {\fs20 145}\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       A quarrel, ho, already! What's the matter?\
{\b \fs24 GRAZIANO\
}       About a hoop of gold, a paltry ring\
       That she did give me, whose posy was\
       For all the world like cutlers' poetry\
       Upon a knife\'b1\'b1`Love me and leave me not'.        {\fs20 150}\
{\b \fs24 NERISSA\
}       What talk you of the posy or the value?\
       You swore to me when I did give it you\
       That you would wear it till your hour of death,\
       And that it should lie with you in your grave.\
       Though not for me, yet for your vehement oaths        {\fs20 155}\
       You should have been respective and have kept it.\
       Gave it a judge's clerk?\'b1\'b1no, God's my judge,\
       The clerk will ne'er wear hair on's face that had it.\
{\b \fs24 GRAZIANO\
}       He will an if he live to be a man.\
{\b \fs24 NERISSA\
}       Ay, if a woman live to be a man.            {\fs20 160}\
{\b \fs24 GRAZIANO\
}       Now by this hand, I gave it to a youth,\
       A kind of boy, a little scrubbe\'c1d boy\
       No higher than thyself, the judge's clerk,\
       A prating boy that begged it as a fee.\
       I could not for my heart deny it him.            {\fs20 165}\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       You were to blame, I must be plain with you,\
       To part so slightly with your wife's first gift,\
       A thing stuck on with oaths upon your finger,\
       And so riveted with faith unto your flesh.\
       I gave my love a ring, and made him swear        {\fs20 170}\
       Never to part with it; and here he stands.\
       I dare be sworn for him he would not leave it,\
       Nor pluck it from his finger for the wealth\
       That the world masters. Now, in faith, Graziano,\
       You give your wife too unkind a cause of grief.        {\fs20 175}\
       An 'twere to me, I should be mad at it.\
{\b \fs24 BASSANIO}{\i   (aside)\
}       Why, I were best to cut my left hand off\
       And swear I lost the ring defending it.\
{\b \fs24 GRAZIANO}{\i   [to Portia]\
}       My lord Bassanio gave his ring away\
       Unto the judge that begged it, and indeed        {\fs20 180}\
       Deserved it, too, and then the boy his clerk,\
       That took some pains in writing, he begged mine,\
       And neither man nor master would take aught\
       But the two rings.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA}{\i   (to Bassanio)}    What ring gave you, my lord?\
       Not that, I hope, which you received of me.        {\fs20 185}\
{\b \fs24 BASSANIO\
}       If I could add a lie unto a fault\
       I would deny it; but you see my finger\
       Hath not the ring upon it. It is gone.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       Even so void is your false heart of truth.\
       By heaven, I will ne'er come in your bed        {\fs20 190}\
       Until I see the ring.\
{\b \fs24 NERISSA}{\i   (to Graziano)}    Nor I in yours\
       Till I again see mine.\
{\b \fs24 BASSANIO}                Sweet Portia,\
       If you did know to whom I gave the ring,\
       If you did know for whom I gave the ring,\
       And would conceive for what I gave the ring,        {\fs20 195}\
       And how unwillingly I left the ring\
       When naught would be accepted but the ring,\
       You would abate the strength of your displeasure.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       If you had known the virtue of the ring,\
       Or half her worthiness that gave the ring,        {\fs20 200}\
       Or your own honour to contain the ring,\
       You would not then have parted with the ring.\
       What man is there so much unreasonable,\
       If you had pleased to have defended it\
       With any terms of zeal, wanted the modesty        {\fs20 205}\
       To urge the thing held as a ceremony?\
       Nerissa teaches me what to believe.\
       I'll die for't but some woman had the ring.\
{\b \fs24 BASSANIO\
}       No, by my honour, madam, by my soul,\
       No woman had it, but a civil doctor            {\fs20 210}\
       Which did refuse three thousand ducats of me,\
       And begged the ring, the which I did deny him,\
       And suffered him to go displeased away,\
       Even he that had held up the very life\
       Of my dear friend. What should I say, sweet lady?    {\fs20 215}\
       I was enforced to send it after him.\
       I was beset with shame and courtesy.\
       My honour would not let ingratitude\
       So much besmear it. Pardon me, good lady,\
       For by these blesse\'c1d candles of the night,        {\fs20 220}\
       Had you been there I think you would have begged\
       The ring of me to give the worthy doctor.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       Let not that doctor e'er come near my house.\
       Since he hath got the jewel that I loved,\
       And that which you did swear to keep for me,        {\fs20 225}\
       I will become as liberal as you.\
       I'll not deny him anything I have,\
       No, not my body nor my husband's bed.\
       Know him I shall, I am well sure of it.\
       Lie not a night from home. Watch me like Argus.        {\fs20 230}\
       If you do not, if I be left alone,\
       Now by mine honour, which is yet mine own,\
       I'll have that doctor for my bedfellow.\
{\b \fs24 NERISSA}{\i   (to Graziano)\
}       And I his clerk, therefore be well advised\
       How you do leave me to mine own protection.        {\fs20 235}\
{\b \fs24 GRAZIANO\
}       Well, do you so. Let not me take him then,\
       For if I do, I'll mar the young clerk's pen.\
{\b \fs24 ANTONIO\
}       I am th'unhappy subject of these quarrels.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       Sir, grieve not you. You are welcome\
            notwithstanding.\
{\b \fs24 BASSANIO\
}       Portia, forgive me this enforce\'c1d wrong,        {\fs20 240}\
       And in the hearing of these many friends\
       I swear to thee, even by thine own fair eyes,\
       Wherein I see myself\'b1\'b1\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA}                                Mark you but that?\
       In both my eyes he doubly sees himself,\
       In each eye one. Swear by your double self,        {\fs20 245}\
       And there's an oath of credit.\
{\b \fs24 BASSANIO}                                Nay, but hear me.\
       Pardon this fault, and by my soul I swear\
       I never more will break an oath with thee.\
{\b \fs24 ANTONIO}{\i   (to Portia)\
}       I once did lend my body for his wealth\
       Which, but for him that had your husband's ring,    {\fs20 250}\
       Had quite miscarried. I dare be bound again,\
       My soul upon the forfeit, that your lord\
       Will never more break faith advisedly.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       Then you shall be his surety. Give him this,\
       And bid him keep it better than the other.        {\fs20 255}\
{\b \fs24 ANTONIO\
}       Here, Lord Bassanio, swear to keep this ring.\
{\b \fs24 BASSANIO\
}       By heaven, it is the same I gave the doctor!\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       I had it of him. Pardon me, Bassanio,\
       For by this ring, the doctor lay with me.\
{\b \fs24 NERISSA\
}       And pardon me, my gentle Graziano,            {\fs20 260}\
       For that same scrubbe\'c1d boy, the doctor's clerk,\
       In lieu of this last night did lie with me.\
{\b \fs24 GRAZIANO\
}       Why, this is like the mending of highways\
       In summer where the ways are fair enough!\
       What, are we cuckolds ere we have deserved it?        {\fs20 265}\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA\
}       Speak not so grossly. You are all amazed.\
       Here is a letter. Read it at your leisure.\
       It comes from Padua, from Bellario.\
       There you shall find that Portia was the doctor,\
       Nerissa there her clerk. Lorenzo here            {\fs20 270}\
       Shall witness I set forth as soon as you,\
       And even but now returned. I have not yet\
       Entered my house. Antonio, you are welcome,\
       And I have better news in store for you\
       Than you expect. Unseal this letter soon.        {\fs20 275}\
       There you shall find three of your argosies\
       Are richly come to harbour suddenly.\
       You shall not know by what strange accident\
       I chance\'c1d on this letter.\
{\b \fs24 ANTONIO}                                I am dumb!\
{\b \fs24 BASSANIO}{\i   (to Portia)\
}       Were you the doctor and I knew you not?            {\fs20 280}\
{\b \fs24 GRAZIANO}{\i   (to Nerissa)\
}       Were you the clerk that is to make me cuckold?\
{\b \fs24 NERISSA\
}       Ay, but the clerk that never means to do it\
       Unless he live until he be a man.\
{\b \fs24 BASSANIO}{\i   (to Portia)\
}       Sweet doctor, you shall be my bedfellow.\
       When I am absent, then lie with my wife.        {\fs20 285}\
{\b \fs24 ANTONIO}{\i   (to Portia)\
}       Sweet lady, you have given me life and living,\
       For here I read for certain that my ships\
       Are safely come to road.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA}                        How now, Lorenzo?\
       My clerk hath some good comforts, too, for you.\
{\b \fs24 NERISSA\
}       Ay, and I'll give them him without a fee.        {\fs20 290}\
       There do I give to you and Jessica\
       From the rich Jew a special deed of gift,\
       After his death, of all he dies possessed of.\
{\b \fs24 LORENZO\
}       Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way\
       Of starve\'c1d people.\
{\b \fs24 PORTIA}                    It is almost morning,        {\fs20 295}\
       And yet I am sure you are not satisfied\
       Of these events at full. Let us go in,\
       And charge us there upon inter'gatories,\
       And we will answer all things faithfully.\
{\b \fs24 GRAZIANO\
}       Let it be so. The first inter'gatory            {\fs20 300}\
       That my Nerissa shall be sworn on is\
       Whether till the next night she had rather stay,\
       Or go to bed now, being two hours to day.\
       But were the day come, I should wish it dark\
       Till I were couching with the doctor's clerk.        {\fs20 305}\
       Well, while I live I'll fear no other thing\
       So sore as keeping safe Nerissa's ring.\
{\i         Exeunt\
\