Tub. I spoke with some of the sailors that escaped the wreck.

Shy. I thank thee, good Tubal:-Good news, good news; ha! ha!— Where? in Genoa' ?b

Tub. Your daughter spent in Genoa, as I heard, one night, fourscore ducats.

Shy. Thou stick'st a dagger' in me ;-I shall never see my gold again. Fourscore ducats at a sitting'! fourscore ducats'!

Tub. There came divers of Antonio's creditors in my company to Venice, that swear he can not choose but break.

Shy. I am very glad of it; I'll plague him; I'll torture him; I am glad of it. b

Tub. One of them showed me a ring that he had of your daughter for a monkey.

Shy. Out upon her! Thou torturest me, Tubal: it was my turquoise ; I had it of Leah, when I was a bachelor. I would not have given it for a wilderness' of monkeys.

Tub. But Antonio is certainly undone.

Shy. Nay, that's true, that's very true. Go, Tubal, fee me an officer; bespeak him a fortnight before. I will have the heart of him, if he forfeit; for, were he out of Venice, I can make what merchandise I will. Go, go, Tubal, and meet me at our synagogue; go, good Tubal; at our synagogue, Tubal.

son.

LES. III. -SHYLOCK AND THE MERCHANT: THE TRIAL SCENE. 1. THE following is partially explained in the preceding lesThe merchant Antonio had borrowed from Shylock, for his friend Bassanio, the sum of three thousand ducats; and Shylock had caused to be inserted in the bond the condition that, if Antonio should fail to make payment on a certain day, the merchant should forfeit a pound of flesh, to be cut off nearest his heart. Owing to losses, Antonio was unable to pay on the day appointed; and although afterward his friends offered to make double, treble, or quadruple payment to the Jew, the latter claimed, as he had a right to by the strict "law of Venice," exact fulfillment of the bond.

2. In the following scene the parties appear in court before the Duke of Venice; and Portia, the wife of Bassanio, a lady of high mental powers and great goodness, the heiress of a princely name and countless wealth, but here so disguised, as a learned doctor and judge from Padua, as to be unrecognized even by her own husband, is introduced, to counsel with the duke in the administration of justice.

Although the Jew is here placed in a very odious light, it ought not to be regarded as any imputation upon the sect to which he belongs.

• Very mournfully and slowly, but emphatically: the downward inflection.

(To Antonio.)

Duke. Give me your hand'. Came you from old Bellario'?
Portia. 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'?

Shylock. Shylock is my name.

Por. Of a strange nature is the suit you follow;

Yet in such rule, that the Venetian law

Can not impugn you as you do proceed.

You stand within his danger', do you not'?
Antonio. Ay, so he says.

Por. Do you confess the bond'?

Ant. I do.

Por. Then must the Jew be merciful.

Shy. On what compulsion' must I'? tell' me that'.
Por. The quality of mercy is not strained';

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath'; it is twice' blessed;
It blesseth him that gives', and him that takes'.
"Tis mightiest in the mightiest'. It becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown':
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings':
But mercy is above this sceptred sway';

It is enthroned in the hearts of kings';
It is an attribute to God himself';

And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore', Jew',
Though justice be thy plea, consider this-
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation': we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds' of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;

Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.
Shy. My deeds upon my head'! I crave the law',
The penalty and forfeit of my bond'.

Por. Is he not able to discharge the money' ?

Bassanio. Yes, here I tender it for him in the court; Yea, twice the sum; if that will not suffice,

I will be bound to pay it ten times o'er,

And I beseech you,

On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart:
If this will not suffice, it must appear
That malice bears down truth.
Wrest once the law to your authority:
To do a great right, do a little wrong,
And curb this cruel devil of his will.

Por. It must not be'; there's no power in Venice Can alter a decree established';

"Twill be recorded for a precedent';

And many an error, by the same example,

Will rush into the state: it can not be.

Shy. A Daniel come to judgment! Yea, a Daniel! O wise young judge, how do I honor thee!

Por. I pray you, let me look upon the bond. Shy. Here 'tis, most reverend doctor; here it is. Por. Shylock, there's thrice thy money offered thee. Shy. An oath, an oath, I have an oath in heaven: Shall I lay perjury upon my soul'?

No', not for Venice'.

Por. Why, this bond is forfeit;

And lawfully by this the Jew may claim
A pound of flesh, to be by him cut off

Nearest the merchant's heart. Be merciful;
Take thrice' thy money; bid me tear' the bond.
Shy. When it is paid according to the tenor.
It doth appear, you are a worthy` judge;
You know the law; your exposition

Hath been most sound. I charge you by the law,
Whereof you are a well-deserving pillar,
Proceed to judgment: by my soul I swear,
There is no power in the tongue of man

To alter me.

I stay here on my band'.

Ant. Most heartily do I beseech the court To give the judgment.

Por. Why, then, thus it is:

You must prepare your bosom for his knife.

Shy. O noble judge'! O excellent young man'! Por. For the intent and purpose of the law Hath full relation to the penalty,

Which here appeareth due upon the bond.

Shy. 'Tis very true: O wise and upright judge! How much more elder art thou than thy looks! Por. Therefore, lay bare your bosom.

Shy. Ay, his breast;

So says the bond-doth it not, noble judge' ?—

Nearest his heart; those are the very words.

Por. It is so. Are there balance here, to weigh

The flesh?

Shy. I have them ready.

Por. Have by some surgeon, Shylock, on your charge,

To stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death.

Shy. Is it so nominated in the bond?

Por. It is not so expressed; but what of that?

"Twere good you do so much for charity.

Shy. I can not find it; 'tis not in the bond.

Por. Come, merchant, have you any thing to say?
Ant. But little; I am armed, and well prepared.

Give me your hand', Bassanio'! fare you well!
Grieve not that I am fallen to this for you;

For herein fortune shows herself more kind
Than is her custom: it is still her use,

To let the wretched man outlive his wealth';
To view, with hollow eye and wrinkled brow,
An age of poverty'; from which lingering penance
Of such misery doth she cut me off.
Commend me to your honorable wife':
Tell her the process of Antonio's end';

Say, how I loved' you; speak me fair in death;
And, when the tale is told', bid her be judge,
Whether Bassanio had not once a love.

Repent not you that you shall lose your friend';
And he repents not that he pays your debt';
For, if the Jew do cut but deep enough',

I'll pay it instantly with all my heart.

Por. A pound of that same merchant's flesh is thine; The court awards it', and the law doth give' it.

Shy. Most rightful judge!

Por. And you must cut this flesh from off his breast;
The law allows it, and the court awards it.

Shy. Most learned judge! A sentence! come, prepare.
Por. Tarry a little-there is something else—

This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood;

The words expressly are, a pound of flesh.

Take then thy bond; take thou thy pound of flesh;
But, in the cutting it, if thou dost shed

One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods

Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate

Unto the state of Venice.

Gratiano. O upright judge!—Mark, Jew!—O learned judge! Shy. Is that the law?

Por. Thyself shall see the act:

For, as thou urgest justice, be assured

Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desirest.

Gra. O learned judge!-Mark, Jew!-a learned judge!

Shy. I take this offer, then; pay the bond thrice,

And let the Christian go.

Bas. Here is the money.

Por. Soft;

The Jew shall have all justice-soft!-no haste-
He shall have nothing but the penalty.

Gra. O Jew! an upright judge! a learned judge!
Por. Therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh.
Shed thou no blood; nor cut thou less, nor more,
But a just pound of flesh. If thou takest more,
Or less than just a pound-be it but so much
As makes it light or heavy in the substance',
Or the division of the twentieth part

Of one poor scruple'-nay, if the scale do turn
But in the estimation of a hair'-
Thou diest', and all thy goods are confiscate.

Gra. A second Daniel-a Daniel, Jew!

Now, infidel, I have thee on the hip.

Por. Why doth the Jew pause'? take thy forfeiture.
Shy. Give me my principal, and let me go.
Bas. I have it ready for thee; here it is.
Por. He hath refused it in the open court;
He shall have merely justice, and his bond.

Gra. A Daniel, still say I! a second Daniel!
I thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word.
Shy. Shall I not have barely my principal'?
Por. Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture,
To be so taken at thy peril, Jew.

Shy. Why, then the devil give him good of it!
I'll stay no longer question.

Por. Tarry, Jew;

The law hath yet another hold on you.

It is enacted in the laws of Venice,

If it be proved against an alien,

That, by direct or indirect attempts,

He seek the life of any citizen,

The party, 'gainst the which he doth contrive,
Shall seize one half his goods; the other half
Comes to the privy coffer of the state;
And the offender's life lies in the mercy
Of the duke only, 'gainst all other voice.
In which predicament, I say, thou standest;
For it appears, by manifest proceeding,
That indirectly, and directly too,
Thou hast contrived against the very life
Of the defendant; and thou hast incurred

The danger formerly by me rehearsed.

Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the duke.

Gra. Beg, that thou may'st have leave to hang thyself; And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state,

Thou hast not left the value of a cord;

Therefore thou must be hanged at the state's charge.

Duke. That thou shalt see the difference of our spirit,

I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it.

For half thy wealth, it is Antonio's ;

The other half comes to the general state.

LES. IV..—THE CHARACTER OF PORTIA, AS DISPLAYED IN

THE TRIAL SCENE.

1. ALL the finest points of Portia's character are brought to bear in the trial scene which we have just read. There she shines forth all her divine self. Her intellectual powers, her high honorable principles, her best feelings as a woman, are all displayed. She maintains at first a calm self-command, as one sure of carrying her point in the end; yet the painful, heart-thrilling uncertainty in which she keeps the whole court,