Scene V

[Venice]

Enter [Shylock, ] Jew, his man that was the Clown [Launcelot].

[SHYLOCK:]

Well, thou shalt see, thy eyes shall be thy judge,
The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio:—
What, Jessica!—thou shalt not gormandise,
As thou hast done with me;—What, Jessica!—
And sleep, and snore, and rend apparel out;—(5)
Why, Jessica, I say!

[SHYLOCK:]

Well, you shall see; your eyes shall be your judge,
The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio:—
What, Jessica!—You won’t eat like a glutton,
As you have done with me;—What, Jessica!—
And sleep and snore, and tear clothes apart—
Why, Jessica, I say!

[LAUNCELOT:]

Why, Jessica!

[LAUNCELOT:]

Why, Jessica!

[SHYLOCK:]

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

[SHYLOCK:]

Who called for you? I didn’t call for you.

[LAUNCELOT:]

Your worship was wont to tell me, I could do
nothing without bidding.(10)

[LAUNCELOT:]

You, sir, always told me I couldn’t do anything
without bidding.

Enter Jessica.

JESSICA:

Call you? What is your will?

JESSICA:

Did you call? What is it?

[SHYLOCK:]

I am bid forth to supper, 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(15)
The prodigal Christian.—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.

[SHYLOCK:]

I am asked to go out to supper, Jessica:
There are my keys. But why should I go?
I am not asked for friendship; they flatter me;
But yet I'll go in hate, to feed on
The prodigal Christian. Jessica, my girl,
Take care of my house. I am very reluctant to go;
There is some ill disturbing my rest,
Because I dreamt of moneybags tonight.

[LAUNCELOT:]

I beseech you, sir, go; my young master doth(20)
expect your reproach.

[LAUNCELOT:]

Please, sir, go: my young master expects your
insult.

[SHYLOCK:]

So do I, his.

[SHYLOCK:]

So I expect his.

[LAUNCELOT:]

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 on Black-(25)
Monday last, at six o'clock i' the morning, falling out
that year on Ash-Wednesday was four year in the
afternoon.

[LAUNCELOT:]

And they have conspired together; I’ll not say you
shall see a party, but if you do, then it was not for nothing
that my nose started bleeding on last Black Monday at six o'clock
in the morning, falling out that year on Ash-Wednesday was four
years in the afternoon.

[SHYLOCK:]

What! are there masques? Hear you me, Jessica:
Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drum,(30)
And the vile squealing of the wry-neck'd fife,
Clamber not you up to the casements 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 casements;(35)
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.(40)

[SHYLOCK:]

What! are there parties? Listen to me, Jessica:
Lock up my doors, and when you hear the drum,
And the vile squealing of the long-necked pipe,
Don’t run up to the windows then,
Or thrust your head into the public street
To gaze on Christian fools with varnished masks;
But stop my house's ears- I mean my windows;
Don’t let the sound of shallow foolishness enter
My sober house. By Jacob's staff, I swear
I don’t want to go feasting outside tonight;
But I’ll go. You go ahead of me, servant;
Say I’ll come.

[LAUNCELOT:]

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.

[LAUNCELOT:]

I’ll go ahead of you, sir. Mistress, look out at window for all this;
There will come a Christian by
That will be worth a Jewess' eye.

[SHYLOCK:]

What says that fool of Hagar's offspring; ha?(45)

[SHYLOCK:]

What says that fool of Hagar's offspring, huh?

JESSICA:

His words were, Farewell mistress; nothing else.

JESSICA:

His words were, “Goodbye, mistress,” nothing else.

[SHYLOCK:]

The patch is kind enough; 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(50)
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;(55)
A proverb never stale in thrifty mind.

[SHYLOCK:]

The man is kind enough, but a huge eater;
Snail-slow in worth, and he sleeps by day
More than the wild-cat does; drones don’t live with me,
So I’m parting with him; and send with him
To one that I want him help to waste
His borrowed purse. Well, Jessica, go in;
Perhaps I’ll return immediately:
Do as I tell you, shut doors after you:
“Fast bind, fast find,”
A proverb that’s never forgotten in a successful mind.

Exit.

JESSICA:

Farewell; and if my fortune be not cross'd,
I have a father, you a daughter, lost.

JESSICA:

Goodbye; and, if my fortune is not crossed,
I have lost a father, and you a daughter.

Exit.