You press me far, and therefore I will yield.
[To Antonio.]
Give me your gloves, I’ll wear them for your sake,
[To Bassanio.]
And for your love I’ll take this ring from you.
Do not draw back your hand, I’ll take no more,
And you in love shall not deny me this!
Bass.
This ring, good sir, alas, it is a trifle!
I will not shame myself to give you this.
Por.
I will have nothing else but only this,
And now methinks I have a mind to it.
Bass.
There’s more depends on this than on the value.
The dearest ring in Venice will I give you,
And find it out by proclamation;
Only for this, I pray you pardon me.
Por.
I see, sir, you are liberal in offers.
You taught me first to beg, and now methinks
You teach me how a beggar should be answer’d.
Bass.
Good sir, this ring was given me by my wife,
And when she put it on, she made me vow
That I should neither sell, nor give, nor lose it.
Por.
That ’scuse serves many men to save their gifts,
And if your wife be not a mad woman,
And know how well I have deserv’d this ring,
She would not hold out enemy for ever
For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you!
Exeunt [Portia and Nerissa].
Ant.
My Lord Bassanio, let him have the ring.
Let his deservings and my love withal
Be valued ’gainst your wive’s commandement.
Bass.
Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him;
Give him the ring, and bring him, if thou canst,
Unto Antonio’s house. Away, make haste.
Exit Gratiano.
Come, you and I will thither presently,
And in the morning early will we both
Fly toward Belmont. Come, Antonio.
Exeunt.
¶
[Scene II]
Enter [Portia and] Nerissa [disguised as before]
Por.
Inquire the Jew’s house out, give him this deed,
And let him sign it. We’ll away to-night,
And be a day before our husbands home.
This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.
Enter Gratiano.
Gra.
Fair sir, you are well o’erta’en.
My Lord Bassanio upon more advice
Hath sent you here this ring, and doth entreat
Your company at dinner.
Por.
That cannot be.
His ring I do accept most thankfully,
And so I pray you tell him; furthermore,
I pray you show my youth old Shylock’s house.
Gra.
That will I do.
Ner.
Sir, I would speak with you.
[Aside to Portia.]
I’ll see if I can get my husband’s ring,
Which I did make him swear to keep for ever.
Por. [Aside to Nerissa.]
Thou mayst, I warrant. We shall have old swearing
That they did give the rings away to men;
But we’ll outface them, and outswear them too.—
Away, make haste. Thou know’st where I will tarry.
Ner.
Come, good sir, will you show me to this house?
[Exeunt.]
¶
ACT V
[Scene I]
Enter Lorenzo and Jessica.
Lor.
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, in such a night
Troilus methinks mounted the Troyan walls,
And sigh’d his soul toward the Grecian tents,
Where Cressid lay that night.
Jes.
In such a night
Did Thisby fearfully o’ertrip the dew,
And saw the lion’s shadow ere himself,
And ran dismayed away.
Lor.
In such a night
Stood Dido with a willow in her hand
Upon the wild sea-banks, and waft her love
To come again to Carthage.
Jes.
In such a night
Medea gathered the enchanted herbs
That did renew old Aeson.
Lor.
In such a night
Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew,
And with an unthrift love did run from Venice,
As far as Belmont.
Jes.
In such a night
Did young Lorenzo swear he lov’d her well,
Stealing her soul with many vows of faith,
And ne’er