SCENE VII. Belmont. A room in Portia's house. Flourish of cornets. Enter Portia, with the prince of Morocco, and both their trains. Por. Go, draw aside the curtains, and discover The several caskets to this noble prince:Now make your choice. Mor. The first, of gold, who this inscription bears; Who chooseth me, shall gain what many men desire. The second; silver, which this promise carries ;Who chooseth me, shall get as much as he deserves. This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt;Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath. How shall I know if I do choose the right? Por. The one of them contains my picture, prince; If you choose that, then I am yours withal. Mor. Some god direct my judgement! Let me see, I will survey the inscriptions back again: What says this leaden casket? Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath. Must give-For what? for lead? hazard for lead? This casket threatens: Men, that hazard all, Do it in hope of fair advantages: A golden mind stoops not to shows of dross; Who chooseth me, shall get as much as he deserves. If thou be'st rated by thy estimation, As much as I deserve!-Why, that's the lady: To stop the foreign spirits; but they come, One of these three contains her heavenly picture. Is't like, that lead contains her? "Twere danination, To think so base a thought; it were too gross To rib* her cerecloth in the obscure grave. Was set in worse than gold. They have in England Lies all within.-Deliver me the key; Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may! Por. There, take it, prince, and if my form lie there, Then I am yours. [He unlocks the golden casket. Mor. O hell! what have we here? A carrion death, within whose empty eye There is a written scroll? I'll read the writing. All that glisters is not gold, Often have you heard that told: Cold, indeed; and labour lost: Then, farewell, heat; and, welcome, frost. Portia, adieu! I have too griev'd a heart [Exit. Por. A gentle riddance:Draw the curtains, go; Let all of his complexion choose me so. [Exeunt. SCENE VIII. Venice. A street. Enter Salarino and Salanio. Salar. Why man, I saw Bassanio under sail; With him is Gratiano gone along; And in their ship, I am sure, Lorenzo is not. duke; Who went with him to search Bassanio's ship. Sular. He came too late, the ship was under sail: But there the duke was given to understand, That in a gondola were seen together Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica: Besides, Antonio certify'd the duke, They were not with Bassanio in his ship. Of double ducats, stol'n from me by my daughter! And jewels; two stones, two rich and precious stones, Stol'n by my daughter!-Justice! find the girl! She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats! Salar. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him, Crying, his stones, his daughter, and his ducats. Salan. Let good Antonio look he keep his day, Or he shall pay for this. Salar. Marry, well remember'd: I reason'd with a Frenchman yesterday; Who told me,-in the narrow seas, that part The French and English, there miscarried A vessel of our country, richly fraught: I thought upon Antonio, when he told me; And wish'd in silence, that it were not his. Salan. You were best to tell Antonio what you hear; Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him. Salar. A kinder gentleman treads not the earth. I saw Bassanio and Autonio part: Bassanio told him, he would make some speed • Conversed.. + To slubber is to do a thing carelessly. To courtship, and such fair ostents of love He wrung Bassanio's hand, and so they parted. And quicken his embraced heavinesst Salar. Do we so. [Exeunt. SCENE IX. Belmont. A room in Portia's house. Enter Nerissa, with a servant. Ner. Quick, quick, I pray thee, draw the curtain straight; The prince of Arragon has ta'en his oath, And comes to his election presently. Flourish of cornets. Enter the Prince of Arragon, Portia, and their trains. Por. Behold, there stand the caskets, noble prince: If you choose that wherein I am contain'd, Straight shall our nuptial rites be solemniz'd; But if you fail, without more speech, my lord, You must be gone from hence immediately. Ar. I am enjoin'd by oath to observe three things: First, never to unfold to any one Which casket'twas I chose; next, if I fail Of the right casket, never in my life To woo a maid in way of marriage; lastly, Shows, tokens. + The heaviness he is fond of. |