The Same. A Street. | |
| |
Enter GRATIANO, LORENZO, SALARINO, and SALANIO. | |
| Lor. Nay, we will slink away in supper-time, | |
| Disguise us at my lodging, and return | 4 |
| All in an hour. | |
| Gra. We have not made good preparation. | |
| Salar. We have not spoke us yet of torch-bearers. | |
| Salan. ’Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly order’d, | 8 |
| And better, in my mind, not undertook. | |
| Lor. ’Tis now but four o’clock: we have two hours | |
| To furnish us. | |
| |
Enter LAUNCELOT, with a letter. | 12 |
| Friend Launcelot, what’s the news? | |
| Laun. An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to signify. | |
| Lor. I know the hand: in faith, ’tis a fair hand; | |
| And whiter than the paper it writ on | 16 |
| Is the fair hand that writ. | |
| Gra. Love news, in faith. | |
| Laun. By your leave, sir. | |
| Lor. Whither goest thou? | 20 |
| Laun. Marry, sir, to bid my old master, the Jew, to sup to-night with my new master, the Christian. | |
| Lor. Hold here, take this: tell gentle Jessica | |
| I will not fail her; speak it privately. | |
| Go, gentlemen. [Exit LAUNCELOT. | 24 |
| Will you prepare you for this masque to-night? | |
| I am provided of a torch-bearer. | |
| Salar. Ay, marry, I’ll be gone about it straight. | |
| Salan. And so will I. | 28 |
| Lor. Meet me and Gratiano | |
| At Gratiano’s lodging some hour hence. | |
| Salar. ’Tis good we do so. [Exeunt SALARINO and SALANIO. | |
| Gra. Was not that letter from fair Jessica? | 32 |
| Lor. I must needs tell thee all. She hath directed | |
| How I shall take her from her father’s house; | |
| What gold and jewels she is furnish’d with; | |
| What page’s suit she hath in readiness. | 36 |
| If e’er the Jew her father come to heaven, | |
| It will be for his gentle daughter’s sake; | |
| And never dare misfortune cross her foot, | |
| Unless she do it under this excuse, | 40 |
| That she is issue to a faithless Jew. | |
| Come, go with me: peruse this as thou goest. | |
| Fair Jessica shall be my torch-bearer. [Exeunt. | |
