Solarino.
Solarino.
Now, what news on the Ryalto?
Sal.
Why yet it lives there uncheck'd, that
Anthonio hath a ship of rich lading wreckt on the narrow
-- 190 --
seas; the Goodwins, I think, they call the place; a
very dangerous flat, and fatal, where the carcasses of
-- 191 --
many a tall ship lie bury'd, as they say, if my gossip,
Report, be an honest woman of her word.
Sola.
I would she were as lying a gossip in that, as
ever knapt ginger; or made her neighbours believe
she wept for the death of a third husband. But it is
true, without any slips of prolixity, or crossing the
plain highway of talk, that the good Anthonio, the
honest Anthonio—O that I had a title good enough to
keep his name company?
Sal.
Come, the full stop.
Sola.
Why, the end is, he hath lost a ship.
Sal.
I would it might prove the end of his losses.
Sola.
Let me say Amen, betimes, lest the devil cross
thy prayer; for here he comes, in the likeness of a Jew.
How now, Shylock, what news among the merchants?
Enter Shylock.
Shy.
You knew (none so well, none so well as you)
of my daughter's flight.
-- 192 --
Sal.
That's certain; I, for my part, knew the taylor
that made the wings she flew withal.
Sola.
And Shylock, for his own part, knew the bird
was fledged; and then it is the complexion of them
all to leave the dam.
Shy.
She is damn'd for it.
Sal.
That's certain, if the devil may be her judge.
Shy.
My own flesh and blood to rebel!
Sola.
Out upon it, old carrion, rebels it, at these
years!
Shy.
I say, my daughter is my flesh and blood.
Sal.
There is more difference between thy flesh and
hers, than between jet and ivory; more between your
bloods, than there is between red wine and rhenish:
but tell us, do you hear whether Anthonio have had
any loss at sea, or no?
Shy.
There I have another bad match; a bankrupt,
a prodigal, who dares scarce shew his head on the
Ryalto; a beggar, that us'd to come so smugg upon the
mart! let him look to his bond; he was wont to call
me usurer; let him look to his bond; he was wont to
lend money for a christian courtesy; let him look to
his bond.
Sal.
Why, I am sure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not
take his flesh: what's that good for?
Shy.
To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing
else, it will feed my revenge; he has disgrac'd me, and
hinder'd me of half a million, laught at my losses,
mockt at my gains, scorn'd my nation, thwarted my
bargains, cool'd my friends, heated mine enemies;
and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew
eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions,
senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food,
hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases,
heal'd by the same means, warm'd and cool'd
by the same winter and summer, as a christian is? If
you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do
we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? if
you wrong us, shall we not revenge? if we are like
you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a
-- 193 --
Jew wrong a christian, what is his humility? Revenge.
If a christian wrong a Jew, what should his
sufferance be, by christian example? why Revenge.
The villany you teach me, I will execute; and it
shall go hard, but I will better the instruction.* note
Enter Tubal.
Sola.
Here comes another of the tribe; a third
cannot be match'd, unless the devil himself turn Jew.
[Exeunt Sal. and Solar.
Shy.
How, now, Tubal, what news from Genoa?
hast thou found my daughter?
Tub.
I often came where I did hear of her, but cannot
find her.† note
Shy.
Why there, there, there, there! a diamond
gone cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfort! the
curse never fell upon our nation, 'till now; I never
felt it, till now; two thousand ducats in that, and
other precious, precious jewels. I would my daughter
were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear! O,
would she were hears'd at my foot, and the ducats in
her cossin! No news of them; why so? And I know
not what's spent in the search: why, thou loss upon
loss! the thief gone with so much, and so much to
find the thief; and no satisfaction, no revenge, nor no
ill-luck stirring, but what lights o' my shoulders; no
sighs but o' my breathing, no tears but o' my shedding.
Tub.
Yes, other men have ill-luck, too; Anthonio,
as I heard in Genoa—
Shy.
What, what, what? ill-luck? ill-luck?
Tub.
Hath an argosie cast away, coming from Tripolis.
-- 194 --
Shy.
I thank God, I thank God; is it true? is it
true?
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?
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 Anthonio's creditors in
my company to Venice, that swear he cannot chuse
but break.
Shy.
I am glad of it, I'll plague him, I'll torture
him; I am glad of it.
Tub.
One of them shewed 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 batchelor;
I would not have given it for a wilderness of
monkies.
Tub.
But Anthonio is certainly undone.
Shy.
Nay, that's true, that's very true; go seek 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 merchandize I will.
Go, go, Tubal, and meet me at our synagogue; go,
good Tubal; at our synagogue, Tubal.
[Exeunt.
John Bell [1774], Bell's Edition of Shakespeare's Plays, As they are now performed at the Theatres Royal in London; Regulated from the Prompt Books of each House By Permission; with Notes Critical and Illustrative; By the Authors of the Dramatic Censor (Printed for John Bell... and C. Etherington [etc.], York) [word count] [S10401].
