SCENE V
The same. A garden.
[Enter LAUNCELOT and JESSICA]
LAUNCELOT
Yes, truly; for, look you, the sins of the father are to be laid upon the children: therefore, I promise ye, I fear you. I was always plain with you, and so now I speak my agitation of the matter: therefore be of good cheer, for truly I think you are damned. There is but one hope in it that can do you any good; and that is but a kind of bastard hope neither.
Yes, truly; for, look you, the sins of the father are to be laid upon the children: therefore, I promise ye, I fear you. I was always plain with you, and so now I speak my agitation of the matter: therefore be of good cheer, for truly I think you are damned. There is but one hope in it that can do you any good; and that is but a kind of bastard hope neither.
JESSICA
And what hope is that, I pray thee?
And what hope is that, I pray thee?
LAUNCELOT
Marry, you may partly hope that your father got you not, that you are not the Jew’s daughter.
Marry, you may partly hope that your father got you not, that you are not the Jew’s daughter.
JESSICA
That were a kind of bastard hope, indeed: so the sins of my mother should be visited upon me.
That were a kind of bastard hope, indeed: so the sins of my mother should be visited upon me.
LAUNCELOT
Truly then I fear you are damned both by father and mother: thus when I shun Scylla, your father, I fall into Charybdis, your mother: well, you are gone both ways.
Truly then I fear you are damned both by father and mother: thus when I shun Scylla, your father, I fall into Charybdis, your mother: well, you are gone both ways.
JESSICA
I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me a Christian.
I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me a Christian.
LAUNCELOT
Truly, the more to blame he: we were Christians enow before; e’en as many as could well live, one by another. This making Christians will raise the price of hogs: if we grow all to be pork-eaters, we shall not shortly have a rasher on the coals for money.
Truly, the more to blame he: we were Christians enow before; e’en as many as could well live, one by another. This making Christians will raise the price of hogs: if we grow all to be pork-eaters, we shall not shortly have a rasher on the coals for money.
[Enter LORENZO]
JESSICA
I’ll tell my husband, Launcelot, what you say: here he comes.
I’ll tell my husband, Launcelot, what you say: here he comes.
LORENZO
I shall grow jealous of you shortly, Launcelot, if you thus get my wife into corners.
I shall grow jealous of you shortly, Launcelot, if you thus get my wife into corners.
JESSICA
Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo: Launcelot and I are out. He tells me flatly, there is no mercy for me in heaven, because I am a Jew’s daughter: and he says, you are no good member of the commonwealth, for in converting Jews to Christians, you raise the price of pork.
Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo: Launcelot and I are out. He tells me flatly, there is no mercy for me in heaven, because I am a Jew’s daughter: and he says, you are no good member of the commonwealth, for in converting Jews to Christians, you raise the price of pork.
LORENZO
I shall answer that better to the commonwealth than you can the getting up of the negro’s belly: the Moor is with child by you, Launcelot.
I shall answer that better to the commonwealth than you can the getting up of the negro’s belly: the Moor is with child by you, Launcelot.
LAUNCELOT
It is much that the Moor should be more than reason: but if she be less than an honest woman, she is indeed more than I took her for.
It is much that the Moor should be more than reason: but if she be less than an honest woman, she is indeed more than I took her for.
LORENZO
How every fool can play upon the word! I think the best grace of wit will shortly turn into silence, and discourse grow commendable in none only but parrots. Go in, sirrah; bid them prepare for dinner.
How every fool can play upon the word! I think the best grace of wit will shortly turn into silence, and discourse grow commendable in none only but parrots. Go in, sirrah; bid them prepare for dinner.
LAUNCELOT
That is done, sir; they have all stomachs.
That is done, sir; they have all stomachs.
LORENZO
Goodly Lord, what a wit-snapper are you! then bid them prepare dinner.
Goodly Lord, what a wit-snapper are you! then bid them prepare dinner.
LAUNCELOT
That is done too, sir; only ’cover’ is the word.
That is done too, sir; only ’cover’ is the word.
LORENZO
Will you cover then, sir?
Will you cover then, sir?
LAUNCELOT
Not so, sir, neither; I know my duty.
Not so, sir, neither; I know my duty.
LORENZO
Yet more quarrelling with occasion! Wilt thou show the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant? I pray tree, understand a plain man in his plain meaning: go to thy fellows; bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner.
Yet more quarrelling with occasion! Wilt thou show the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant? I pray tree, understand a plain man in his plain meaning: go to thy fellows; bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner.
LAUNCELOT
For the table, sir, it shall be served in; for the meat, sir, it shall be covered; for your coming in to dinner, sir, why, let it be as humours and conceits shall govern.
For the table, sir, it shall be served in; for the meat, sir, it shall be covered; for your coming in to dinner, sir, why, let it be as humours and conceits shall govern.
[Exit]
LORENZO
O dear discretion, how his words are suited!
The fool hath planted in his memory
An army of good words; and I do know
A many fools, that stand in better place,
Garnish’d like him, that for a tricksy word
Defy the matter. How cheerest thou, Jessica?
And now, good sweet, say thy opinion,
How dost thou like the Lord Bassanio’s wife?
O dear discretion, how his words are suited!
The fool hath planted in his memory
An army of good words; and I do know
A many fools, that stand in better place,
Garnish’d like him, that for a tricksy word
Defy the matter. How cheerest thou, Jessica?
And now, good sweet, say thy opinion,
How dost thou like the Lord Bassanio’s wife?
JESSICA
Past all expressing. It is very meet
The Lord Bassanio live an upright life;
For, having such a blessing in his lady,
He finds the joys of heaven here on earth;
And if on earth he do not mean it, then
In reason he should never come to heaven
Why, if two gods should play some heavenly match
And on the wager lay two earthly women,
And Portia one, there must be something else
Pawn’d with the other, for the poor rude world
Hath not her fellow.
Past all expressing. It is very meet
The Lord Bassanio live an upright life;
For, having such a blessing in his lady,
He finds the joys of heaven here on earth;
And if on earth he do not mean it, then
In reason he should never come to heaven
Why, if two gods should play some heavenly match
And on the wager lay two earthly women,
And Portia one, there must be something else
Pawn’d with the other, for the poor rude world
Hath not her fellow.
LORENZO
Even such a husband
Hast thou of me as she is for a wife.
Even such a husband
Hast thou of me as she is for a wife.
JESSICA
Nay, but ask my opinion too of that.
Nay, but ask my opinion too of that.
LORENZO
I will anon: first, let us go to dinner.
I will anon: first, let us go to dinner.
JESSICA
Nay, let me praise you while I have a stomach.
Nay, let me praise you while I have a stomach.
LORENZO
No, pray thee, let it serve for table-talk;
’Then, howso’er thou speak’st, ’mong other things
I shall digest it.
No, pray thee, let it serve for table-talk;
’Then, howso’er thou speak’st, ’mong other things
I shall digest it.
JESSICA
| Well, I’ll set you forth. |
[Exeunt]
