Act II · Scene V
The same. Before SHYLOCK'S house.
Hover a speech to translate it — or press play to hear it performed.
Enter SHYLOCK and LAUNCELOT
SHYLOCK
Well, thou shalt see, thy eyes shall be thy judge,The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio:--What, Jessica!--thou shalt not gormandise,As thou hast done with me:--What, Jessica!--And sleep and snore, and rend apparel out;--Why, Jessica, I say!
LAUNCELOT
Why, Jessica!
SHYLOCK
Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call.
LAUNCELOT
Your worship was wont to tell me thatI could do nothing without bidding.
Enter Jessica
JESSICA
Call you? what is your will?
SHYLOCK
I am bid forth to supper, Jessica:There are my keys. But wherefore should I go?I am not bid for love; they flatter me:But yet I'll go in hate, to feed uponThe prodigal Christian. Jessica, my girl,Look to my house. I am right loath to go:There is some ill a-brewing towards my rest,For I did dream of money-bags to-night.
LAUNCELOT
I beseech you, sir, go: my young master doth expectyour reproach.
SHYLOCK
So do I his.
LAUNCELOT
An they have conspired together, I will not say youshall see a masque; but if you do, then it was notfor nothing that my nose fell a-bleeding onBlack-Monday last at six o'clock i' the morning,falling out that year on Ash-Wednesday was fouryear, in the afternoon.
SHYLOCK
What, are there masques? Hear you me, Jessica:Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drumAnd the vile squealing of the wry-neck'd fife,Clamber not you up to the casements then,Nor thrust your head into the public streetTo gaze on Christian fools with varnish'd faces,But stop my house's ears, I mean my casements:Let not the sound of shallow foppery enterMy sober house. By Jacob's staff, I swear,I have no mind of feasting forth to-night:But I will go. Go you before me, sirrah;Say I will come.
LAUNCELOT
I will go before, sir. Mistress, look out atwindow, for all this, There will come a Christianboy, will be worth a Jewess' eye.
Exit
SHYLOCK
What says that fool of Hagar's offspring, ha?
JESSICA
His words were 'Farewell mistress;' nothing else.
SHYLOCK
The patch is kind enough, but a huge feeder;Snail-slow in profit, and he sleeps by dayMore than the wild-cat: drones hive not with me;Therefore I part with him, and part with himTo one that would have him help to wasteHis borrow'd purse. Well, Jessica, go in;Perhaps I will return immediately:Do as I bid you; shut doors after you:Fast bind, fast find;A proverb never stale in thrifty mind.
Exit
JESSICA
Farewell; and if my fortune be not crost,I have a father, you a daughter, lost.
Exit