The Merchant of Venice Read Online Free PDF Page A

Lancelet’s father
    DUKE of Venice
    Magnificoes of Venice
    A Jailer, Attendants and Servants

Act 4 [Scene 1]
running scene 18
    Location: Venice
    Enter the Duke, the Magnificoes, Antonio, Bassanio and Gratiano
[
with Salerio and others
]
    DUKE    What, is Antonio here?
    ANTONIO    Ready, so please your grace.
    DUKE    I am sorry for thee. Thou art come to answer 3
     A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch
     Uncapable of pity, void and empty
      From 6 any dram of mercy.
    ANTONIO    I have heard
     Your grace hath ta’en great pains to qualify 8
     His rigorous course, but since he stands obdurate 9
     And that no lawful means can carry me
     Out of his envy’s 11 reach, I do oppose
     My patience to his fury, and am armed
     To suffer with a quietness of spirit
     The very tyranny 14 and rage of his.
    DUKE    Go one, and call the Jew into the court.
    SALERIO    He is ready at the door. He comes, my lord.
    Enter Shylock
    DUKE    Make room, and let him stand before our 17 face.
     Shylock, the world thinks, and I think so too,
     That thou but lead’st this fashion 19 of thy malice
     To the last hour of act 20 , and then ’tis thought
     Thou’lt show thy mercy and remorse 21 more strange
     Than is thy strange 22 apparent cruelty;
     And where thou now exact’st the penalty,
     Which is a pound of this poor merchant’s flesh,
     Thou wilt not only loose 25 the forfeiture,
     But, touched with humane gentleness and love,
     Forgive a moiety 27 of the principal,
     Glancing an eye of pity on his losses,
     That have of late so huddled on his back,
     Enow to press a royal merchant 30 down
     And pluck commiseration of his state
     From brassy bosoms 32 and rough hearts of flints,
     From stubborn Turks and Tartars 33 , never trained
     To offices of tender courtesy.
     We all expect a gentle 35 answer, Jew.
    SHYLOCK    I have possessed 36 your grace of what I purpose,
     And by our holy Sabbath have I sworn
     To have the due 38 and forfeit of my bond.
     If you deny it, let the danger 39 light
     Upon your charter 40 and your city’s freedom.
     You’ll ask me why I rather choose to have
     A weight of carrion 42 flesh than to receive
     Three thousand ducats: I’ll not answer that,
     But say it is my humour 44 ; is it answered?
     What if my house be troubled with a rat
     And I be pleased to give ten thousand ducats
     To have it baned 47 ? What, are you answered yet?
     Some men there are love 48 not a gaping pig,
     Some that are mad if they behold a cat,
     And others when the bagpipe sings i’th’nose 50
     Cannot contain their urine, for affection 51 ,
     Mistress of passion, sways it to the mood
     Of what it likes or loathes. Now, for your answer:
     As there is no firm reason to be rendered,
     Why he 55 cannot abide a gaping pig,
      Why he 56 , a harmless necessary cat,
     Why he, a woollen bagpipe, but of force
     Must yield to such inevitable shame
     As to offend, himself being offended.
     So can I give no reason, nor I will not,
     More than a lodged 61 hate and a certain loathing
     I bear Antonio, that I follow 62 thus
     A losing 63 suit against him. Are you answered?
    BASSANIO    This is no answer, thou unfeeling man,
     To excuse the current 65 of thy cruelty.
    SHYLOCK    I am not bound to please thee with my answer.
    BASSANIO    Do all men kill the things they do not love?
    SHYLOCK    Hates any man the thing he would not kill?
    BASSANIO    Every offence is not a hate at first.
    SHYLOCK    What, wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee
       twice?
    ANTONIO