THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. William Shakespeare

Of full three thousand ducats. What of that?

       Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,

       Will furnish me. But soft! how many months

       Do you desire? [To ANTONIO] Rest you fair, good signior;

       Your worship was the last man in our mouths.

       ANTONIO.

       Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow

       By taking nor by giving of excess,

       Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend,

       I’ll break a custom. [To BASSANIO] Is he yet possess’d

       How much ye would?

       SHYLOCK.

       Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

       ANTONIO.

       And for three months.

       SHYLOCK.

       I had forgot; three months; you told me so.

       Well then, your bond; and, let me see. But hear you,

       Methought you said you neither lend nor borrow

       Upon advantage.

       ANTONIO.

       I do never use it.

       SHYLOCK.

       When Jacob graz’d his uncle Laban’s sheep,—

       This Jacob from our holy Abram was,

       As his wise mother wrought in his behalf,

       The third possessor; ay, he was the third,—

       ANTONIO.

       And what of him? Did he take interest?

       SHYLOCK.

       No, not take interest; not, as you would say,

       Directly interest; mark what Jacob did.

       When Laban and himself were compromis’d

       That all the eanlings which were streak’d and pied

       Should fall as Jacob’s hire, the ewes, being rank,

       In end of autumn turned to the rams;

       And when the work of generation was

       Between these woolly breeders in the act,

       The skilful shepherd peel’d me certain wands,

       And, in the doing of the deed of kind,

       He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes,

       Who, then conceiving, did in eaning time

       Fall particolour’d lambs, and those were Jacob’s.

       This was a way to thrive, and he was blest;

       And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not.

       ANTONIO.

       This was a venture, sir, that Jacob serv’d for;

       A thing not in his power to bring to pass,

       But sway’d and fashion’d by the hand of heaven.

       Was this inserted to make interest good?

       Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams?

       SHYLOCK.

       I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast.

       But note me, signior.

       ANTONIO.

       Mark you this, Bassanio,

       The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.

       An evil soul producing holy witness

       Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,

       A goodly apple rotten at the heart.

       O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!

       SHYLOCK.

       Three thousand ducats; ‘tis a good round sum.

       Three months from twelve; then let me see the rate.

       ANTONIO.

       Well, Shylock, shall we be beholding to you?

       SHYLOCK.

       Signior Antonio, many a time and oft

       In the Rialto you have rated me

       About my moneys and my usances;

       Still have I borne it with a patient shrug,

       For suff’rance is the badge of all our tribe;

       You call me misbeliever, cutthroat dog,

       And spet upon my Jewish gaberdine,

       And all for use of that which is mine own.

       Well then, it now appears you need my help;

       Go to, then; you come to me, and you say

       ‘Shylock, we would have moneys.’ You say so:

       You that did void your rheum upon my beard,

       And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur

       Over your threshold; moneys is your suit.

       What should I say to you? Should I not say

       ‘Hath a dog money? Is it possible

       A cur can lend three thousand ducats?’ Or

       Shall I bend low and, in a bondman’s key,

       With bated breath and whisp’ring humbleness,

       Say this:—

       ‘Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last;

       You spurn’d me such a day; another time

       You call’d me dog; and for these courtesies

       I’ll lend you thus much moneys?’

       ANTONIO.

       I am as like to call thee so again,

       To spet on thee again, to spurn thee too.

       If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not

       As to thy friends,—for when did friendship take

       A breed for barren metal of his friend?—

       But lend it rather to thine enemy;

       Who if he break thou mayst with better face

       Exact the penalty.

       SHYLOCK.

       Why, look you, how you storm!

       I would be friends with you, and have your love,

       Forget the shames that you have stain’d me with,

       Supply your present wants, and take no doit

       Of usance for my moneys, and you’ll not hear me:

       This is kind I offer.

       BASSANIO.

       This were kindness.

       SHYLOCK.

       This kindness will I show.

       Go with me to a notary, seal me there

       Your single bond; and, in a merry sport,

       If you repay me not on such a day,

       In such a place, such sum or sums as are

       Express’d in the condition, let the forfeit

       Be nominated for an equal pound

       Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken

       In what part of your body pleaseth me.

       ANTONIO.

       Content, in faith; I’ll seal to such a bond,

       And say there is much kindness in the Jew.

       BASSANIO.

       You shall not seal to such a bond for me;

       I’ll rather dwell in my necessity.

       ANTONIO.

       Why, fear not, man; I will not forfeit it;