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Act 2, Scene 4

The same. A street

  1. [Enter GRATIANO, LORENZO, SALARINO, and SALANIO.]
  2. Lorenzo
  3. 736 Nay, we will slink away in supper-time,
  4. 737 Disguise us at my lodging, and return
  5. 738 All in an hour.
  6. Gratiano
  7. 739 We have not made good preparation.
  8. Salarino
  9. 740 We have not spoke us yet of torch-bearers.
  10. Salanio
  11. 741 'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly order'd,
  12. 742 And better in my mind not undertook.
  13. Lorenzo
  14. 743 'Tis now but four o'clock; we have two hours
  15. 744 To furnish us.
  16. [Enter LAUNCELOT, With a letter.]
  17. Lorenzo
  18. 745 Friend Launcelot, what's the news?
  19. Launcelot Gobbo
  20. 746 An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem
  21. 747 to signify.
  22. Lorenzo
  23. 748 I know the hand; in faith, 'tis a fair hand,
  24. 749 And whiter than the paper it writ on
  25. 750 Is the fair hand that writ.
  26. Gratiano
  27. 751 Love news, in faith.
  28. Launcelot Gobbo
  29. 752 By your leave, sir.
  30. Lorenzo
  31. 753 Whither goest thou?
  32. Launcelot Gobbo
  33. 754 Marry, sir, to bid my old master, the Jew, to sup
  34. 755 to-night with my new master, the Christian.
  35. Lorenzo
  36. 756 Hold, here, take this. Tell gentle Jessica
  37. 757 I will not fail her; speak it privately.
  38. 758 Go, gentlemen,
  39. [Exit LAUNCELOT]
  40. Lorenzo
  41. 759 Will you prepare you for this masque to-night?
  42. 760 I am provided of a torch-bearer.
  43. Salarino
  44. 761 Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight.
  45. Salanio
  46. 762 And so will I.
  47. Lorenzo
  48. 763 Meet me and Gratiano
  49. 764 At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence.
  50. Salarino
  51. 765 'Tis good we do so.
  52. [Exeunt SALARINO and SALANIO.]
  53. Gratiano
  54. 766 Was not that letter from fair Jessica?
  55. Lorenzo
  56. 767 I must needs tell thee all. She hath directed
  57. 768 How I shall take her from her father's house;
  58. 769 What gold and jewels she is furnish'd with;
  59. 770 What page's suit she hath in readiness.
  60. 771 If e'er the Jew her father come to heaven,
  61. 772 It will be for his gentle daughter's sake;
  62. 773 And never dare misfortune cross her foot,
  63. 774 Unless she do it under this excuse,
  64. 775 That she is issue to a faithless Jew.
  65. 776 Come, go with me, peruse this as thou goest;
  66. 777 Fair Jessica shall be my torch-bearer.
  67. [Exeunt]