Shakespeare Portal

Act 3, Scene 4

Belmont. A room in PORTIA's house.

  1. [Enter PORTIA, NERISSA, LORENZO, JESSICA, and BALTHASAR.]
  2. Lorenzo
  3. 1621 Madam, although I speak it in your presence,
  4. 1622 You have a noble and a true conceit
  5. 1623 Of godlike amity, which appears most strongly
  6. 1624 In bearing thus the absence of your lord.
  7. 1625 But if you knew to whom you show this honour,
  8. 1626 How true a gentleman you send relief,
  9. 1627 How dear a lover of my lord your husband,
  10. 1628 I know you would be prouder of the work
  11. 1629 Than customary bounty can enforce you.
  12. Portia
  13. 1630 I never did repent for doing good,
  14. 1631 Nor shall not now; for in companions
  15. 1632 That do converse and waste the time together,
  16. 1633 Whose souls do bear an equal yoke of love,
  17. 1634 There must be needs a like proportion
  18. 1635 Of lineaments, of manners, and of spirit,
  19. 1636 Which makes me think that this Antonio,
  20. 1637 Being the bosom lover of my lord,
  21. 1638 Must needs be like my lord. If it be so,
  22. 1639 How little is the cost I have bestowed
  23. 1640 In purchasing the semblance of my soul
  24. 1641 From out the state of hellish cruelty!
  25. 1642 This comes too near the praising of myself;
  26. 1643 Therefore, no more of it; hear other things.
  27. 1644 Lorenzo, I commit into your hands
  28. 1645 The husbandry and manage of my house
  29. 1646 Until my lord's return; for mine own part,
  30. 1647 I have toward heaven breath'd a secret vow
  31. 1648 To live in prayer and contemplation,
  32. 1649 Only attended by Nerissa here,
  33. 1650 Until her husband and my lord's return.
  34. 1651 There is a monastery two miles off,
  35. 1652 And there we will abide. I do desire you
  36. 1653 Not to deny this imposition,
  37. 1654 The which my love and some necessity
  38. 1655 Now lays upon you.
  39. Lorenzo
  40. 1656 Madam, with all my heart
  41. 1657 I shall obey you in an fair commands.
  42. Portia
  43. 1658 My people do already know my mind,
  44. 1659 And will acknowledge you and Jessica
  45. 1660 In place of Lord Bassanio and myself.
  46. 1661 So fare you well till we shall meet again.
  47. Lorenzo
  48. 1662 Fair thoughts and happy hours attend on you!
  49. Jessica
  50. 1663 I wish your ladyship all heart's content.
  51. Portia
  52. 1664 I thank you for your wish, and am well pleas'd
  53. 1665 To wish it back on you. Fare you well, Jessica.
  54. [Exeunt JESSICA and LORENZO.]
  55. Portia
  56. 1666 Now, Balthasar,
  57. 1667 As I have ever found thee honest-true,
  58. 1668 So let me find thee still. Take this same letter,
  59. 1669 And use thou all th' endeavour of a man
  60. 1670 In speed to Padua; see thou render this
  61. 1671 Into my cousin's hands, Doctor Bellario;
  62. 1672 And look what notes and garments he doth give thee,
  63. 1673 Bring them, I pray thee, with imagin'd speed
  64. 1674 Unto the traject, to the common ferry
  65. 1675 Which trades to Venice. Waste no time in words,
  66. 1676 But get thee gone; I shall be there before thee.
  67. Balthasar
  68. 1677 Madam, I go with all convenient speed.
  69. [Exit.]
  70. Portia
  71. 1678 Come on, Nerissa, I have work in hand
  72. 1679 That you yet know not of; we'll see our husbands
  73. 1680 Before they think of us.
  74. Nerissa
  75. 1681 Shall they see us?
  76. Portia
  77. 1682 They shall, Nerissa; but in such a habit
  78. 1683 That they shall think we are accomplished
  79. 1684 With that we lack. I'll hold thee any wager,
  80. 1685 When we are both accoutred like young men,
  81. 1686 I'll prove the prettier fellow of the two,
  82. 1687 And wear my dagger with the braver grace,
  83. 1688 And speak between the change of man and boy
  84. 1689 With a reed voice; and turn two mincing steps
  85. 1690 Into a manly stride; and speak of frays
  86. 1691 Like a fine bragging youth; and tell quaint lies,
  87. 1692 How honourable ladies sought my love,
  88. 1693 Which I denying, they fell sick and died;
  89. 1694 I could not do withal. Then I'll repent,
  90. 1695 And wish for all that, that I had not kill'd them.
  91. 1696 And twenty of these puny lies I'll tell,
  92. 1697 That men shall swear I have discontinu'd school
  93. 1698 About a twelvemonth. I have within my mind
  94. 1699 A thousand raw tricks of these bragging Jacks,
  95. 1700 Which I will practise.
  96. Nerissa
  97. 1701 Why, shall we turn to men?
  98. Portia
  99. 1702 Fie, what a question's that,
  100. 1703 If thou wert near a lewd interpreter!
  101. 1704 But come, I'll tell thee all my whole device
  102. 1705 When I am in my coach, which stays for us
  103. 1706 At the park gate; and therefore haste away,
  104. 1707 For we must measure twenty miles to-day.
  105. [Exeunt.]