THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

Act 2 Scene 8

(Enter Salerio and Solanio)
l1l	Salerio	 Why, man, I saw Bassanio under sail.
l2l		With him is Graziano gone along,
l3l		And in their ship I am sure Lorenzo is not.
l4l	Solanio	The villain Jew with outcries raised the Duke,
l5l		Who went with him to search Bassanio’s ship.
l6l	Salerio	He came too late. The ship was under sail.
l7l		But there the Duke was given to understand
l8l		That in a gondola were seen together
l9l		Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica.
l10l		Besides, Antonio certified the Duke
l11l		They were not with Bassanio in his ship.
l12l	Solanio	I never heard a passion so confused,
l13l		So strange, outrageous, and so variable
l14l		As the dog Jew did utter in the streets.
l15l		“My daughter! O, my ducats! O, my daughter!
l16l		Fled with a Christian! O, my Christian ducats!
l17l		Justice! The law! My ducats and my daughter!
l18l		A sealèd bag, two sealèd bags of ducats,
l19l		Of double ducats, stol’n from me by my daughter!
l20l		And jewels, two stones, two rich and precious stones,
l21l		Stol’n by my daughter! Justice! Find the girl!
l22l		She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats!”
l23l	Salerio	Why, all the boys in Venice follow him,
l24l		Crying, “His stones, his daughter, and his ducats!”
l25l	Solanio	Let good Antonio look he keep his day,
l26l		Or he shall pay for this.
	Salerio	Marry, well remembered.
l27l		I reasoned with a Frenchman yesterday,
l28l		Who told me in the narrow seas that part
l29l		The French and English there miscarrièd
l30l		A vessel of our country, richly fraught.
l31l		I thought upon Antonio when he told me,
l32l		And wished in silence that it were not his.
l33l	Solanio	You were best to tell Antonio what you hear—
l34l		Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him.
l35l	Salerio	A kinder gentleman treads not the earth.
l36l		I saw Bassanio and Antonio part.
l37l		Bassanio told him he would make some speed
l38l		Of his return. He answered, “Do not so.
l39l		Slubber not business for my sake, Bassanio,
l40l		But stay the very riping of the time#
l41l		And for the Jew’s bond which he hath of me,
l42l		Let it not enter in your mind of love.
l43l		Be merry, and employ your chiefest thoughts
l44l		To courtship and such fair ostents of love
l45l		As shall conveniently become you there.”
l46l		And even there, his eye being big with tears,
l47l		Turning his face, he put his hand behind him
l48l		And, with affection wondrous sensible,
l49l		He wrung Bassanio’s hand# and so they parted.
l50l	Solanio	I think he only loves the world for him.
l51l		I pray thee let us go and find him out,
l52l		And quicken his embracèd heaviness
l53l		With some delight or other.
	Salerio	Do we so.
		(Exeunt)