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- Act 2 Scene 4
-
- BassanioÆs friends have planned some kind of
- entertainment to amuse the guests at dinner.
- Lancelot gives Lorenzo the letter from Jessica, and
- Lorenzo explains his intentions to the audience.
- 5 spoke as: discussed hiring torchbearers.
- 6 quaintly orderÆd: done with style.
- 9 To furnish us: to get ourselves ready.
- 10 An: if.
- break up this: break the seal on the letter.
- 11 seem to signify: inform you.
- 12 know the hand: recognize the handwriting
- ù but then Lorenzo goes on to talk about ôthe
- hand that writö (wrote) the letter.
- 15 By your leave: with your permission
- (Lancelot asks if he may go).
- 17 sup: dine.
- 23 provided of: supplied with.
- 24 straight: immediately.
- 29 I must needs tell thee all: IÆve just got to
- tell you everything.
- directed: instructed.
- 31 furnished supplied.
- 34 gentle: Lancelot makes a pun with
- ôgentileö (a non-Jewish person).
- 35 foot: path.
- 36 she: i.e. misfortune (personified as
- female).
- under: with.
- 37 she is . . . Jew: Jessica is the offspring of a
- Jew who does not believe in the Christian faith.
- 38 peruse: study.
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