SCENE V
The same. A garden.Enter LAUNCELOT and JESSICA.
Laun.
Yes, truly; for, look you, the sins of
the father are to be laid upon the children:
therefore, I promise ye, I fear you. I was always
plain with you, and so now I speak my
agitation of the matter: therefore be of good
cheer, for truly I think you are damned. There
is but one hope in it that can do you any
good; and that is but a kind of bastard hope
neither.
Jes.
10And what hope is that, I pray thee?
Laun.
Marry, you may partly hope that
your father got you not, that you are not the
Jew's daughter.
Jes.
That were a kind of bastard hope, indeed:
so the sins of my mother should be
visited upon me.
Laun.
Truly then I fear you are damned
both by father and mother: thus when I shun
Scylla, your father, I fall in Charybdis, your
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mother: well, you are gone both ways.
Jes.
I shall be saved by my husband; he
hath made me a Christian.
Laun.
Truly, the more to blame he: we
were Christians enow before; e'en as many as
could well live, one by another. This making
of Christians will raise the price of hogs: if we
grow all to be pork-eaters, we shall not shortly
have a rasher on the coals for money.
Enter LORENZO.
Jes.
I'll tell my husband, Launcelot, what
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you say: here he comes.
Lor.
I shall grow jealous of you shortly,
Launcelot, if you thus get my wife into corners.
Jes.
Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo:
Launcelot and I are out. He tells me flatly,
there is no mercy for me in heaven, because I
am a Jew's daughter: and he says, you are no
good member of the commonwealth, for in
converting Jews to Christians, you raise the
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price of pork.
Lor.
I shall answer that better to the commonwealth
than you can the getting up of the
negro's belly: the Moor is with child by you,
Launcelot.
Laun.
It is much that the Moor should be
more than reason: but if she be less than an
honest woman, she is indeed more than I took
her for.
Lor.
How every fool can play upon the
word! I think the best grace of wit will shortly
turn into silence, and discourse grow commendable
in none only but parrots. Go in,
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sirrah; bid them prepare dinner.
Laun.
That is done, sir; they have all
stomachs.
Lor.
Goodly Lord, what a wit-snapper are
you! then bid them prepare dinner.
Laun.
That is done too, sir; only 'cover' is the word.
Lor.
Will you cover then, sir?
Laun.
Not so, sir, neither; I know my duty.
Lor.
Yet more quarrelling with occasion!
Wilt thou show the whole wealth of thy wit in
an instant? I pray thee, understand a plain
man in his plain meaning: go to thy fellows;
bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and
we will come in to dinner.
Laun.
For the table, sir, it shall be served
in; for the meat, sir, it shall be covered; for
your coming in to dinner, sir, why, let it be as
humors and conceits shall govern. [Exit.
Lor.
70O dear discretion, how his words are suited!
The fool hath planted in his memory
An army of good words; and I do know
A many fools, that stand in better place,
Garnish'd like him, that for a tricksy word
Defy the matter. How cheer'st thou, Jessica?
And now, good sweet, say thy opinion,
How dost thou like the Lord Bassanio's wife?
Jes.
Past all expressing. It is very meet
The Lord Bassanio live an upright life;
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For, having such a blessing in his lady,
He finds the joys of heaven here on earth;
And if on earth he do not mean it, then
In reason he should never come to heaven.
Why, if two gods should play some heavenly match
And on the wager lay two earthly women,
And Portia one, there must be something else
Pawn'd with the other, for the poor rude world
Hath not her fellow.
Lor.
Even such a husband
Hast thou of me as she is for a wife.
Jes.
90Nay, but ask my opinion too of that.
Lor.
I will anon: first, let us go to dinner.
Jes.
Nay, let me praise you while I have a stomach.
Lor.
No, pray thee, let it serve for tabletalk;
Then, howsoe'er thou speak'st, 'mong other things
I shall digest it.
Jes.
Well, I'll set you forth.
[Exeunt.
