ACT 3
[Enter LAUNCELOT and JESSICA]
LAUNCELOT
Yes, truly; for, look you, the sins of the father
Yes, it’s true; for listen, a father’s sins
are to be laid upon the children: therefore, I
pass on to their children. And so, I
promise ye, I fear you. I was always plain with
promise you, I worry for you. I’ve always been plain-talking with
you, and so now I speak my agitation of the matter:
you, and so now I have to tell you my concerns about this:
therefore be of good cheer, for truly I think you
and so, stay cheerful, because I truly think you
are damned. There is but one hope in it that can do
are damned. There is just one hope that can do
you any good; and that is but a kind of bastard
you any good, but that is a kind of illegitimate
hope neither.
hope as well.
JESSICA
And what hope is that, I pray thee?
And what hope is that?
LAUNCELOT
Marry, you may partly hope that your father got you
Well, you could hope that you are not your father’s
not, that you are not the Jew's daughter.
child, that you are not the Jew’s daughter.
JESSICA
That were a kind of bastard hope, indeed: so the
That is an illegitimate hope indeed. So then
sins of my mother should be visited upon me.
I will possess my mother’s sins.
LAUNCELOT
Truly then I fear you are damned both by father and
Well then I fear you are damned by both your father and
mother: thus when I shun Scylla, your father, I
mother; so if you’re not the sea-monster Scylla, your father,
fall into Charybdis, your mother: well, you are
you’ll fall into the whirlpool Charybdis, your mother. Either way,
gone both ways.
you’ve had it.
JESSICA
I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me a
I will be saved by my husband. He has made me a
Christian.
Christian.
LAUNCELOT
Truly, the more to blame he: we were Christians
Then he is even more to blame. There were more than
enow before; e'en as many as could well live, one by
enough Christians before, as many as could live well side
another. This making Christians will raise the
by side. By making another Christian, the price of pork will
price of hogs: if we grow all to be pork-eaters, we
rise, for as Jews don’t eat pork, this makes one more pork-eater,
shall not shortly have a rasher on the coals for money.
and soon we won’t be able to afford a rasher of bacon.
[Enter LORENZO]
JESSICA
I'll tell my husband, Launcelot, what you say: here he comes.
I’ll tell my husband Launcelot, what you’ve said. Here he comes.
LORENZO
I shall grow jealous of you shortly, Launcelot, if
I’ll become jealous of you soon Launcelot, if
you thus get my wife into corners.
you keep cornering my wife.
JESSICA
Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo: Launcelot and I
No, you’ve no need to worry, Lorenzo. Launcelot and I have
are out. He tells me flatly, there is no mercy for
fallen out. He’s flatly told me there is no forgiveness for
me in heaven, because I am a Jew's daughter: and he
me in heaven because I am a Jew’s daughter. And he
says, you are no good member of the commonwealth,
says that you are not a good member of this country
for in converting Jews to Christians, you raise the
because you are converting Jews to Christians, thereby raising
price of pork.
the price of pork.
LORENZO
I shall answer that better to the commonwealth than
I can give a better answer to that than
you can the getting up of the negro's belly: the
you can to getting that African pregnant: the
Moor is with child by you, Launcelot.
Moorish woman has had your child, Launcelot.
LAUNCELOT
It is much that the Moor should be more than reason:
It’s too much to think the Moor is being reasonable;
but if she be less than an honest woman, she is
but if she is not quite an honest woman, that makes her
indeed more than I took her for.
more honest than I thought she was.
LORENZO
How every fool can play upon the word! I think the
Any fool can play with words! I think
best grace of wit will shortly turn into silence,
the best form of humour is when one keeps quiet,
and discourse grow commendable in none only but
and such discussion is only commendable when spoken by
parrots. Go in, sirrah; bid them prepare for dinner.
parrots. Go inside, sir; tell them to prepare for dinner.
LAUNCELOT
That is done, sir; they have all stomachs.
It’s already done, sir; they all are hungry.
LORENZO
Goodly Lord, what a wit-snapper are you! Then bid
My goodness, you are so quick-witted! Then tell
them prepare dinner.
them to prepare dinner.
LAUNCELOT
That is done too, sir; only 'cover' is the word.
That is done too, sir; they just need to lay the table now.
LORENZO
Will you cover then, sir?
Will you lay the table, sir?
LAUNCELOT
Not so, sir, neither; I know my duty.
No sir, I won’t; I know my obligations.
LORENZO
Yet more quarrelling with occasion! Wilt thou show
Yet more quibbling about the goings-on! Will you demonstrate
the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant? I pray
all of your wit in a single moment? No, please,
thee, understand a plain man in his plain meaning:
simply understand the simpleness of what I’m simply saying:
go to thy fellows; bid them cover the table, serve
go to your colleagues; tell them to lay the table, serve
in the meat, and we will come in to dinner.
the meat, and we will come in for dinner.
LAUNCELOT
For the table, sir, it shall be served in; for the
For the table, sir, we’ll serve upon it; for the
meat, sir, it shall be covered; for your coming in
meat, sir, it shall be covered; and when you arrive
to dinner, sir, why, let it be as humours and
to dinner, sir, well, that is entirely up to how you feel
conceits shall govern.
and your wishes.
[Exit]
LORENZO
O dear discretion, how his words are suited!
Oh dear, he has a way to twist his words!
The fool hath planted in his memory
That clown has stored within his memory
An army of good words; and I do know
A host of useful words, and I do know
A many fools, that stand in better place,
Of many fools, of higher rank than him,
Garnished like him, that for a tricksy word
Well versed as him, that twist a word’s intent
Defy the matter. How cheerest thou, Jessica?
To change the topic. How you doing, Jessica?
And now, good sweet, say thy opinion,
And now, my sweet, tell me of your opinion
How dost thou like the Lord Bassanio's wife?
About your thoughts of Lord Bassanio’s wife.
JESSICA
Past all expressing. It is very meet
I like her more than I can say. It’s right
The Lord Bassanio live an upright life;
That Lord Bassanio lives a decent life;
For, having such a blessing in his lady,
Because, as he’s been blessed to have this lady,
He finds the joys of heaven here on earth;
He’s found the joys of heaven here on earth.
And if on earth he do not mean it, then
And if on earth he doesn’t love this woman,
In reason he should never come to heaven.
It’s reasonable he’ll never get to heaven.
Why, if two gods should play some heavenly match
Well, if two gods might make a heavenly bet
And on the wager lay two earthly women,
And both put on the earth two earthly women
And Portia one, there must be something else
Where one was Portia, something else would have
Pawned with the other, for the poor rude world
To be submitted with the other for
Hath not her fellow.
She has no equal.
LORENZO
Even such a husband
I’m as good a husband
Hast thou of me as she is for a wife.
To you as she’s a good wife to her man.
JESSICA
Nay, but ask my opinion too of that.
Well, no, but ask me what I think about that.
LORENZO
I will anon: first, let us go to dinner.
I’ll do that soon; but first, let’s go to dinner.
JESSICA
Nay, let me praise you while I have a stomach.
No, let me share my praise whilst I’m still hungry.
LORENZO
No, pray thee, let it serve for table-talk;
No, please, let us discuss it over dinner.
Then, howso'er thou speak'st, 'mong other things
Then, whatever you say, amongst all else,
I shall digest it.
I’ll take onboard.
JESSICA
Well, I'll set you forth.
Well, then I’ll serve you well.
[Exeunt]
