Scene IV

[Venice]

Enter Gratiano, Lorenzo, Salerio, and Solanio.

LORENZO:

Nay, we will slink away in supper-time,
Disguise us at my lodging, and return,
All in an hour.

LORENZO:

No, we’ll slink away at suppertime,
Disguise ourselves at my house, and return
All in an hour.

GRATIANO:

We have not made good preparation.

GRATIANO:

We haven’t made a good preparation.

SALERIO:

We have not spoke us yet of torchbearers.(5)

SALERIO:

We haven’t spoken about the torchbearers yet.

SOLANIO:

'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered,
And better, in my mind, not undertook.

SOLANIO:

It’s nasty, unless they may be skillfully ordered,
And I think it’s better not to be undertaken.

LORENZO:

'Tis now but four o'clock; we have two hours,
To furnish us.—
Friend Launcelot, what's the news?(10)

LORENZO:

It’s only four o'clock now; we have two hours
To get them.

Friend Launcelot, what's the news?

Enter Launcelot, with a letter.

LAUNCELOT:

An it shall please you to break up this, it shall
seem to signify.

LAUNCELOT:

If you will please break this up, it will
become clear.

LORENZO:

I know the hand: in faith, 'tis a fair hand;
And whiter than the paper it writ on,
Is the fair hand that writ.(15)

LORENZO:

I know the hand; in faith, it’s a beautiful hand,
And the beautiful hand that wrote it
Is whiter than the paper it’s written on.

GRATIANO:

Love-news, in faith.

GRATIANO:

Love news, in faith.

LAUNCELOT:

By your leave, sir.

LAUNCELOT:

Excuse me, sir.

LORENZO:

Whither goest thou?

LORENZO:

Where are you going?

LAUNCELOT:

Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to sup
to-night with my new master the Christian.(20)

LAUNCELOT:

Damn it, sir, to bid my old master, the Jew, to come
to supper tonight with my new master, the Christian.

LORENZO:

Hold here, take this.—Tell gentle Jessica,
I will not fail her.—Speak it privately.
Go. Gentlemen, will you prepare you for this masque
to-night?
I am provided of a torch-bearer.(25)

LORENZO:

Hang on! Here, take this. Tell gentle Jessica that
I will not fail her; speak it in private.
Go, gentlemen,

Will you get yourself ready for this party tonight?
I have a torchbearer.

Exit Clown.

SALERIO:

Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight.

SALERIO:

Yes, damn it, I'll be taking care of it right away.

SOLANIO:

And so will I.

SOLANIO:

And so will I.

LORENZO:

Meet me and Gratiano,
At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence.

LORENZO:

Meet me and Gratiano
At Gratiano's house in about an hour.

SALERIO:

'Tis good we do so.(30)

SALERIO:

Okay.

Exit [Salerio and Solanio]

GRATIANO:

Was not that letter from fair Jessica?

GRATIANO:

Wasn’t that letter from beautiful Jessica?

LORENZO:

I must needs tell thee all. She hath directed
How I shall take her from her father's house;
What gold and jewels she is furnish'd with;
What page's suit she hath in readiness.(35)
If e'er the Jew her father come to heaven,
It will be for his gentle daughter's sake:
And never dare misfortune cross her foot,
Unless she do it under this excuse,—
That she is issue to a faithless Jew.(40)
Come, go with me; peruse this as thou goest:
Fair Jessica shall be my torchbearer.

LORENZO:

I must tell you everything. She has made a plan of
How I shall take her from her father's house;
What gold and jewels she has;
What boy's suit she has ready.
If the Jew her father ever comes to heaven,
It will be for his gentle daughter's sake;
And never should misfortune dare to cross her foot,
Unless she does it under this excuse,
That she is daughter to a faithless Jew.
Come, go with me, read this over as you go;
Beautiful Jessica shall be my torchbearer.

Exit.