Enter Salarino and Solanio. SALARINO
Why, man, I saw Bassanio under sail;
With him is Gratiano gone along;
And in their ship I am sure Lorenzo is not. SOLANIO
The villain Jew with outcries raised the Duke,
Who went with him to search Bassanio’s ship. 5 SALARINO
He came too late; the ship was under sail.
But there the Duke was given to understand
That in a gondola were seen together
Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica.
Besides, Antonio certified the Duke 10
They were not with Bassanio in his ship. SOLANIO
I never heard a passion so confused,
So strange, outrageous, and so variable
As the dog Jew did utter in the streets.
“My daughter, O my ducats, O my daughter! 15
Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats!
Justice, the law, my ducats, and my daughter,
A sealèd bag, two sealèd bags of ducats,
Of double ducats, stol’n from me by my daughter,
And jewels—two stones, two rich and precious 20
stones—
Stol’n by my daughter! Justice! Find the girl!
She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats.” SALARINO
Why, all the boys in Venice follow him,
Crying “His stones, his daughter, and his ducats.” 25 SOLANIO
Let good Antonio look he keep his day,
Or he shall pay for this. | Salarino and Solanio are gossiping about the latest news: Bassanio's ship has sailed with Gratiano but not Lorenzo. Shylock found his daughter had disappeared and raised the Duke of Venice from his sleep to find her. They didn't locate Jessica, but the Duke did find out that she was last seen with Lorenzo in a gondola filled with love...and a bunch of Shylock's money. Solanio reports that Shylock's reaction was strange. He lamented his lost ducats intermittently with his lost daughter, both stolen by a Christian. This got him mocked by all the boys in Venice, who trailed behind him crying of ducats and daughters. Solanio says Antonio better repay Shylock on time or he'll definitely have to pay the price. Shylock is going to want to take his anger over this out on someone. |
SALARINO Marry, well remembered.
I reasoned with a Frenchman yesterday
Who told me, in the Narrow Seas that part 30
The French and English, there miscarrièd
A vessel of our country richly fraught.
I thought upon Antonio when he told me,
And wished in silence that it were not his. SOLANIO
You were best to tell Antonio what you hear— 35
Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him. SALARINO
A kinder gentleman treads not the Earth.
I saw Bassanio and Antonio part.
Bassanio told him he would make some speed
Of his return. He answered “Do not so. 40
Slubber not business for my sake, Bassanio,
But stay the very riping of the time;
And for the Jew’s bond which he hath of me,
Let it not enter in your mind of love.
Be merry, and employ your chiefest thoughts 45
To courtship and such fair ostents of love
As shall conveniently become you there.”
And even there, his eye being big with tears,
Turning his face, he put his hand behind him,
And with affection wondrous sensible 50
He wrung Bassanio’s hand—and so they parted. SOLANIO
I think he only loves the world for him.
I pray thee, let us go and find him out
And quicken his embracèd heaviness
With some delight or other. 55 SALARINO Do we so. They exit. | Speaking of Antonio, Salarino says he recently got some bad news from a Frenchman, who said an Italian ship was wrecked between France and England. Salarino sure hopes it wasn't one of Antonio's ships. The men reason back and forth over whether they should tell Antonio the potentially disastrous news. Salarino credits Antonio with being one of the nicest guys on the block, and he tells of how he watched Antonio and Bassanio say goodbye when Bassanio left for Belmont. Antonio told Bassanio not to rush or worry about the debt, but to stay as long as he needed to win Portia. And he had a tear in his eye as they shook hands. Aw. They set off to try to cheer Antonio up. |