Page:Merchant of Venice (1923) Yale.djvu/104

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Bass. We should hold day with the Antipodes,

If you would walk in absence of the sun.

Por. Let me give light, but let me not be light;

For a light wife doth make a heavy husband,

And never be Bassanio so for me:

But God sort all! You are welcome home, my lord.

Bass. I thank you, madam. Give welcome to my friend:

This is the man, this is Antonio,

To whom I am so infinitely bound.

Por. You should in all sense be much bound to him,

For, as I hear, he was much bound for you.

Ant. No more than I am well acquitted of.

Por. Sir, you are very welcome to our house:

It must appear in other ways than words,

Therefore I scant this breathing courtesy.

Gra. [To Nerissa.] By yonder moon I swear you do me wrong;

In faith, I gave it to the judge's clerk:

Would he were gelt that had it, for my part,

Since you do take it, love, so much at heart.

Por. A quarrel, ho, already! what's the matter?

Gra. About a hoop of gold, a paltry ring

That she did give me, whose poesy was

For all the world like cutlers' poetry

Upon a knife, 'Love me, and leave me not.'

Ner. What talk you of the posy, or the value?

You swore to me, when I did give it you,

That you would wear it till your hour of death,

 127, 128 Cf. n.

132 sort: dispose

141 breathing courtesy: words of welcome

148 poesy: posy on inside of ring

150 Upon a knife: they put mottoes on knives

151 What: why 