Page:Merchant of Venice (1923) Yale.djvu/35

The Merchant of Venice, II. ii 

Laun. Certainly my conscience will serve me

to run from this Jew my master. The fiend is

at mine elbow, and tempts me, saying to me,

'Gobbo, Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot,' or

'good Gobbo,' or 'good Launcelot Gobbo, use

your legs, take the start, run away.' My con-

science says, 'No; take heed, honest Launcelot;

take heed, honest Gobbo;' or, as aforesaid, 'honest

Launcelot Gobbo; do not run; scorn running

with thy heels.' Well, the most courageous fiend

bids me pack: Via! says the fiend; 'away!'

says the fiend; 'for the heavens, rouse up a brave

mind,' says the fiend, 'and run.' Well, my con-

science, hanging about the neck of my heart, says

very wisely to me, 'My honest friend Launcelot,

being an honest man's son,'—or rather an honest

woman's son;—for, indeed, my father did some-

thing smack, something grow to, he had a kind

of taste;—well, my conscience says, 'Launcelot,

budge not.' 'Budge,' says the fiend. 'Budge

not,' says my conscience. 'Conscience,' say I,

'you counsel well;' 'fiend,' say I, 'you counsel well:'

to be ruled by my conscience, I should stay with

the Jew my master, who, God bless the mark!

is a kind of devil; and, to run away from the Jew,

I should be ruled by the fiend, who, saving your

reverence, is the devil himself. Certainly, the

 10 with thy heels: indignantly

11 'Via!': Italian, meaning "get-ap"

12 for heavens: for heaven's sake!

18 smack, etc.; cf. n.

20 budge: flinch, give ground

24 God bless the mark; cf. n.

26, 27 saving your reverence: (no offence intended!) 