Page:Merchant of Venice (1923) Yale.djvu/93

The Merchant of Venice, IV. i

Por.Thyself shalt see the act;

For, as thou urgest justice, be assur'd

Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desir'st.

Gra. O learned judge! Mark, Jew: a learned judge!

Shy. I take this offer then: pay the bond thrice,

And let the Christian go.

Bass.Here is the money.

Por. Soft!

The Jew shall have all justice; soft! no haste:—

He shall have nothing but the penalty.

Gra. O Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge!

Por. Therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh.

Shed thou no blood; nor cut thou less, nor more,

But just a pound of flesh: if thou tak'st more,

Or less, than a just pound, be it but so much

As makes it light or heavy in the substance,

Or the division of the twentieth part

Of one poor scruple, nay, if the scale do turn

But in the estimation of a hair,

Thou diest and all thy goods are confiscate.

Gra. A second Daniel, a Daniel, Jew!

Now, infidel, I have thee on the hip.

Por. Why doth the Jew pause? take thy forfeiture.

Shy. Give me my principal, and let me go.

Bass. I have it ready for thee; here it is.

Por. He hath refus'd it in the open court:

He shall have merely justice, and his bond.

Gra. A Daniel, still say I; a second Daniel!

I thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word.

Shy. Shall I not have barely my principal?

Por. Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture,

To be so taken at thy peril, Jew.

 328 just: precise

329 substance: amount

331 scruple: one-third of a dram, twenty grains

332 estimation: calculation 