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LORENZO。 Well； we will leave you then till dinner…time。 I must be one of
these same dumb wise men； For Gratiano never lets me speak。
GRATIANO。 Well； keep me company but two years moe； Thou shalt not
know the sound of thine own tongue。 ANTONIO。 Fare you well； I'll grow
a talker for this gear。 GRATIANO。 Thanks； i' faith； for silence is only
commendable In a neat's tongue dried； and a maid not vendible。 Exeunt
GRATIANO and LORENZO ANTONIO。 Is that anything now？
BASSANIO。 Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing； more than any
man in all Venice。 His reasons are as two grains of wheat hid in； two
bushels of chaff： you shall seek all day ere you find them； and when you
have them they are not worth the search。 ANTONIO。 Well； tell me now
what lady is the same To whom you swore a secret pilgrimage； That you
to…day promis'd to tell me of？ BASSANIO。 'Tis not unknown to you；
Antonio； How much I have disabled mine estate By something showing a
more swelling port Than my faint means would grant continuance； Nor do
I now make moan to be abridg'd From such a noble rate； but my chief care
Is to come fairly off from the great debts Wherein my time； something too
prodigal； Hath left me gag'd。 To you； Antonio； I owe the most； in money
and in love； And from your love I have a warranty To unburden all my
plots and purposes How to get clear of all the debts I owe。 ANTONIO。 I
pray you； good Bassanio； let me know it； And if it stand； as you yourself
still do； Within the eye of honour； be assur'd My purse； my person； my
extremest means； Lie all unlock'd to your occasions。 BASSANIO。 In my
school…days； when I had lost one shaft； I shot his fellow of the self…same
flight The self…same way； with more advised watch； To find the other forth；
and by adventuring both I oft found both。 I urge this childhood proof；
Because what follows is pure innocence。 I owe you much； and； like a
wilful youth； That which I owe is lost； but if you please To shoot another
arrow that self way Which you did shoot the first； I do not doubt； As I will
watch the aim； or to find both； Or bring your latter hazard back again And
thankfully rest debtor for the first。 ANTONIO。 You know me well； and
herein spend but time To wind about my love with circumstance； And out
of doubt you do me now more wrong In making question of my uttermost
Than if you had made waste of all I have。 Then do but say to me what I
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should do That in your knowledge may by me be done； And I am prest
unto it； therefore； speak。 BASSANIO。 In Belmont is a lady richly left； And
she is fair and； fairer than that word； Of wondrous virtues。 Sometimes
from her eyes I did receive fair speechless messages。 Her name is Portia…
nothing undervalu'd To Cato's daughter； Brutus' Portia。 Nor is the wide
world ignorant of her worth； For the four winds blow in from every coast
Renowned suitors； and her sunny locks Hang on her temples like a golden
fleece； Which makes her seat of Belmont Colchos' strond； And many
Jasons come in quest of her。 O my Antonio； had I but the means To hold a
rival place with one of them； I have a mind presages me such thrift That I
should questionless be fortunate。 ANTONIO。 Thou know'st that all my
fortunes are at sea； Neither have I money nor commodity To raise a
present sum； therefore go forth； Try what my credit can in Venice do； That
shall be rack'd； even to the uttermost； To furnish thee to Belmont to fair
Portia。 Go presently inquire； and so will I； Where money is； and I no
question make To have it of my trust or for my sake。 Exeunt
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SCENE II。 Belmont。 PORTIA'S house
Enter PORTIA with her waiting…woman； NERISSA
PORTIA。 By my troth； Nerissa； my little body is aweary of this great
world。 NERISSA。 You would be； sweet madam； if your miseries were in
the same abundance as your good fortunes are； and yet； for aught I see；
they are as sick that surfeit with too much as they that starve with nothing。
It is no mean happiness； therefore； to be seated in the mean： superfluity
come sooner by white hairs； but competency lives longer。 PORTIA。 Good
sentences； and well pronounc'd。 NERISSA。 They would be better； if well
followed。 PORTIA。 If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do；
chapels had been churches； and poor men's cottages princes' palaces。 It is a
good divine that follows his own instructions； I can easier teach twenty
what were good to be done than to be one of the twenty to follow mine
own teaching。 The brain may devise laws for the blood； but a hot temper
leaps o'er a cold decree； such a hare is madness the youth； to skip o'er the
meshes of good counsel the cripple。 But this reasoning is not in the fashion
to choose me a husband。 O me； the word 'choose'！ I may neither choose
who I would nor refuse who I dislike； so is the will of a living daughter
curb'd by the will of a dead father。 Is it not hard； Nerissa； that I cannot
choose one； nor refuse none？ NERISSA。 Your father was ever virtuous；
and holy men at their death have good inspirations； therefore the lott'ry
that he hath devised in these three chests； of gold； silver； and lead…
whereof who chooses his meaning chooses you… will no doubt never be
chosen by any rightly but one who you shall rightly love。 But what
warmth is there in your affection towards any of these princely suitors that
are already come？ PORTIA。 I pray thee over…name them； and as thou
namest them； I will describe them； and according to my description； level
at my affection。 NERISSA。 First； there is the Neapolitan prince。 PORTIA。
Ay； that's a colt indeed； for he doth nothing but talk of his horse； and he
makes it a great appropriation to his own good parts that he can shoe him
himself； I am much afear'd my lady his mother play'd false with a smith。
NERISSA。 Then is there the County Palatine。 PORTIA。 He doth nothing
but frown； as who should say 'An you will not have me； choose。' He hears
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merry tales and smiles not。 I fear he will prove th