The Merchant of Venice Act 2 Scene 4
Venice. A street.
The Original
Plain Modern English
Enter Gratiano, Lorenzo, Salarino, and Solanio.
Lorenzo
Nay, we will slink away in supper time,
Disguise us at my lodging, and return
All in an hour.
Lorenzo
No — we'll slip away during supper,
get into costume at my lodgings, and be back
within the hour.
Gratiano
We have not made good preparation.
Gratiano
We haven't prepared this properly.
Salarino
We have not spoke us yet of torchbearers.
Salarino
We haven't even arranged torchbearers yet.
Solanio
'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered,
And better in my mind not undertook.
Solanio
It's a poor show unless it's stylishly done,
and to my mind better not attempted at all.
Lorenzo
'Tis now but four o'clock. We have two hours
To furnish us.
Lorenzo
It's only four o'clock. We've two hours
to get ourselves ready.
Enter Lancelet.
Lorenzo
Friend Lancelet, what's the news?
Lorenzo
Friend Lancelet — what's the news?
Lancelet
An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to signify.
Lancelet
If it pleases you to break this open, it will seem to signify. (handing him Jessica's letter)
Lorenzo
I know the hand; in faith, 'tis a fair hand,
And whiter than the paper it writ on
Is the fair hand that writ.
Lorenzo
I know that handwriting. It's a fair hand indeed —
and whiter than the paper it was written on
is the fair hand that wrote it.
Gratiano
Love news, in faith!
Gratiano
Love letters, I'll bet.
Lancelet
By your leave, sir.
Lancelet
With your permission, sir.
Lorenzo
Whither goest thou?
Lorenzo
Where are you off to?
Lancelet
Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to sup tonight with my new master the Christian.
Lancelet
Why, sir, to invite my old master the Jew to supper tonight with my new master the Christian.
Lorenzo
Hold here, take this. Tell gentle
Jessica
I will not fail her. Speak it privately.
Lorenzo
Wait — take this. (giving him money) Tell gentle
Jessica
I won't let her down. Say it in private.
Lancelet exits.
Lorenzo
Go, gentlemen,
Will you prepare you for this masque tonight?
I am provided of a torchbearer.
Lorenzo
Off you go, gentlemen —
will you get yourselves ready for tonight's masque?
I've a torchbearer arranged.
Salarino
Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight.
Salarino
Yes indeed — I'll see to it right away.
Solanio
And so will I.
Solanio
And so will I.
Lorenzo
Meet me and Gratiano
At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence.
Lorenzo
Meet Gratiano and me
at Gratiano's lodgings in an hour or so.
Salarino
'Tis good we do so.
Salarino
Good — let's do that.
Salarino and Solanio exit.
Gratiano
Was not that letter from fair Jessica?
Gratiano
Wasn't that letter from the lovely Jessica?
Lorenzo
I must needs tell thee all. She hath directed
How I shall take her from her father's house,
What gold and jewels she is furnished with,
What page's suit she hath in readiness.
If e'er the Jew her father come to heaven,
It will be for his gentle daughter's sake;
And never dare misfortune cross her foot
Unless she do it under this excuse,
That she is issue to a faithless Jew.
Come, go with me. Peruse this as thou goest;
Fair Jessica shall be my torchbearer.
Lorenzo
I'll have to tell you everything. She's given me instructions
for how to take her out of her father's house,
what gold and jewels she's supplied with,
and what page's outfit she has ready. (The elopement is also a robbery, and the man eloping with her lists the takings without pausing over it.)
If her father the Jew ever gets to heaven,
it will be for his gentle daughter's sake. (The Gentile pun again — Antonio used it on Shylock in Act 1, and here it lands on Jessica, who is about to convert. The same joke is doing the same work in two different mouths.)
And may misfortune never dare cross her path,
except under this excuse:
that she is the child of a faithless Jew.
Come on, come with me. Read this as you go. (handing him the letter)
Fair Jessica shall be my torchbearer.
They exit.