The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (457 page)

'gree you now?

God, how you have changed! How do you and your

master get along? I’ve brought him a present. How

are you these days?

LAUNCELOT

Well, well: but, for mine own part, as I have set

up my rest to run away, so I will not rest till I

have run some ground. My master's a very Jew: give

him a present! give him a halter: I am famished in

his service; you may tell every finger I have with

my ribs. Father, I am glad you are come: give me

your present to one Master Bassanio, who, indeed,

gives rare new liveries: if I serve not him, I

will run as far as God has any ground. O rare

fortune! here comes the man: to him, father; for I

am a Jew, if I serve the Jew any longer.

Well, to be honest, as far as I go, I have made

up my mind to run away, and I will not rest until I

have gained some ground. My master is a Jew. Give

him a present! You should give him a noose. I am starving in

his service. You can feel every single one of

my ribs. Father, I am glad you have come. Give me

your present and I will give it to Master Bassanio, who does

sometimes give new uniforms. If I can’t serve him, I

will run as far as God has put ground. Oh, what

luck! Here come the man. Let’s go talk to him, father. I will

be a Jew if I serve a Jew any longer.

Enter BASSANIO, with LEONARDO and other followers

BASSANIO

You may do so; but let it be so hasted that supper

be ready at the farthest by five of the clock. See

these letters delivered; put the liveries to making,

and desire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging.

Okay, go on. But make sure to do things quickly so that supper

is ready no later than five o’clock. Make sure

these letters are delivered, and get the uniforms ready,

and ask Gratiano to come soon to my home.

Exit a Servant

LAUNCELOT

To him, father.

Go to him, father.

GOBBO

God bless your worship!

God bless your, sir!

BASSANIO

Gramercy! wouldst thou aught with me?

Thank you! What do you want with me?

GOBBO

Here's my son, sir, a poor boy,--

This is my son, sir, a poor boy—

LAUNCELOT

Not a poor boy, sir, but the rich Jew's man; that

would, sir, as my father shall specify—

Not a poor boy, sir, but the rich Jew’s servant, who

would, son, as my father will explain—

GOBBO

He hath a great infection, sir, as one would say, to serve—

He very much wants, sir, as one would say, to serve—

LAUNCELOT

Indeed, the short and the long is, I serve the Jew,

and have a desire, as my father shall specify—

Yes, the short and long of it is that I serve the Jew,

and I have a desire, as my father will explain—

GOBBO

His master and he, saving your worship's reverence,

are scarce cater-cousins—

His master and he are, with all respect to you,

are hardly good friends—

LAUNCELOT

To be brief, the very truth is that the Jew, having

done me wrong, doth cause me, as my father, being, I

hope, an old man, shall frutify unto you—

To be brief, the truth is that the Jew, having

done me wrong, have caused me, and my father, being, I

hope, an old man, will certify for you—

GOBBO

I have here a dish of doves that I would bestow upon

your worship, and my suit is—

I have here a dish of doves that I will give to you,

sir, and my request is—

LAUNCELOT

In very brief, the suit is impertinent to myself, as

your worship shall know by this honest old man; and,

though I say it, though old man, yet poor man, my father.

In brief, the request is beside the point, as

you, sir, will know by this honest old man, and

though I say it, though old, yet poor, my father.

BASSANIO

One speak for both. What would you?

Just one of you speak. What do you want?

LAUNCELOT

Serve you, sir.

I want to work for you, sir.

GOBBO

That is the very defect of the matter, sir.

That is the heart of the matter, sir.

BASSANIO

I know thee well; thou hast obtain'd thy suit:

Shylock thy master spoke with me this day,

And hath preferr'd thee, if it be preferment

To leave a rich Jew's service, to become

The follower of so poor a gentleman.

I know who you are. You can have whatever you ask.

Your master Shylock spoke with me today

And he has recommended you, if you prefer

To leave a rich Jew’s service to become

The servant of a poor gentlelman like me.

LAUNCELOT

The old proverb is very well parted between my

master Shylock and you, sir: you have the grace of

God, sir, and he hath enough.

A familiar old proverb is well split between my

master Shylock and you, sir. You have the grace of

God, and he has enough.

BASSANIO

Thou speak'st it well. Go, father, with thy son.

Take leave of thy old master and inquire

My lodging out. Give him a livery

More guarded than his fellows': see it done.

Very well said. Go father, with your son

And take leave of your old master and find

Your way to my house. Give him a uniform

More tricked out than the others. See that it’s done.

LAUNCELOT

Father, in. I cannot get a service, no; I have

ne'er a tongue in my head. Well, if any man in

Italy have a fairer table which doth offer to swear

upon a book, I shall have good fortune. Go to,

here's a simple line of life: here's a small trifle

of wives: alas, fifteen wives is nothing! eleven

widows and nine maids is a simple coming-in for one

man: and then to 'scape drowning thrice, and to be

in peril of my life with the edge of a feather-bed;

here are simple scapes. Well, if Fortune be a

woman, she's a good wench for this gear. Father,

come; I'll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling of an eye.

Father, go ahead. I can’t get employment, no. I am not

able to talk my way into it. But I doubt any man in

Italy has a better palm than I have to swear upon

a Bible, and I will have good luck. Look here,

here’s a simple line of my life, here’s a small amount

of wives: I’m sorry, fifteen wives is nothing! Eleven

widows and nine maids is a simple yield for one

man: and to escape drowning twice, and to have

my life in danger because I am found in the wrong bed—

these are simple escapes. Well, if Fortune is a

woman, she’s a good girl to give me this stuff. Father,

come, I’ll leave my Jew in the blink of an eye.

Exeunt Launcelot and Old Gobbo

BASSANIO

I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this:

These things being bought and orderly bestow'd,

Return in haste, for I do feast to-night

My best-esteem'd acquaintance: hie thee, go.

Please, good Leonardo, think about this:

These are the things to be bought and stored away.

Hurry back, I’m having dinner tonight

with someone very important. Hurry up, go.

LEONARDO

My best endeavours shall be done herein.

I’ll do my best with this.

Enter GRATIANO

GRATIANO

Where is your master?

Where is your master?

LEONARDO

Yonder, sir, he walks.

He’s walking over there.

Exit

GRATIANO

Signior Bassanio!

Signior Bassanio!

BASSANIO

Gratiano!

Gratiano!

GRATIANO

I have a suit to you.

I have a favor to ask you.

BASSANIO

You have obtain'd it.

It’s yours.

GRATIANO

You must not deny me: I must go with you to Belmont.

You must not say no. I must go with you to Belmont.

BASSANIO

Why then you must. But hear thee, Gratiano;

Thou art too wild, too rude and bold of voice;

Parts that become thee happily enough

And in such eyes as ours appear not faults;

But where thou art not known, why, there they show

Something too liberal. Pray thee, take pain

To allay with some cold drops of modesty

Thy skipping spirit, lest through thy wild behavior

I be misconstrued in the place I go to,

And lose my hopes.

Well, then you must come. But listen to me, Gratiano.

Sometimes you are wild—too rude and loud.

These things look good on you

And do not appear to be faults in my eyes.

But where people do not know you, well, those things might see,

a bit too unrestrained. So, please, take care

To lessen that a bit and add some modesty

To your bositerous spirit, to make sure your wild behavior

does not reflect badly on me in Belmont

and cause me to lose hope of winning Portia.

GRATIANO

Signior Bassanio, hear me:

If I do not put on a sober habit,

Talk with respect and swear but now and then,

Wear prayer-books in my pocket, look demurely,

Nay more, while grace is saying, hood mine eyes

Thus with my hat, and sigh and say 'amen,'

Use all the observance of civility,

Like one well studied in a sad ostent

To please his grandam, never trust me more.

Listen to me, Signior Bassanio:

If I do not act sober and serious,

And talk with respect and only swear occasionally,

Carry a prayer book with me and appear gentle,

Even more—if while grace is being said I and I do not cover my eyes

With the brim of my hat and quietly say ‘amen,’

And act civil and polite at all times,

Like someone deliberately putting on a serious display of manners

To please his grandmother, then never trust me again.

BASSANIO

Well, we shall see your bearing.

Well, we’ll see how you are.

GRATIANO

Nay, but I bar to-night: you shall not gauge me