SCENE VIII. Venice. A street. The Merchant of Venice  Shakespeare homepage  |  Merchant of Venice  | Act 2, Scene 8 

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 Enter SALARINO and SALANIO  SALARINO  Why, man, I saw Bassanio under sail: 

 With him is Gratiano gone along; 

 And in their ship I am sure Lorenzo is not. 

 SALANIO  The villain Jew with outcries raised the duke, 

 Who went with him to search Bassanio's ship. 

 SALARINO  He came too late, the ship was under sail: 

 But there the duke was given to understand 

 That in a gondola were seen together 

 Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica: 

 Besides, Antonio certified the duke 

 They were not with Bassanio in his ship. 

 SALANIO  I never heard a passion so confused, 

 So strange, outrageous, and so variable, 

 As the dog Jew did utter in the streets: 

 'My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! 

 Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! 

 Justice! the law! my ducats, and my daughter! 

 A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats, 

 Of double ducats, stolen from me by my daughter! 

 And jewels, two stones, two rich and precious stones, 

 Stolen by my daughter! Justice! find the girl; 

 She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats.' 

 SALARINO  Why, all the boys in Venice follow him, 

 Crying, his stones, his daughter, and his ducats. 

 SALANIO  Let good Antonio look he keep his day, 

 Or he shall pay for this. 

 SALARINO  Marry, well remember'd. 

 I reason'd with a Frenchman yesterday, 

 Who told me, in the narrow seas that part 

 The French and English, there miscarried 

 A vessel of our country richly fraught: 

 I thought upon Antonio when he told me; 

 And wish'd in silence that it were not his. 

 SALANIO  You were best to tell Antonio what you hear; 

 Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him. 

 SALARINO  A kinder gentleman treads not the earth. 

 I saw Bassanio and Antonio part: 

 Bassanio told him he would make some speed 

 Of his return: he answer'd, 'Do not so; 

 Slubber not business for my sake, Bassanio 

 But stay the very riping of the time; 

 And for the Jew's bond which he hath of me, 

 Let it not enter in your mind of love: 

 Be merry, and employ your chiefest thoughts 

 To courtship and such fair ostents of love 

 As shall conveniently become you there:' 

 And even there, his eye being big with tears, 

 Turning his face, he put his hand behind him, 

 And with affection wondrous sensible 

 He wrung Bassanio's hand; and so they parted. 

 SALANIO  I think he only loves the world for him. 

 I pray thee, let us go and find him out 

 And quicken his embraced heaviness 

 With some delight or other. 

 SALARINO  Do we so. 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  Merchant of Venice  | Act 2, Scene 8 

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