William Shakespeare - Ultimate Collection: Complete Plays & Poetry in One Volume. William ShakespeareЧитать онлайн книгу.
Pray you, sir, stand up; I am sure you are not Launcelot, my boy.
LAUNCELOT. Pray you, let’s have no more fooling about it, but give me your blessing; I am Launcelot, your boy that was, your son that is, your child that shall be.
GOBBO.
I cannot think you are my son.
LAUNCELOT.
I know not what I shall think of that; but I am Launcelot, the
Jew’s man, and I am sure Margery your wife is my mother.
GOBBO. Her name is Margery, indeed: I’ll be sworn, if thou be Launcelot, thou art mine own flesh and blood. Lord worshipped might he be, what a beard hast thou got! Thou hast got more hair on thy chin than Dobbin my thill-horse has on his tail.
LAUNCELOT.
It should seem, then, that Dobbin’s tail grows backward;
I am sure he had more hair on his tail than I have on my face
when I last saw him.
GOBBO. Lord! how art thou changed! How dost thou and thy master agree? I have brought him a present. How ‘gree you now?
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.
[Enter BASSANIO, with LEONARDO, with 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.
[Exit a SERVANT]
LAUNCELOT.
To him, father.
GOBBO.
God bless your worship!
BASSANIO.
Gramercy; wouldst thou aught with me?
GOBBO.
Here’s 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—
GOBBO.
He hath a great infection, 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—
GOBBO. His master and he, saving your worship’s reverence, are scarce cater-cousins—
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—
GOBBO. I have here a dish of doves that I would bestow upon your worship; and my suit 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.
BASSANIO.
One speak for both. What would you?
LAUNCELOT.
Serve you, sir.
GOBBO.
That is the very defect 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.
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.
BASSANIO.
Thou speak’st it well. Go, father, with thy son.
Take leave of thy old master, and inquire
My lodging out. [To a SERVANT] Give him a livery
More guarded than his fellows’; see it done.
LAUNCELOT. Father, in. I cannot get a service, no! I have ne’er a tongue in my head! [Looking on his palm] 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; a’leven 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 featherbed; 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.
[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 tonight
My best esteem’d acquaintance; hie thee, go.
LEONARDO.
My best endeavours shall be done herein.
[Enter GRATIANO.]
GRATIANO.
Where’s your master?
LEONARDO.
Yonder, sir, he walks.
[Exit.]
GRATIANO.
Signior Bassanio!—
BASSANIO.
Gratiano!
GRATIANO.
I have suit to you.
BASSANIO.
You have obtain’d it.
GRATIANO.
You must not deny me: 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 behaviour
I be misconstrued in the place I go to,
And lose my hopes.
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.
BASSANIO.
Well, we shall see your bearing.