y, even as he loved her. "But," said Bassanio, "let me choose at
once, for, as I am, I live upon the rack."

Then Portia bade her servants to bring music and play while her gallant
lover made his choice. And Bassanio took the oath and walked up to the
caskets--the musicians playing softly the while. "Mere outward show," he
said, "is to be despised. The world is still deceived with ornament, and
so no gaudy gold or shining silver for me. I choose the lead casket;
joy be the consequence!" And opening it, he found fair Portia's portrait
inside, and he turned to her and asked if it were true that she was his.

"Yes," said Portia, "I am yours, and this house is yours, and with them
I give you this ring, from which you must never part."

And Bassanio, saying that he could hardly speak for joy, found words to
swear that he would never part with the ring while he lived.

Then suddenly all his happiness was dashed with sorrow, for messengers
came from Venice to tell him that Antonio was ruined, and that Shylock
demanded from the Duke the fulfilment of the bond, under which he was
entitled to a pound of the merchant's flesh. Portia was as grieved as
Bassanio to hear of the danger which threatened his friend.

"First," she said, "take me to church and make me your wife, and then
go to Venice at once to help your friend. You shall take with you money
enough to pay his debt twenty times over."

But when her newly-made husband had gone, Portia went after him, and
arrived in Venice disguised as a lawyer, and with an introduction from
a celebrated lawyer Bellario, whom the Duke of Venice had called in
to decide the legal questions raised by Shylock's claim to a pound of
Antonio's flesh. When the Court met, Bassanio offered Shylock twice the
money borrowed, if he would withdraw his claim. But the money-lender's
only answer was--

"If every ducat in six thousand ducats,
Were in six parts, and every part a ducat,
I would not draw them,--I would have my bond."

It was then that Portia arrived in her disguise, and not even her own
husband knew her. The Duke gave her welcome on account of the great
Bellario's introduction, and left the settlement of the case to her.
Then in noble words she bade Shylock have mercy. But he was deaf to her
entreaties. "I will have the pound of flesh," was his reply.

"What have you to say?" asked Portia of the merchant.

"But little," he answered; "I am armed and well prepared."

"The Cou