as she explains to him, the _Prince of Arragon_, and _Bassanio_, the
rules of the game in three simple gestures. They reply, by flourishes,
that they have frequently played it at home, and promise faithfully
not to cheat. The three caskets are brought in and placed on a table;
the _Prince of Morocco_ is the first player, and walks towards them
very slowly, stopping at every ten paces and signalling to _Portia_
that he is all right so far, and that she is not to be at all uneasy
on his account. On coming in sight of the caskets, he pauses and turns
to the audience, as if it had only just occurred to him that the
odds were two to one against him, and he must be careful. Presently
he jerks his right arm above his head and strikes his forehead, to
indicate a happy thought, rushes at the golden casket, opens it, and
slams the lid disgustedly. After which he signals to _Portia_ that
it is not such an amusing game as he thought, and he doesn't mean
to play any more, beckons to his retinue and goes off, throwing his
cloak over his shoulder with a gesture of manly and not unnatural
annoyance. The _Prince of Arragon_ tries the silver casket next, with
similar unsuccess. Then _Bassanio_--with an elaborate pretence of
uncertainty, considering he can hardly have helped witnessing the
proceedings--advances to the caskets, in front of which he performs
a little mental calculation, finally arriving at the conclusion that,
as the portrait is not in the gold and silver boxes, it may not
improbably be in the leaden one. He actually _does_ find it there, and
exhibits it to _Portia_ with extreme astonishment, as if it was quite
the _last_ thing he expected. Then he advances to meet her, comparing
her frequently with the picture, and expressing his approval of it
as a likeness, and his determination to be taken by the same artist.
Mutual satisfaction, interrupted by the arrival of a gondola with
a letter from _Antonio_. To read it and impart its contents and the
entire history of the bond to _Portia_, by a semicircular sweep of the
arm and sounding his chest, takes _Bassanio_ exactly two seconds and
a half, after which he departs in the gondola, and the scene changes
to the Piazzetta, where a variety of exciting events--including the
Trial, a Musical Ballet, and a Call to Arms--take place, culminating
in the embarkation of Venetian soldiers to recapture Chioggia, in
three highly ornamental but slightly unseaworthy barges, as the
Curtain fall