ibe if I forgive him!" Antonio finding he was musing within himself
and did not answer, and being impatient for the money, said, "Shylock,
do you hear? will you lend the money?" To this question the Jew replied,
"Signior Antonio, on the Rialto many a time and often you have railed at
me about my monies and my usuries, and I have borne it with a patient
shrug, for sufferance is the badge of all our tribe; and then you have
called me unbeliever, cut-throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish garments,
and spurned at me with your foot, as if I was a cur. Well then, it now
appears you need my help; and you come to me, and say, _Shylock, lend me
monies_. Has a dog money? Is it possible a cur should lend three
thousand ducats? Shall I bend low and say, Fair sir, you spit upon me on
Wednesday last, another time you called me dog, and for these courtesies
I am to lend you monies." Antonio replied, "I am as like to call you so
again, to spit on you again, and spurn you too. If you will lend me this
money, lend it not to me as to a friend, but rather lend it to me as to
an enemy, that, if I break, you may with better face exact the
penalty."--"Why, look you," said Shylock, "how you storm! I would be
friends with you, and have your love. I will forget the shames you have
put upon me. I will supply your wants, and take no interest for my
money." This seemingly kind offer greatly surprised Antonio; and then
Shylock, still pretending kindness, and that all he did was to gain
Antonio's love, again said he would lend him the three thousand ducats,
and take no interest for his money; only Antonio should go with him to a
lawyer, and there sign in merry sport a bond, that if he did not repay
the money by a certain day, he would forfeit a pound of flesh, to be cut
off from any part of his body that Shylock pleased.

"Content," said Antonio: "I will sign to this bond, and say there is
much kindness in the Jew."

Bassanio said Antonio should not sign to such a bond for him; but still
Antonio insisted that he would sign it, for that before the day of
payment came, his ships would return laden with many times the value of
the money.

Shylock, hearing this debate, exclaimed, "O, father Abraham, what
suspicious people these Christians are! Their own hard dealings teach
them to suspect the thoughts of others. I pray you tell me this,
Bassanio: if he should break his day, what should I gain by the exaction
of the forfeiture? A pound of man's flesh, tak