ut-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 this day, what should I gain by the
exaction of the forfeiture? A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man,
is not so estimable, nor profitable neither, as the flesh of mutton or
beef. I say, to buy his favour I offer this friendship: if he will take
it, so; if not, adieu.'

At last, against the advice of Bassanio, who, notwithstanding all the
Jew had said of his kind intentions, did not like his friend should run
the hazard of this shocking penalty for his sake, Antonio signed the
bond, thinking it really was (as the Jew said) merely