Come,
Nerissa. Sirrah, go before.
Whiles we shut the gates
upon one wooer, another knocks at the door.
[Exeunt]
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
ACT I
SCENE III Venice. A public place.
[Enter BASSANIO and SHYLOCK]
SHYLOCK Three thousand ducats; well.
BASSANIO Ay, sir, for three months.
SHYLOCK For three months; well.
BASSANIO For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall be bound.
SHYLOCK Antonio shall become bound; well.
BASSANIO May you stead me? will you pleasure me? shall I
know your answer?
SHYLOCK Three thousand ducats for three months and Antonio bound.
BASSANIO Your answer to that.
SHYLOCK Antonio is a good man.
BASSANIO Have you heard any imputation to the contrary?
SHYLOCK Oh, no, no, no, no: my meaning in saying he is a
good man is to have you understand me that he is
sufficient. Yet his means are in supposition: he
hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the
Indies; I understand moreover, upon the Rialto, he
hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England, and
other ventures he hath, squandered abroad. But ships
are but boards, sailors but men: there be land-rats
and water-rats, water-thieves and land-thieves, I
mean pirates, and then there is the peril of waters,
winds and rocks. The man is, notwithstanding,
sufficient. Three thousand ducats; I think I may
take his bond.
BASSANIO Be assured you may.
SHYLOCK I will be assured I may; and, that I may be assured,
I will bethink me. May I speak with Antonio?
BASSANIO If it please you to dine with us.
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