LAUNCELOT: "An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to signify."

SOLANIO: "'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered; And better in my mind not undertook."

LORENZO: "I know the hand; in faith, 'tis a fair hand, And whiter than the paper it writ on Is the fair hand that writ."

LAUNCELOT: "Marry, sir, to bid my old master, the Jew, to sup to-night with my new master, the Christian."

GRATIANO: "We have not made good preparation."

LORENZO: "Whither goest thou?"

GRATIANO: "Love-news, in faith!"

SALERIO: "We have not spoke us yet of torch-bearers."

LAUNCELOT: "By your leave, sir."

Enter GRATIANO, LORENZO, SALERIO, and SOLANIO

LORENZO: "Nay, we will slink away in suppertime, Disguise us at my lodging, and return All in an hour."

Enter LAUNCELOT, With a letter

LORENZO: "Friend Launcelot, what's the news?"

LORENZO: "Hold, here, take this. Tell gentle Jessica I will not fail her; speak it privately. Go, gentlemen,"

LORENZO: "'Tis now but four o'clock; we have two hours To furnish us."

Exit LAUNCELOT

SOLANIO: "And so will I."

LORENZO: "Will you prepare you for this masque to-night? I am provided of a torch-bearer."

LORENZO: "Meet me and Gratiano At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence."

Exeunt SALERIO and SOLANIO

SALERIO: "'Tis good we do so."

GRATIANO: "Was not that letter from fair Jessica?"

Exeunt

LORENZO: "I must needs tell thee all. She hath directed How I shall take her from her father's house; What gold and jewels she is furnish'd with; What page's suit she hath in readiness. If e'er the Jew her father come to heaven, It will be for his gentle daughter's sake; And never dare misfortune cross her foot, Unless she do it under this excuse, That she is issue to a faithless Jew. Come, go with me, peruse this as thou goest; Fair Jessica shall be my torch-bearer."

SALERIO: "Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight."