Act 4 — [Scene I.][548]

Bar. There is no music to[549] a Christian’s knell: How sweet the bells ring now the nuns are dead, That sound at other times like tinker’s pans! I was afraid the poison had not wrought; Or, though it wrought, it would have done no good,5 For every year they swell, and yet they live; Now all are dead, not one remains alive. Itha. That’s brave, master, but think you it will not be known? Bar. How can it, if we two be secret?10 Itha. For my part fear you not. Bar. I’d cut thy throat if I did. Itha. And reason too. But here’s a royal monastery hard by; Good master, let me poison all the monks.15 Bar. Thou shalt not need, for now the nuns are dead They’ll die with grief. Itha. Do you not sorrow for your daughter’s death? Bar. No, but I grieve because she liv’d so long. An Hebrew born, and would become a Christian!20 Cazzo,[550] diabolo.

Itha. Look, look, master, here come two religious caterpillars. Bar. I smelt ’em ere they came.24 Itha. God-a-mercy, nose! Come, let’s begone. F. Barn. Stay, wicked Jew, repent, I say, and stay. F. Jac. Thou hast offended, therefore must be damn’d. Bar. I fear they know we sent the poison’d broth. Itha. And so do I, master; therefore speak ’em fair. F. Barn. Barabas, thou hast——30 F. Jac. Ay, that thou hast—— Bar. True, I have money, what though I have? F. Barn. Thou art a—— F. Jac. Ay, that thou art, a—— Bar. What needs all this? I know I am a Jew. F. Barn. Thy daughter——36 F. Jac. Ay, thy daughter—— Bar. O speak not of her! then I die with grief. F. Barn. Remember that—— F. Jac. Ay, remember that——40 Bar. I must needs say that I have been a great usurer. F. Barn. Thou hast committed—— Bar. Fornification—but that was in another country; and besides, the wench is dead. F. Barn. Ay, but, Barabas,45 Remember Mathias and Don Lodowick. Bar. Why, what of them? F. Barn. I will not say that by a forg’d challenge they met. Bar. [Aside.] She has confest, and we are both undone,— My bosom inmates!——but I must dissemble.— Aside. O holy friars, the burden of my sins51 Lie heavy on my soul; then pray you tell me, Is’t not too late now to turn Christian? I have been zealous in the Jewish faith, Hard-hearted to the poor, a covetous wretch,55 That would for lucre’s sake have sold my soul. A hundred for a hundred I have ta’en; And now for store of wealth may I compare With all the Jews of Malta; but what is wealth? I am a Jew, and therefore am I lost.60 Would penance serve [to atone][551] for this my sin, I could afford to whip myself to death—— Itha. And so could I; but penance will not serve. Bar. To fast, to pray, and wear a shirt of hair, And on my knees creep to Jerusalem.65 Cellars of wine, and sollars[552] full of wheat, Warehouses stuff’d with spices and with drugs, Whole chests of gold, in bullion, and in coin, Besides I know not how much weight in pearl, Orient and round, have I within my house;70 At Alexandria, merchandise unsold: But yesterday two ships went from this town, Their voyage will be worth ten thousand crowns. In Florence, Venice, Antwerp, London, Seville, Frankfort, Lubeck, Moscow, and where not,75 Have I debts owing; and in most of these, Great sums of money lying in the banco; All this I’ll give to some religious house So I may be baptiz’d, and live therein. F. Jac. O good Barabas, come to our house. F. Barn. O no, good Barabas, come to our house;81 And, Barabas, you know—— Bar. I know that I have highly sinn’d. You shall convert me, you shall have all my wealth. F. Jac. O Barabas, their laws are strict.85 Bar. I know they are, and I will be with you. F. Barn. They wear no shirts, and they go barefoot too. Bar. Then ’t is not for me; and I am resolv’d You shall confess me, and have all my goods. F. Jac. Good Barabas, come to me.90 Bar. You see I answer him, and yet he stays; Rid him away, and go you home with me. F. Jac. I’ll be with you to-night. Bar. Come to my house at one o’clock this night. F. Jac. You hear your answer, and you may be gone.95 F. Barn. Why, go, get you away. F. Jac. I will not go for thee. F. Barn. Not! then I’ll make thee, [rogue].[553] F. Jac. How, dost call me rogue? They fight. Itha. Part ’em, master, part ’em.100 [Bar.] This is mere frailty, brethren; be content. Friar Barnardine, go you with Ithamore: You know my mind, let me alone with him. [Aside to F. Barnardine.] F. Jac. Why does he go to thy house? Let him be gone. Bar. I’ll give him something and so stop his mouth.105 Exit [Ithamore with Friar Barnardine] I never heard of any man but he Malign’d the order of the Jacobins: But do you think that I believe his words? Why, brother, you converted Abigail; And I am bound in charity to requite it,110 And so I will. O Jacomo, fail not, but come. F. Jac. But, Barabas, who shall be your godfathers? For presently you shall be shriv’d. Bar. Marry, the Turk[554] shall be one of my godfathers, But not a word to any of your covent.[555]115 F. Jac. I warrant thee, Barabas. Exit. Bar. So, now the fear is past, and I am safe, For he that shriv’d her is within my house; What if I murder’d him ere Jacomo comes? Now I have such a plot for both their lives120 As never Jew nor Christian knew the like: One turn’d my daughter, therefore he shall die; The other knows enough to have my life, Therefore ’tis not requisite he should live. But are not both these wise men to suppose125 That I will leave my house, my goods, and all, To fast and be well whipt? I’ll none of that. Now, Friar Barnardine, I come to you, I’ll feast you, lodge you, give you fair words, And after that, I and my trusty Turk—130 No more, but so: it must and shall be done. [Exit.]