001 Lor. Madam, although I speak it in your presence, You have a noble and a true conceit 003 Of god-like amity; which appears most strongly In bearing thus the absence of your lord. 005 But if you knew to whom you show this honour. 006 How true a gentleman you send relief, How dear a lover of my lord your husband, I know you would be prouder of the work Than customary bounty can enforce you. 010 Por. I never did repent for doing good, 011 Nor shall not now: for in companions That do converse and waste the time together, 013 Whose souls do bear an equal yoke of love, There must be needs a like proportion 015 Of lineaments, of manners and of spirit; Which makes me think that this Antonio, Being the bosom lover of my lord, Must needs be like my lord. If it be so, How little is the cost I have bestow’d 020 In purchasing the semblance of my soul 021 From out the state of hellish misery! This comes too near the praising of myself; 023 Therefore no more of it: hear other things. 024 Lorenzo, I commit into your hands 025 The husbandry and manage of my house Until my lord’s return: for mine own part, 027 I have toward heaven breathed a secret vow To live in prayer and contemplation, Only attended by Nerissa here, 030 Until her husband and my lord’s return: There is a monastery two miles off; 032 And there will we abide. I do desire you Not to deny this imposition; The which my love and some necessity Now lays upon you. Lor. 035 Madam, with all my heart; I shall obey you in all fair commands. Por. My people do already know my mind, And will acknowledge you and Jessica In place of Lord Bassanio and myself. 040 And so farewell, till we shall meet again. Lor. Fair thoughts and happy hours attend on you! Jes. I wish your ladyship all heart’s content. 043 Por. I thank you for your wish, and am well pleased 044 To wish it back on you: fare you well, Jessica. [Exeunt Jessica and Lorenzo. 045 Now, Balthasar, 046 As I have ever found thee honest-true, So let me find thee still. Take this same letter, And use thou all the endeavour of a man 049 In speed to Padua: see thou render this 050 Into my cousin’s hand, Doctor Bellario; And, look, what notes and garments he doth give thee, Bring them, I pray thee, with imagined speed 053 Unto the tranect, to the common ferry 054 Which trades to Venice. Waste no time in words, 055 But get thee gone: I shall be there before thee. Balth. Madam, I go with all convenient speed. [Exit. Por. Come on, Nerissa; I have work in hand That you yet know not of: we’ll see our husbands Before they think of us. Ner. Shall they see us? 060 Por. They shall, Nerissa; but in such a habit, That they shall think we are accomplished 062 With that we lack. I’ll hold thee any wager, 063 When we are both accoutred like young men, I’ll prove the prettier fellow of the two, 065 And wear my dagger with the braver grace, And speak between the change of man and boy With a reed voice, and turn two mincing steps Into a manly stride, and speak of frays Like a fine bragging youth; and tell quaint lies, 070 How honourable ladies sought my love, Which I denying, they fell sick and died; 072 I could not do withal: then I’ll repent, And wish, for all that, that I had not kill’d them; And twenty of these puny lies I’ll tell, 075 That men shall swear I have discontinued school Above a twelvemonth. I have within my mind A thousand raw tricks of these bragging Jacks, Which I will practise. Ner. Why, shall we turn to men? Por. Fie, what a question’s that, 080 If thou wert near a lewd interpreter! 081 But come, I’ll tell thee all my whole device When I am in my coach, which stays for us At the park-gate; and therefore haste away, For we must measure twenty miles to-day. [Exeunt.