The Merchant of Venice | Page 45

45 out that year on Ash-Wednesday was four year in the afternoon.
SHYLOCK. What! are there masques? Hear you me, Jessica: Lock up my doors, and when you hear the drum, And the vile squealing of the wry-neck ' d fife, Clamber not you up to the casements then, Nor thrust your head into the public street To gaze on Christian fools with varnish ' d faces; But stop my house ' s ears- I mean my casements; Let not the sound of shallow fopp ' ry enter My sober house. By Jacob ' s staff, I swear I have no mind of feasting forth to-night; But I will go. Go you before me, sirrah; Say I will come.
LAUNCELOT. I will go before, sir. Mistress, look out at window for all this;
There will come a Christian by Will be worth a Jewess ' eye.
[ Exit LAUNCELOT.]
SHYLOCK. What says that fool of Hagar ' s offspring, ha?
JESSICA. His words were ' Farewell, mistress '; nothing else.
SHYLOCK. The patch is kind enough, but a huge feeder; Snail-slow in profit, and he sleeps by day More than the wild-cat; drones hive not with me, Therefore I part with him; and part with him To one that I would have him help to waste