87
From any dram of mercy.
ANTONIO. I have heard Your Grace hath ta ' en great pains to qualify His rigorous course; but since he stands obdurate, And that no lawful means can carry me Out of his envy ' s reach, I do oppose My patience to his fury, and am arm ' d To suffer with a quietness of spirit The very tyranny and rage of his.
DUKE. Go one, and call the Jew into the court.
SALARINO. He is ready at the door; he comes, my lord.
[ Enter SHYLOCK.]
DUKE. Make room, and let him stand before our face. Shylock, the world thinks, and I think so too, That thou but leadest this fashion of thy malice To the last hour of act; and then, ' tis thought, Thou ' lt show thy mercy and remorse, more strange Than is thy strange apparent cruelty; And where thou now exacts the penalty,-- Which is a pound of this poor merchant ' s flesh,-- Thou wilt not only loose the forfeiture, But, touch ' d with human gentleness and love, Forgive a moiety of the principal, Glancing an eye of pity on his losses, That have of late so huddled on his back, Enow to press a royal merchant down, And pluck commiseration of his state