Page:Merchant of Venice (1923) Yale.djvu/69

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The Merchant of Venice, III. ii
55

This house, these servants, and this same myself
Are yours, my lord. I give them with this ring; 172
Which when you part from, lose, or give away,
Let it presage the ruin of your love,
And be my vantage to exclaim on you.

Bass. Madam, you have bereft me of all words, 176
Only my blood speaks to you in my veins;
And there is such confusion in my powers,
As, after some oration fairly spoke
By a beloved prince, there doth appear 180
Among the buzzing pleased multitude;
Where every something, being blent together,
Turns to a wild of nothing, save of joy,
Express'd and not express'd. But when this ring 184
Parts from this finger, then parts life from hence:
O! then be bold to say Bassanio's dead.

Ner. My lord and lady, it is now our time,
That have stood by and seen our wishes prosper, 188
To cry, good joy. Good joy, my lord and lady!

Gra. My Lord Bassanio and my gentle lady,
I wish you all the joy that you can wish;
For I am sure you can wish none from me: 192
And when your honours mean to solemnize
The bargain of your faith, I do beseech you,
Even at that time I may be married too.

Bass. With all my heart, so thou canst get a wife.

Gra. I thank your lordship, you have got me one. 197
My eyes, my lord, can look as swift as yours:
You saw the mistress, I beheld the maid;
You lov'd, I lov'd; for intermission 200
No more pertains to me, my lord, than you.
Your fortune stood upon the caskets there,

175 vantage: opportunity, occasion
177 Only: an adjective, my blood only
192 from me: at my expense
200 intermission; cf. n.