off from any part of his body that Shylock pleased.

"Content," said Antonio; "I will sign to this bond and say there is
much kindness in the Jew."

Bassanio said Antonio should not sign to such a bond for him; but
still Antonio insisted that he would sign it, for that before the day
of payment came, his ships would return laden with many times the
value of the money.

Shylock, hearing this debate, exclaimed, "O father Abraham, what
suspicious people these Christians are. Their own hard dealings teach
them to suspect the thoughts of others. I pray you tell me this,
Bassanio: if he should break this day, what should I gain by the
exaction of this forfeiture? A pound of man's flesh taken from a man
is not so estimable, nor profitable neither, as the flesh of mutton or
of beef. I say, to buy his favor, I offer this friendship: if he will
take it, so; if not, adieu."

At last, against the advice of Bassanio, who, notwithstanding all the
Jew had said of his kind intention, did not like his friend should run
the hazard of this shocking penalty for his sake, Antonio signed the
bond, thinking it really was (as the Jew said) merely in sport.

The rich heiress that Bassanio wished to marry lived near Venice, at a
place called Belmont; her name was Portia, and in the graces of her
person and her mind she was nothing inferior to that Portia, of whom
we read, who was Cato's daughter and the wife of Brutus.

Bassanio--being so kindly supplied with money by his friend Antonio,
at the hazard of his life--set out for Belmont with a splendid train,
and attended by a gentleman of the name of Gratiano.

Bassanio proving successful in his suit, Portia in a short time
consented to accept of him for a husband.

Bassanio confessed to Portia that he had no fortune, and that his high
birth and noble ancestry was all that he could boast of; she, who
loved him for his worthy qualities, and had riches enough not to
regard wealth in a husband, answered with a graceful modesty that she
would wish herself a thousand times more fair, and ten thousand times
more rich, to be more worthy of him; and then the accomplished Portia
prettily dispraised herself, and said she was an unlessoned girl,
unschooled, unpracticed, yet not so old but that she could learn, and
that she would commit her gentle spirit to be directed and governed by
him in all things; and she said, "Myself and what is mine, to you and
yours is now converted. But yesterday, Bassan