No Fear Shakespeare-Merchant Of Venice

Act 3-Scene 4

PORTIA, NERISSA, LORENZO, andJESSICA enter with BALTHAZAR, a servant of PORTIA's.

LORENZO

Madam, I hope you don't mind my saying that I admire your noble respect for friendship, which you show in letting your husband go off to help his friend like this. If you only knew the man you're helping out, and what a faithful gentleman he is and how much he loves your husband, I know you'd be even prouder of your kindness than you normally might be.

PORTIA

I've never regretted doing good, and I don't now. Friends who spend a lot of time together and really care equally for each other must have many traits in common. Since Antonio's my husband's best friend, they must be very similar men. In that case, the money I've sent is a small price to pay to rescue someone who resembles my Bassanio, who's like my own soul.-Anyway, let's change the subject, since I feel like I'm starting to flatter myself. I have a favor to ask of you. Lorenzo, please take charge of the management of my house until my husband comes back. I've sworn to God that I'll live a life of prayer and contemplation until my husband returns. Only Nerissa will keep me company. There's a monastery two miles away where we can stay. Please say you'll agree, because I really need you to do this.

LORENZO

Madam, with all my heart. I'll do anything you ask.

PORTIA

I've already spoken to my staff about this. They'll consider you and Jessica masters of this house in place of Lord Bassanio and myself. So goodbye until we meet again.

LORENZO

I hope you can relax and enjoy yourself!

JESSICA

I hope you find peace and happiness, my lady.

PORTIA

Thank you. I wish you the same. Goodbye, Jessica.

JESSICA and LORENZO exit.

Now, Balthazar, you've always been honest and faithful to me, and I trust you still are. (she gives BALTHAZAR a letter)Take this letter to Padua as fast as you can. Make sure you put it into the hands of my cousin Bellario, the Doctor of Laws.And as quickly as possible, take whatever letters and clothes he gives you to the public ferry that goes back and forth to Venice. Don't waste time talking now. Just go. I'll meet you at the ferry.

BALTHAZAR

I'll go as fast as I can, madam.

He exits.

PORTIA

Come on, Nerissa, I have many things to do that you don't even know about yet. We'll see our husbands before they even have a chance to miss us.

NERISSA

Will they see us?

PORTIA

They will, Nerissa, but we'll be disguised as men. I'll bet you anything that I'll be handsomer than you when we're both dressed up. I'll wear my sword more gracefully, and speak like a teenage boy, and walk with a manly stride rather than my ladylike steps. I'll talk about fights like a bragging youth, and I'll tell cute lies about honorable ladies who fell in love with me and got sick and died when I rejected them. They just died, what could I do! Then I'll start feeling sorry for them, wishing I hadn't killed them. I'll tell twenty lies like that, so men will think I graduated from school at least a year ago. I know a thousand immature tricks like that, and I'll use them all.

NERISSA

Why, are we turning to men?

PORTIA

What kind of question is that! If I had a dirty mind, I'd think you meant turning to men for sex. Here, I'll tell you my whole plan in my carriage, which is waiting for us at the gate. So hurry up, because we have twenty miles to cover today.

They exit.