“To-day if ye will hear his voice.”

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.

As told by Mary Seymour.

In the beautiful Italian city of Venice there dwelt in former times a Jew, by name Shylock, who had grown rich by lending money at high interest to Christian merchants.  No one liked Shylock, he was so hard and so cruel in his dealings; but perhaps none felt such an abhorrence of his character as a young man of Venice named Antonio.

This hatred was amply returned by the Jew; for Antonio was so kind to people in distress that he would lend them money without taking interest.  Besides, he used to reproach Shylock for his hard dealings, when they chanced to meet.  Apparently the Jew bore such reproaches with wonderful patience; but could you have looked into his heart, you would have seen it filled with longing for revenge.

It is not strange to find that Antonio was greatly loved by his fellow-countrymen; but dearest of all his friends was Bassanio, a young man of high rank, though possessed of but small fortune.

One day Bassanio came to tell Antonio that he was about to marry a wealthy lady, but to meet the expense of wedding such an heiress, he needed the loan of three thousand ducats.

Just at that time Antonio had not the money to lend his friend, but he was expecting home some ships laden with merchandise; and he offered to borrow the required sum of Shylock upon the security of these vessels.

Together they repaired to the Jewish money-lender; and Antonio asked for three thousand ducats, to be repaid from the merchandise contained in his ships.  Shylock remembered now all that Antonio had done to offend him.  For a few moments he remained silent; then he said: 

“Signor, you have called me a dog, and an unbeliever.  Is it for these courtesies I am to lend you money?”

“Lend it not as a friend,” said Antonio; “rather lend it to me as an enemy, so that you may the better exact the penalty if I fail.”

Then Shylock thought he would pretend to feel more kindly.

“I would be friends with you,” he said.  “I will forget your treatment of me, and supply your wants without taking interest for my money.”

Antonio was, of course, very much surprised at such words.  But Shylock repeated them; only requiring that they should go to some lawyer, before whom—­as a jest—­Antonio should swear, that if by a certain day he did not repay the money, he would forfeit a pound of flesh, cut from any part of his body which the Jew might choose.

“I will sign to this bond,” said Antonio; “and will say there is much kindness in a Jew.”

But Bassanio now interfered, declaring that never should Antonio put his name to such a bond for his sake.  Yet the young merchant insisted; for he said he was quite sure of his ships returning long before the day of payment.