be directed,
    As from her lord, her governor, her king. 
    Myself, and what is mine, to you, and yours
    Is now converted; but now I was the lord
    Of this fair mansion, master of my servants,
    Queen o’er myself; and even now, but now,
    This house, these servants, and this same myself,
    Are yours, my lord.”

Then as a pledge of all her love Portia gives to Bassanio a ring, and bids him never part from it so long as he shall live.  And Bassanio taking it, gladly swears to keep it forever.

                “But when this ring
    Parts from this finger, then parts life from hence;
    O, then be bold to say, Bassanio’s dead.”

And then as if to make the joy complete, it is discovered that Portia’s lady in waiting, Nerissa, and Bassanio’s friend, Gratiano, also love each other, and they all agree to be married on the same day.

In the midst of this happiness the runaway couple, Lorenzo and Jessica, arrive from Venice with another of Antonio’s friends who brings a letter to Bassanio.  As Bassanio reads the letter all the gladness fades from his face.  He grows pale and trembles.  Anxiously Portia asks what troubles him.

            “I am half yourself,
    And I must freely have the half of anything
    That this same paper brings you.”

And Bassanio answers:—­

            “O sweet Portia,

Here are a few of the unpleasant’st words
That ever blotted paper!  Gentle lady,
When I did first impart my love to you,
I freely told you, all the wealth I had
Ran in my veins, I was a gentleman;
And then I told you true:  and yet, dear lady,
Rating myself at nothing, you shall see
How much I was a braggart:  when I told you
My state was nothing, I should then have told you
That I was worse than nothing.”

He is worse than nothing, for he is in debt to his friend, and that friend for him is now in danger of his life.  For the three months allowed by Shylock for the payment of the debt are over, and as not one of Antonio’s ships has returned, he cannot pay the money.  Many friends have offered to pay for him, but Shylock will have none of their gold.  He does not want it.  What he wants is revenge.  He wants Antonio’s life, and well he knows if a pound of flesh be cut from this poor merchant’s breast he must die.

And all for three thousand ducats!  “Oh,” cries Portia when she hears, “what a paltry sum!  Pay the Jew ten times the money and tear up the bond, rather than that Antonio shall lose a single hair through Bassanio’s fault.”

“It is no use,” she is told, “Shylock will have his bond, and nothing but his bond.”

If that be so, then must Bassanio hasten to his friend to comfort him at least.  So the wedding is hurried on, and immediately after it Bassanio and Gratiano hasten away, leaving their new wives behind them.