No Fear Shakespeare
The Merchant of Venice
Get this No Fear to go!
Act 2, Scene 4
Original Text | Modern Text | |
Enter GRATIANO, LORENZO,
SALARINO, and SOLANIO
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GRATIANO, LORENZO,
SALARINO, and SOLANIO enter. | |
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LORENZO
Nay, we will slink away in supper time,
Disguise us at my lodging, and return,
All in an hour.
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LORENZO
No, we’ll sneak away at supper time, disguise ourselves with masks at my
house, and come back in an hour.
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GRATIANO
We have not made good preparation.
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GRATIANO
But we haven’t made any preparations.
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5 |
SALARINO
We have not spoke us yet of torchbearers.
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SALARINO
We haven’t even talked about who’ll be our torchbearers.
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SOLANIO
'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered,
And better in my mind not undertook.
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SOLANIO
The masquerade party might turn out terribly if we don’t manage things
carefully. I think it’s better to call it off.
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LORENZO
'Tis now but four o'clock. We have two hours
To furnish us.
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LORENZO
It’s only four o'clock now. We have two hours to get ready.
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Enter LAUNCELOT with a letter |
LAUNCELOT enters with a letter. | |
| 10 |
Friend Launcelot, what’s the news?
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Launcelot, what’s going on?
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LAUNCELOT
(giving LORENZO
the letter)
An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to signify.
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LAUNCELOT
(he gives LORENZO
the letter) If you don’t mind opening this letter,
you can find out for yourself.
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15 |
LORENZO
I know the hand. In faith, ’tis a fair hand,
And whiter than the paper it writ on
Is the fair hand that writ.
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LORENZO
I recognize the handwriting. It’s beautiful handwriting. And the beautiful
hand that wrote this letter is whiter than the paper it’s written on.
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GRATIANO
Love news, in faith?
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GRATIANO
I bet it’s a love letter!
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LAUNCELOT
(to LORENZO) By your
leave, sir.
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LAUNCELOT
(to LORENZO) May I be
excused, sir?
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