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CHAPTER TWO

The Loan

Meanwhile, in Venice, Antonio and Bassanio found Shylock. He was at the Rialto, as usual.

“Shylock, I have a request for you,” said Antonio. “I’d like you to loan three thousand ducats to my best friend, Bassanio. I will sign the contract. I’ll happily pay you back in a few days. I’ll have plenty of money when my ships arrive.”

“I have an idea,” said Bassanio. “Why don’t we go out to dinner? We can talk more about this loan.’

“I never eat with Christians,” grumbled Shylock. “I may lend them money or do business with them. But I don’t eat with them. Not ever!”

“Very well,” said Bassanio. “Why don’t you just lend me the money, then? You know that Antonio will pay you back.”

As Shylock listened to Antonio and Bassanio, he became angrier and angrier. How foolish these two men were! They knew how much he hated them. And yet they were asking him for a loan! He was determined to make Antonio pay dearly.

“Shylock” yelled Antonio. “Are you going to lend us the money or not? Answer me!”

Shylock answered him slowly. “Do you remember all of those times that you insulted me in a loud voice that everyone could hear? You once spat on me and called me a dog. And now you want to borrow money from me, a dog!” “Look! I’m not asking you a favor. You can charge me any interest you want. I don’t mind. My ships will arrive any day now.”

“Alright, Antonio. I’m willing to lend you the money. I won’t even charge you any interest. Just pay me back the loan on time.”

Antonio couldn’t believe his ears. “What did you say?”

“I said you didn’t know me. You always call me a cheapskate, but I am not. I will help you. I won’t even charge you a single ducat. However, there’s something I’m worried about. What if you don’t pay me back?”

“Don’t worry, Shylock. I’ll pay you back.”

“Well, I need some kind of a guarantee, don’t I? Three thousand ducats is a lot of money. If you don’t pay me back on time, I want a pound of flesh. I’ll take a pound of flesh from any part of your body.”

Antonio didn’t like what Shylock proposed.

“No. I’d rather pay some interest if I’m late on the payment.”

“I’m afraid that’s no good,” said Shylock as he laughed. “Do you think I’d take money from a fellow moneylender? Besides, this contract is only a joke! Do you think that any lawyer or judge would believe me? Would they really believe that I want a pound of your flesh?

You don’t have to worry about anything! It’s my way of saying the bad feelings of the past between us are finished.”

Antonio pulled Bassanio aside and spoke to him secretly.

“I don’t want to do business with this man. He’s evil. And I know that he’d take the pound of flesh from me if he could. Let’s see if somebody else will lend us the money.”

But Bassanio had other ideas. “Who else in Venice can lend me this much money? Besides, this man is crazy. Don’t worry about the guarantee. Nobody would make you pay a pound of flesh! Everyone will think he’s nuts!”

So, Antonio agreed to the conditions of the loan. The three men went to a lawyer and signed an agreement.

A strange smile came over Shylock’s face. In fact, Shyloek wanted to take a pound of flesh from Antonio. He’d hated Antonio for so long. And he lost a lot of money because of this generous moneylender.

Bassanio took the money that Antonio had borrowed although he had a bad feeling about the loan contract. He bought many gifts and clothes that he needed to propose to Portia. He then loaded the gifts into a carriage. He and his servant, Gratiano, went to Portia’s house with the carriage.

When Bassanio arrived, Portia was delighted. She had hoped that he would return for her. She was in love with him.

“Portia, I’m so happy to see you again,” said Bassanio. “But I have something awful to tell you. I’m broke. I have no money.”

“Bassanio! Don’t worry about that! I have all of the money we need. Money means nothing to me. The only thing you have to worry about is choosing the right box. Then, we can live happily ever after.”

Portia told Bassanio about her father’s contract.

“Alright. I’ll go choose the box now.”

Portia started to worry. What if he chose the wrong box?

“Don’t choose today. I have a bad feeling. I want you to wait.”

“Wait! But the sooner I choose, the sooner I can marry you. I can’t wait any longer.”

“Then let me hire a musician. Maybe the music will help you think more clearly.”

A little while later, a musician came. He began to play soothing music. Bassanio slowly walked over to the golden chest. He looked at it carefully.

“This can’t be it,” he said to himself. “It’s too obvious. Everyone would choose the golden one first. I think Portia’s father wanted to separate the wise men from the fools.”

Then, he walked over to the silver chest. “If men didn’t choose the golden chest, then they would choose this one. That’s obvious, as well.”

Bassanio’s eyes settled on the lead chest.

“This is the least obvious choice. I don’t think anyone else would choose this one.”

He opened the box. He gasped. He couldn’t believe his eyes! In the box was a small picture of Portia. Bassanio could now marry her! He was so happy that he couldn’t even speak.

Portia put her arms around him and said, “Oh, Bassanio! I’m the luckiest woman in the world. Yesterday, I was just a girl with a lot of money. Today, I’ll be a wife. Please, take this ring and show me you will accept my proposal. Put it on and promise me that you’ll never take it off.”

“I am lucky, too,” said Bassanio. “Yesterday, I was poor and lonely. Today, I will be married to the most beautiful woman in the world. I promise that

I’ll wear this ring forever. Until I die! I swear!”

It was a very happy moment. Gratiano felt that it was a good time to ask Bassanio something.

“Since you’re getting married, I’d like to get married, too.”

“Well, that’s wonderful,” said Bassanio. “But who are you going to marry?”

“I want to marry Nerissa.”

Bassanio and Portia were very surprised.

“I didn’t know you wanted to get married, Nerissa,” cried Portia. “This is a great day!”

That evening the couples got married. Bassanio and Gratiano wore golden rings that they promised never to take off. They were the happiest men in the world.