them；　a　severe　box　on　the　ear　was　administered　by　his　indignant　sister。
  Nobody　pitied　him。
  _Christie。_　〃I'll　laern　yet'　affront　me　before　a'　the　company。〃
  _Jean　Carnie。_　〃Suppose　it's　a　lee；　there's　nae　silver　to　pay　for　it；
  Flucker。〃
  _Christie。_　〃Jean；　I　never　telt　a　lee　in　a'　my　days。〃
  _Jean。_　〃There's　ane　to　begin　wi'　then。　Go　ahead；　Custy。〃
  _Christie。_　〃She　bade　the　music　play　for　him；　for　music　brightens
  thoucht；　ony　way；　he　chose　the　leed　kist。　Open'st　and　wasn't　there
  Porsha's　pictur；　and　a　posy；　that　said：
  'If　you　be　well　pleased　with　this；　And　hold　your　fortune　for　your　bliss；
  Turn　you　where　your　leddy　iss；　And　greet　her　wi'　a　loving〃'　_（Pause）。_
  〃Kess；〃　roared　the　company。
  _Chorus；　led　by　Flucker。_　〃Hurraih！〃
  _Christie　（pathetically）。_　〃Flucker；　behave！〃
  _Sandy　Liston　（drunk）。_　〃Hur…raih！〃　He　then　solemnly　reflected。　〃Na！　but
  it's　na　hurraih；　decency　requires　amen　first　an'　hurraih　afterward；
  here's　kissin　plenty；　but　I　hear　nae　word　o'　the　minister。　Ye'll
  obsairve；　young　woman；　that　kissin's　the　prologue　to　sin；　and　I'm　a
  decent　mon；　an'　a　gray…headed　mon；　an'　your　licht　stories　are　no　for　me；
  sae　if　the　minister's　no　expeckit　I　shall　retirean'　tak　my　quiet　gill
  my　lane。〃
  _Jean　Carnie。_　〃And　div　ye　really　think　a　decent　cummer　like　Custy　wad
  let　the　lad　and　lass　misbehave　thirsels？　Na！　lad；　the　minister's　at　the
  door；　but〃　（sinking　her　voice　to　a　confidential　whisper）　〃I　daurna　let
  him　in；　for　fear　he'd　see　ye　hae　putten　the　enemy　in　your　mooth　sae
  aerly。　（That's　Custy's　word。）〃
  〃Jemmy　Drysel；〃　replied　Sandy；　addressing　vacancy；　for　Jemmy　was
  mysteriously　at　work　in　the　kitchen；　〃ye　hae　gotten　a　thoughtfu'　wife。〃
  （Then；　with　a　strong　revulsion　of　feeling。）　〃Dinna　let　the　blackguard*　in
  here；〃　cried　he；　〃to　spoil　the　young　folk's　sporrt。〃
  *　At　present　this　is　a　spondee　in　Englanda　trochee　in　Scotland　The
  pronunciation　of　this　important　word　ought　to　be　fixed；　representing；　as
  it　does；　so　large　a　portion　of　the　community　in　both　countries。
  _Christie。_　〃Aweel；　lassies；　comes　a　letter　to　Bassanio；　he　reads　it；　and
  turns　as　pale　as　deeth。〃
  _A　Fishwife。_　〃Gude　help　us。〃
  _Christie。_　〃Poorsha　behooved　to　ken　his　grief；　wha　had　a　better　reicht？
  'Here's　a　letter；　leddy；'　says　he；　'the　paper's　the　boedy　of　my　freend；
  like；　and　every　word　in　it　a　gaping　wound。'〃
  _A　Fisherman。_　〃Maircy　on　us。〃
  _Christie。_　〃Lad；　it　was　fra　puir　Antonio；　ye　mind　o'　him；　Lasses。　Hech！
  the　ill　luck　o'　yon　man；　no　a　ship　come　hame；　ane　foundered　at　sea；
  coming　fra　Tri…po…lis；　the　pirates　scuttled　another；　an'　ane　ran　ashore
  on　the　Goodwins；　near　Bright…helm…stane；　that's　in　England　itsel'；　I　daur
  say。　Sae　he　could　na　pay　the　three　thoosand　ducats；　an'　Shylock　had
  grippit　him；　an'　sought　the　pund　o'　flesh　aff　the　breest　o'　him；　puir
  body。〃
  _Sandy　Liston。_　〃He　would　na　be　the　waur　o'　a　wee　bit　hiding；　yon
  thundering　urang…utang；　let　the　man　alane；　ye　cursed　old　cannibal。〃
  _Christie。_　〃Poorsha　keepit　her　man　but　ae　hoor　till　they　were　united；
  an'　then　sent　him　wi'　a　puckle　o'　her　ain　siller　to　Veeneece；　and
  Antoniothink　o'　that；　lassiespairted　on　their　wedding…day。〃
  _Lizzy　Johnstone；　a　Fishwife；　aged　12。_　〃Hech！　hech！　it's　lamentable。〃
  _Jean　Carnie。_　〃I'm　saying；　mairriage　is　quick　wark；　in　some　pairtshere
  there's　an　awfu'　trouble　to　get　a　man。〃
  _A　young　Fishwife。_　〃Ay；　is　there。〃
  _Omnes。_　〃Haw！　haw！　haw！〃　（The　fish…wife　hides。）
  _Christie。_　〃Fill　your　taupsels；　lads　and　lasses；　and　awa　to　Veneece。〃
  _Sandy　Liston　（sturdily）。_　〃I'll　no　gang　to　sea　this　day。〃
  _Christie。_　〃Noo；　we　are　in　the　hall　o'　judgment。　Here　are　set　the
  judges；　awfu'　to　behold；　there；　on　his　throne；　presides　the　Juke。〃
  _Flucker。_　〃She's　awa　to　her　Ennglish。〃
  _Lizzy　Johnstone。_　〃Did　we　come　to　Veeneece　to　speak　Scoetch；　ye　useless
  fule？〃
  _Christie。_　〃Here；　pale　and　hopeless；　but　resigned；　stands　the　broken
  mairchant；　Antonio；　there；　wi　scales　and　knives；　and　revenge　in　his
  murderin'　eye；　stands　the　crewel　Jew　Shylock。〃
  〃Aweel；〃　muttered　Sandy；　considerately；　〃I'll　no　mak　a　disturbance　on　a
  wedding　day。〃
  _Christie。_　〃They　wait　for　BellI　dinna　mind　his　minda　laerned　lawyer；
  ony　way；　he's　sick；　but　sends　ane　mair　laerned　still；　and；　when　this　ane
  comes；　he　looks　not　older　nor　wiser　than　mysel。〃
  _Flucker。_　〃No　possible！〃
  _Christie。_　〃Ye　needna　be　sae　sarcy；　Flucker；　for　when　he　comes　to　his
  wark　he　soon　lets　'em　kenruns　his　een　like　lightening　ower　the　boend。
  'This　bond's　forfeit。　Is　Antonio　not　able　to　dischairge　the　money？'　'Ay！'
  cries　Bassanio；　'here's　the　sum　thrice　told。'　Says　the　young　judge　in　a
  bit　whisper　to　Shylock；　'Shylock；　there's　thrice　thy　money　offered　thee。
  Be　mairceful；'　says　he；　out　loud。　'Wha'll　mak　me？'　says　the　Jew　body。
  'Mak　ye！'　says　he；　'maircy　is　no　a　thing　ye　strain　through　a　sieve；　mon；
  it　droppeth　like　the　gentle　dew　fra'　heaven　upon　the　place　beneath；　it
  blesses　him　that　gives　and　him　that　taks；　it　becomes　the　king　better　than
  his　throne；　and　airthly　power　is　maist　like　God's　power　when　maircy
  seasons　justice。'〃
  _Robert　Haw；　Fisherman。_　〃Dinna　speak　like　that　to　me；　onybody；　or　I
  shall　gie　ye　my　boat；　and　fling　my　nets　intil　it；　as　ye　sail　awa　wi'
  her。〃
  _Jean　Carnie。_　〃Sae　he　let　the　puir　deevil　go。　Oh！　ye　ken　wha　could　stand
  up　against　siccan　a　shower　o'　Ennglish　as　thaat。〃
  _Christie。_　〃He　just　said；　'My　deeds　upon　my　heed。　I　claim　the　law；'　says
  he；　'there　is　no　power　in　the　tongue　o'　man　to　alter　me。　I　stay　here　on
  my　boend。'〃
  _Sandy　Liston。_　〃I　hae　sat　quiet！quiet　I　hae　sat　against　my　will；　no　to
  disturb　Jamie　Drysel's　weddin'；　but　ye　carry　the　game　ower　far；　Shylock；
  my　lad。　I'll　just　give　yon　bluidy…minded　urang…utang　a　hidin'；　and　bring
  Tony　off；　the　gude；　puir…spirited　creature。　And　him；　an'　me；　an'
  Bassanee；　an'　Porshee；　we'll　all　hae　a　gill　thegither。〃
  He　rose；　and　was　instantly　seized　by　two　of　the　company；　from　whom　he
  burst　furiously；　after　a　struggle；　and　the　next　moment　was　heard　to　fall
  clean　from　the　top　to　the　bottom　of　the　stairs。　Flucker　and　Jean　ran　out；
  the　rest　appealed　against　the　interruption。
  _Christie。_　〃Hech！　he's　killed。　Sandy　Liston's　brake　his　neck。〃
  〃What　aboot　it；　lassy？〃　said　a　young　fisherman；　〃it's　Antonio　I'm　feared
  for；　save　him；　lassy；　if　poessible；　but　I　doot　ye'll　no　get　him　clear　o'
  yon　deevelich　heathen。
  〃Auld　Sandy's　cheap　sairved；〃　added　he；　with　all　the　indifference　a　human
  tone　could　convey。
  〃Oh；　Cursty；〃　said　Lizzie　Johnstone；　with　a　peevish　accent；　〃dinna　break
  the　bonny　yarn　for　naething。〃
  _Flucker　（returning）。_　〃He's　a'　reicht。〃
  _Christie。_　〃Is　he　no　dead？〃
  _Flucker。_　〃Him　deed？　he's　soberthat's　a'　the　change　I　see。〃
  _Christie。_　〃Can　he　speak？　I'm　asking　ye。〃
  _Flucker。_　〃Yes；　he　can　speak。〃
  _Christie。_　〃What　does　he　say；　puir　body？〃
  _Flucker。_　〃He　sat　up；　an'　sought　a　gill　fra'　the　wifepuir　body！〃
  _Christie。_　〃Hech！　hech！　he　was　my　pupil　in　the　airt　o'　sobriety！aweel；
  the　young　judge　rises　to　deliver　the　sentence　of　the　coort。　Silence！〃
  thundered　Christie。　A　lad　and　a　lass　that　were　slightly　flirting　were
  discountenanced。
  _Christie。_　〃'A　pund　o'　that　same　mairchant's　flesh　is　thine！　the　coort
  awards　it；　and　the　law　does　give　it。'〃
  _A　young　Fishwife。_　〃There；　I　thoucht　sae；　he's　gaun　to　cut　him；　he's
  gaun　to　cut　him；　I'll　no　can　bide。〃　_（Exibat。）_
  _Christie。_　〃There's　a　fulish　goloshen。　'Have　by　a　doctor　to　stop　the
  blood。''I　see　nae　doctor　in　the　boend；'　says　the　Jew　body。〃
  _Flucker。_　〃Bait　your　hook　wi'　a　boend；　and　ye　shall　catch　yon　carle's
  saul；　Satin；　my　lad。〃
  _Christie　（with　dismal　pathos）。_　〃Oh；　Flucker；　dinna　speak　evil　o'
  deegnetiesthat's　maybe　fishing　for　yoursel'　the　noo！…'An'　ye　shall
  cut　the　flesh　frae　off　his　breest。''A　sentence；'　says　Shylock；　'come；
  prepare。'〃
  Christie　made　a　dash　_en　Shylock；_　and　the　company　trembled。
  _Christie。_　〃'Bide　a　wee；'　says　the　judge；　'this　boend　gies　ye　na　a　drap
  o'　bluid；　the　words　expressly　are；　a　pund　o'　flesh！'〃
  _（A　Dramatic　Pause。）_
  _Jean　Carnie　（drawing　her　breath）。_　〃That's　into　your　mutton；　Shylock〃
  _Christie　（with　dismal　pathos）。_　〃Oh；　Jean！　yon's　an　awfu'　voolgar
  exprassion　to　come　fra'　a　woman's　mooth。〃
  〃Could　ye　no　hae　said；　'intil　his　bacon'？〃　said　Lizzie　Johnstone；
  confirming　the　remonstrance。
  _Christie。_　〃'Then　tak　your　boend；　an'　your　pund　o'　flesh；　but　in　cutting
  o'　't；　if　thou　dost　shed　one　drop　of　Christian　bluid；　thou　diest！'〃
  _Jean　Carnie。_　〃Hech！〃
  _Christie。_　〃'Thy　goods　are　by　the　laws　Veneece　con…fis…cate；
  confiscate！'〃
  Then；　like　an　artful　narrator；　she　began　to　wind　up　the　story　more
  rapidly。
  〃Sae　Shylock　got　to　be　no　sae　saucy。　'Pay　the　boend　thrice；'　says　he；
  'and　let　the　puir　deevil　go。''Here　it's；'　says　Bassanio。Na！　the　young
  judge　wadna　let　him。'He　has　refused　it　in　open　coort；　no　a　bawbee　for
  Shylock　but　just　the　forfeiture；　an'　he　daur　na　tak　it。''I'm　awa'；'
  says　he。　'The　deivil　tak　ye　a'。'Na！　he　wasna　to　win　clear　sae；　ance
  they'd　gotten　the　Jew　on　the　hep；　they　worried　him；　like　good　Christians；
  that's　a　fact。　The　judge　fand　a　law　that　fitted　him；　for　conspiring
  against　the　life　of　a　citizen；　an'　he　behooved　to　give　up　hoose　an'
  lands；　and　be　a　Christian；　yo